Weak hen

[Alicethewhiterabbit]

Hi, hoping you all can offer some insight.



A week ago i notice my americana hen’s blue eggs loss some pigment. This afternoon she seemed fine. Tonight she was laying on her side and is weak on her left side(cannot stand). She had no food crop. She has a honk when she makes noise. The noise is very horse… she also had a little shiver. She had a freshly layer egg as well. Her lungs are clear and she is less tired after sugar.





I got her temp up with a heating pad. Have given B complex, biotin, E, Selenium (shes been inside), A, brown sugar, chloline, calcium(powderized egg shells), magnesium and lafaber senior nutriberries.

Update:

Update: she is more alert and has a little (weak) grip with her left foot. Excellent grip of her right foot. She has a fever- panting - gave her a cool pack on her legs. She is breathing heavy(tail is moving ) but not open mouth breathing. She is on O2 support now because of the heavy breathing

Have her on cephlaxin(sp)as i think she is fighting something.


Something to note is we had a weird smell outside- smelt like exhaust (windows shut but maybe some of the gross air got in- kiln caught fire less than 5 miles a way) she was the closest to the window with Marshmellow the rooster right next to her(he seems completely fine). I will be giving her charcoal next time i give her anything.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi, sorry about your hen.

Do you have other chickens, and if so, is this one the only one having some issues?

You said she laid today, which is a good sign. Hows her poop look? It might be green and fluid since she's not eating much.

What you're doing sounds good. I'd also put some multivitamin like Poultry Cell in her water. Try some raw egg yolk as that might help perk her up too, and make her feed into a mash. When I do that, they think it's a treat.

Age, mites, worms, drugs, diet, illness, etc., can all cause a change in egg pigment. How old is she?

 

[Alicethewhiterabbit]

Hi, sorry about your hen.

Do you have other chickens, and if so, is this one the only one having some issues?

You said she laid today, which is a good sign. Hows her poop look? It might be green and fluid since she's not eating much.

What you're doing sounds good. I'd also put some multivitamin like Poultry Cell in her water. Try some raw egg yolk as that might help perk her up too, and make her feed into a mash. When I do that, they think it's a treat.

Age, mites, worms, drugs, diet, illness, etc., can all cause a change in egg pigment. How old is she?

Hi, sorry about your hen.

Do you have other chickens, and if so, is this one the only one having some issues?

You said she laid today, which is a good sign. Hows her poop look? It might be green and fluid since she's not eating much.

What you're doing sounds good. I'd also put some multivitamin like Poultry Cell in her water. Try some raw egg yolk as that might help perk her up too, and make her feed into a mash. When I do that, they think it's a treat.

Age, mites, worms, drugs, diet, illness, etc., can all cause a change in egg pigment. How old is she?

A few months (sept) back she and my rooster (he is a hero) were attacked by a raccoon. They were put on antibiotics and kept inside. There wounds have healed beautifully with feathers now covering them both. I have kept them inside to recover fully (we have gotten really cold weather and was not ready to monitor 100% to make sure the flock did not pick on her and the rooster) and they have not gone back outside with the flock. The rooster and her are in separate crates but next to each other.
The rooster is fine. I checked were her wound was and there is no heat. She was on cephalexin twice a day (for i think 21 days - i have to double check)

This evening while i was holding her she pooped on me (pure urates) i am waiting for her to poop currently.

No bugs that i can see her feathers look great. Bright alert eyes and her comb is the normal color (a purplish red- she has greenish legs and feet)

She will be a year this coming spring.

Thank you for the suggestions!




Something to note is we had a weird smell outside- smelt like exhaust (windows shut but maybe some of the gross air got in- kiln caught fire less than 5 miles a way) she was the closest to the window with Marshmellow the rooster right next to her(he seems fine).

 

[Debbie292d]

A few months (sept) back she and my rooster (he is a hero) were attacked by a raccoon. They were put on antibiotics and kept inside. There wounds have healed beautifully with feathers now covering them both. I have kept them inside to recover fully (we have gotten really cold weather and was not ready to monitor 100% to make sure the flock did not pick on her and the rooster) and they have not gone back outside with the flock. The rooster and her are in separate crates but next to each other.
The rooster is fine. I checked were her wound was and there is no heat. She was on cephalexin twice a day (for i think 21 days - i have to double check)

This evening while i was holding her she pooped on me (pure urates) i am waiting for her to poop currently.

No bugs that i can see her feathers look great. Bright alert eyes and her comb is the normal color (a purplish red- she has greenish legs and feet)

She will be a year this coming spring.

Thank you for the suggestions!




Something to note is we had a weird smell outside- smelt like exhaust (windows shut but maybe some of the gross air got in- kiln caught fire less than 5 miles a way) she was the closest to the window with Marshmellow the rooster right next to her(he seems fine).

Was it at the same time that this burning smell came that she suddenly couldn't walk anymore and made honking noises?

I'm stumped, so let's get a couple of the experts in here to see if they have any ideas.

@Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock @azygous

 

[Alicethewhiterabbit]

Was it at the same time that this burning smell came that she suddenly couldn't walk anymore and made honking noises?

I'm stumped, so let's get a couple of the experts in here to see if they have any ideas.

@Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock @azygous

It was after/during the smell i was doing my nightly check/refreshing water and food. The chickens outside and the coop are all fine so far. Here is a photo of her poop. Thank you again for trying to figure this out with me. I am still syringe feeding her (she wont eat on her own anyways on the antibiotic)

 

[Debbie292d]

It was after/during the smell i was doing my nightly check/refreshing water and food. The chickens outside and the coop are all fine so far. Here is a photo of her poop. Thank you again for trying to figure this out with me. I am still syringe feeding her (she wont eat on her own anyways on the antibiotic)

Her poop actually looks pretty normal to me. Is she getting stronger at all does it seem?

I saw @Eggcessive is on now and maybe can come try help.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

A week ago i notice my americana hen’s blue eggs loss some pigment. This afternoon she seemed fine. Tonight she was laying on her side and is weak on her left side(cannot stand). She had no food crop. She has a honk when she makes noise. The noise is very horse… she also had a little shiver. She had a freshly layer egg as well. Her lungs are clear and she is less tired after sugar.

I got her temp up with a heating pad. Have given B complex, biotin, E, Selenium (shes been inside), A, brown sugar, chloline, calcium(powderized egg shells), magnesium and lafaber senior nutriberries.

Update: she is more alert and has a little (weak) grip with her left foot. Excellent grip of her right foot. She has a fever- panting - gave her a cool pack on her legs. She is breathing heavy(tail is moving ) but not open mouth breathing. She is on O2 support now because of the heavy breathing

Have her on cephlaxin(sp)as i think she is fighting something.

When was her last egg?

If she should have laid an egg and hasn't, then I'd start her on Calcium Citrate+D3, give 1 tablet daily for 5 days.

She was on a heating pad, was she able to move off it on her own? She may have overheated. Being inside, she likely does not need extra heat.

Feel her abdomen, any bloat or feeling of fluid in below the vent between her legs?

I'd work on hydration, give her sugar water (1tsp sugar to 1cup water). Encourage her to eat her normal feed if possible.

You mention you're giving Selenium - how much?

 

[Alicethewhiterabbit]

When was her last egg?

If she should have laid an egg and hasn't, then I'd start her on Calcium Citrate+D3, give 1 tablet daily for 5 days.

She was on a heating pad, was she able to move off it on her own? She may have overheated. Being inside, she likely does not need extra heat.

Feel her abdomen, any bloat or feeling of fluid in below the vent between her legs?

I'd work on hydration, give her sugar water (1tsp sugar to 1cup water). Encourage her to eat her normal feed if possible.

You mention you're giving Selenium - how much?

That day was her egg. I put her on a heating pad after find her because she was cold. Once i got her temp up she started getting fevers. I palpated her and did not feel another egg (i do not believe she is egg bound) .


No bloat or extra fluid.
Selenium was given after i found her in this condition not before.

She will not eat on her own when she is on cephalexin. She is no longer breathing heavy(no longer needs o2 support) and i do not hear anymore honking- so maybe the antibiotic is kicking in. She had a fever one time today(had to give her cold pack ) so I'm hoping we are headed in the right direction.


Thank you for your input and trying to figure this out.

 

[Alicethewhiterabbit]

Her poop actually looks pretty normal to me. Is she getting stronger at all does it seem?

I saw @Eggcessive is on now and maybe can come try help.

Shes about the same- i have her in a box so shes easier to monitor. She does not try and get out nor has she tried to stand. Ive checked her grip and the one side is still pretty weak/sometimes nonexistent. She is very bright eyed though and is alert. She has not honked once today! She has had one fever after (6am to this evening around 10pm) i had to giver a cold pack to help her cool her down . She seems to be breathing better - as of right not she does not have o2 support. I did do everything you suggested too.

I have listened to her lungs last night and her lungs were
Clear despite the honking

 

[Alicethewhiterabbit]

Update.

I misspoke about her hoarse cough/cluck going away immediately, her cough just was not as horse/rough and less frequent.

2 days ago she started putting weight on her leg and will stand up. I know someone who has strep (while i did not have strep maybe i carried in the germ and exposed her). Birds and dogs can get strep and all the symptoms line up with this diagnosis. I am grateful that i started the antibiotics pretty immediately as they seem to be working. She is a lot more alert and will stick her head of the box to see whats going on. One morning she was actually perching on the edge of the box! She seems to be on the mend.

I did cephalexin 1.2ml twice a day (every 12 hours). Her last dose is suppose to be on the 27. For her fevers i gave her cool packs but what seemed to help the most were the ziplock bags of frozen wet cotton balls (i could leave those in with her and they seemed to help regulate her temp even when they lost their coldness ) I hope this helps someone else in the future with their chickens!