Hi. I need to step in to take care of a sick chicken. She's in horrid shape and I'm hoping someone can help me identify what's wrong and how I can help her.
Her head is pulled back right into her body and her feathers are fluffed. She's standing stock still not moving for extending periods - not squatting or sitting. Not interested in food. Her eyes are closed or badly squinting -- a few days ago I saw them rolling upwards and she was tilting her head to try and look at things. Her comb is pale and shrunken. She's not gaping and her bottom is clean; I can't see any indication of diarrhoea. I haven't seen her sneeze and her breathing is not raspy or rattly. I didn't notice any bad smell. She hasn't lost feathers. She's been left with the main flock and they are ignoring her. No-one else is looking sick.
Some of the birds have moderate scaly leg; the sick hen doesn't. I think there has been a build up of parasites (mites, lice and even fleas) since the warmer weather. There's little intervention but they are a rudely healthy lot generally.
The sick one was added to our small flock about 8 months ago (found wandering roadside in the middle of nowhere and brought to our door) so we don't know much about her age. I'm guessing she's a Red Shaver or similar hybrid breed. Probably older because she doesn't lay much.
I first noticed she was looking ill about four days ago; the hen keeper says she's been sick for longer (10 days!?!) and she tried treating all of them with some parasite treatment she dissolved in water. I think there's no way to know what kind of dose the sick hen got, if any. The fact she's been sick for so long gives me some hope, as I'd heard sick chickens usually fail very quickly.
The books I'm looking up suggest coccidiosis or blackhead for a listless hen with head sunk into neck, but in both these cases there would also be diarrhoea; and I figured they'd all have immunity to coccidiosis as adult birds in a permanent run where the parasite is bound to be present.
Help? She's a sweet natured chicken and I don't want her to die if there's something that can be done.
Many thanks
rachel
Replies
Now I'm wondering if it's an impacted gizzard. Just been out to see her again. Found a very small amount of white-yellow diarrhoea. Her chest is oddly pushed forward. I've felt her crop but ... well, it would help if I knew what a normal crop felt like!
sorry darlin, but the odds are grim. have had this happen to a few of my hens over the years without a happy ending