Wobbly Hen / Ataxia Treatment Options

[ChristaJ]

Thanks for the replies!

I did examine her and the her abdomen is not swollen- in she's mostly skin and bones right now - her breast bone is very prominent and she is much much smaller and lighter than even my smallest healthy hens. Her feathers are in good shape - no mites and they are not loose or falling out. Her vent was a little dirty this morning - I think that is mostly due to her pooping while she's sitting down though.

I was planning on giving her a warm bath tonight to clean her vent area and I can check for the egg binding then.

I can also do the deworming. Is safeguard the best option?

Thanks again for the help!

 

[casportpony]

I would not give her a bath! Sure, clean her vent, but don't get her totally wet. Mostly skin and bones means she's been sick for quite some time and something like a bath could very well send her over the edge. With a thin four year old hen I would be very suspicious of some type of cancer or repro infection, maybe worms, too. Worming might kill her, but she will die if you don't try something. It's been my experience that once they lose about 1/2 their ideal weight that they very rarely survive, and that's been with treatment that includes round the clock tube feeding.

I'm gonna guess that her ideal weight should be 6.5-7.5 pounds. Do you have a kitchen scale to weigh her on?

-Kathy

 

[ChristaJ]

Good to know, I'll skip the bath!

I will weigh her as soon as I get home. About the tube feeding: She's eating a lot and drinking water on her own right now, although still skinny- would she benefit from tube feeding?

She's very interested when I put down food or change her water - thats when she's motivated to walk. Also, I'm just feeding her the regular crumbles and scrambled eggs - is there something more nutritious that I can give her? I'm also offering two types of water - one with the sav-a-chick vitamins and plain.

Thanks again for taking your time to help me, I really appreciate it.

 

[casportpony]

Good to know, I'll skip the bath!

I will weigh her as soon as I get home. About the tube feeding: She's eating a lot and drinking water on her own right now, although still skinny- would she benefit from tube feeding?

She's very interested when I put down food or change her water - thats when she's motivated to walk. Also, I'm just feeding her the regular crumbles and scrambled eggs - is there something more nutritious that I can give her? I'm also offering two types of water - one with the sav-a-chick vitamins and plain.

Thanks again for taking your time to help me, I really appreciate it.

I don't usually tube if they's eating and drinking *enough* on their own. Is she by herself in a small area? If not, I think that would be best for her.

-Kathy

 

[ChristaJ]

I do have her quarantined in a small area by herself in my "chicken hospital" (a corner in the barn with hay, food and water) she can still hear the other hens and spends most of her day chatting to them though.

That's part of what's really weird in my opinion - I've lost other chickens to egg peritonitis, other unknown health issues, and injuries and they acted much more sickly. Her comb is bright, she's very alert and interested in everything around her, tail feathers are up and she's very vocal. She's not puffed out or putting her head down at all. I just have this feeling that if I could find a way to put some weight on her and find the right thing to feed her she will pull through, but that could just be wishful thinking.

 

[casportpony]

I do have her quarantined in a small area by herself in my "chicken hospital" (a corner in the barn with hay, food and water) she can still hear the other hens and spends most of her day chatting to them though.

That's part of what's really weird in my opinion - I've lost other chickens to egg peritonitis, other unknown health issues, and injuries and they acted much more sickly. Her comb is bright, she's very alert and interested in everything around her, tail feathers are up and she's very vocal. She's not puffed out or putting her head down at all. I just have this feeling that if I could find a way to put some weight on her and find the right thing to feed her she will pull through, but that could just be wishful thinking.

Worms can cause weight loss, so maybe you could try that as well as switching her to a 30% gamebird/turkey starter. FWIW, I have used Safeguard on some very thin, sick hens and it hasn't killed them, so IMO, it's pretty safe, but I'm not a vet, lol.

-Kathy

 

[Muffin Cheeks]

I found this thread while searching for a cause to my hens illness that fits your hens symptoms. What was the conclusion? Thanks! -Krista

 

[Muffin Cheeks]

Although I realize this was written a year ago!