Single hen

[Jonny]

I am now quite worried about the chicken I mentioned in a previous post.

 

She eventually came out of the cube yesterday but my wife had to put her back in at night.

 

She didn't come out again this morning so I gave her a once over. She has lost so much weight, her rear smelt quite strongly of an ammonia type smell and she wouldn't eat at all, not even tuna or cat food.

 

Any ideas? Should I seperate her?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Redwing]

Hi Jonny, I am not really experienced enough to help properly here, sorry.

 

I would separate her and bring her in the warm for now, hopefully someone will spot this soon and be able to give advice

 

In the meantime if you could post if she is pooing ok and if she has laid recently and any history inc worming it will help someone to give advice

 

Do you have a vet that understands chickens?

 

All the best x

[Jonny]

Her poo is yellow, just about to clean her feathers up. She was wormed a few months ago with Flubenvet. Don't know if she is laying, we have 5 chickens and one agg a day at the moment.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Sorry, I don't have any useful advice . It might be worth worming her again though, if it was months ago you last did it. (How many months was it? I do mine every 3 months.)

[Jonny]

About 5 I think.

 

Going to take her to vets later.

[Cazjohn]

Hi Jonny,

 

The ammonia smell is a sure sign of illness, have you checked her crop? If you haven't got an experienced avian Vet near you(we haven't) then I would separate her, keep her warm and if her crop is empty (not hard or squishy) feed her mushed up food whatever you can get her to eat - and plenty of fluids. if you can get some flubenvet in the food too - just in case.

 

Hopefully one of the Mods will be along soon with more help!

[Jonny]

I checked her crop and it wasn't big but there was a hard bit ?

[Cazjohn]

It could be that her crop is blocked, try gently massaging it every couple of hours to see if you can get it moving - if you can get some olive oil into her it makes it easier. Is she drinking?

[Jonny]

Not that I've seen. She has come out of the run now. Shes walking very slowly.

[Cazjohn]

Maybe try dripping some water on to her beak with a syringe or a spoon, they're usually not keen at first but soon get the idea!

 

The difficulty with sick chickens is that they do give up eating and drinking and have to be coaxed.

[Jonny]

Thanks for the advice!

[Cazjohn]

Good luck at the Vets x

[Jonny]

Can't feel the hard lump now! I massaged it this morning.

 

Her breath smells as well. Very odd.

[Cazjohn]

The breath smell usually indicates a sour crop but you can get a mixture of both sour and impacted, home treatment for sour is normally bio-live yoghurt but if the Vet gives you anti - biotics you can't use them at the same time - as I found out!

[Guest]

ask the vet for some avipro, this can be used at the same time as antibiotics and is probiotic and helpful for upset tummies.

 

Let us know how she gets on.

 

Sounds like she desperately needs a vet.

[Egluntyne]

She does sound poorly. Best to take her to the vet.

 

Often they have been ill for a while before they show symptoms, as a defence against losing their place in the pecking order.

 

Does her chest sound rattly when you place an ear along her back? Is she wheezy?

[Jonny]

Vet gave her an anti-biotic shot and I have some to give orally. She weighs just under a kilo at the moment.

 

I managed to borrow an eglu and have separated her. She had a drink this afternoon but hasn't eaten. She also managed to take herself off to bed.

 

Fingers crossed time really. I'll have a listen to her chest tomorrow.

 

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Edited February 28, 2009 by Guest

[Guest]

give her some nice things to fatten her up, mashed potato, tuna, sweetcorn, chick crumbs- all of those will be good to get some meat back on her bones. Hope she recovers, with some TLC I'm sure she'll have a chance.

[Cazjohn]

Fingers and toes crossed for her x

[Jonny]

Still can't get her to eat anything

[Egluntyne]

Why not try mixing some pellets with water to make a sloppy mush, and drizzle spoonfuls into her beak?

[Jonny]

I'll give it a go, she has to get some food in her somehow

[Cazjohn]

I know I'm always going on about weetabix! Here I go again weetabix with lots of warm water and a spoonful of sugar or porridge.

 

If you've got a syringe you can syringe onto the side of her beak, tapping her beak with the syringe, takes some patience but generally a no choice eating situation - bit messy though.

[Cazjohn]

How's she doing now Jonny?

[Jonny]

Much the same although she struggles a bit more when I give her the medicine or syringe the mashed up pellets in. I'll try Weetabix tonight.

 

She's still no interest in eating, even tuna.

 

Vet wants to see her again tomorrow.

 

How long should Baytril take to kick in?