Billie Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 Three weeks ago I got 4 2 year old hens given and bought 4 point of lay birds. I have no previous experience with chickens, but tried to do the right thing for them. They have free range during the day in an acre garden and plenty supply of layers pellets and handful of corn and salad as a treat at tea time. Friday evening the bird was fine and healthy, I was weeding and she was eating all the bugs and things as I was turning soil over. Yesterday morning I found her on the perch unable to lift her head. I have looked for advice on the internet and I think it it crookneck but not sure if it could be new castles decease or poison? She is unable to control her head and mostly keeps it under her right wing or lets it hang down, She is very lethargic does not want to move around, sleeping nearly all the time and shows no real interest in food. I bought some nutri drops yesterday after she has had them she is a little better for a while but not enough to eat anything and I have managed to get her to take water by dropping water onto her beak. Should I be filling her crop? and if so how do I do that! How do I tell the difference between newcastles decease, crookneck and poisoning? Any help greatly appreciated, this is a very sweet little bird, were there is life there is hope and I hope we can get her to pull through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 Newcastle DIsease and Crookneck are fairly rare, and if your hens are all hybrids, purchased originally from a breeder, they should have been vaccinated against it. Have you used slug pellets or weedkiller recently? Maybe that is the cause of the problem. I would give her a **basic health check** and see if anything obvious shows up. I would take her to a vet first thing tomorrow, but in the meantime, use a child's dosing syringe to get water into her. I wouldn't worry about food just now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billie Posted June 20, 2010 Author Share Posted June 20, 2010 I am not sure if they were vacinated, I have gone into this unprepared and never asked! Not sure about if she is a hybrid breed, I thought she was a RIR just because she looks like one! All the others look well and active, she was totally fine the night before she had laid her first egg on Friday too - it was quite small and had a few small black spots on it - dont know if that is linked? her breathing was laboured yesterday but that seems to have got better but her interest in anything other than sleep seems to have gotton worse. Her comb/wattles are not a healthy colour, droppings have been normal but less frequent now since there is nothing going in I guess. She has very little control over her neck appears to only have control over the left hand side, I have tried to massage to stimulate sensations which does seem to help a little. I have not used any slug pellets or anything simillar in the garden but we only bought the house in March it was unocupied for 8 month prior to that but I have no way of knowing if poisons were used before. I have been trying with water but unsure how much she needs as a minimum amount to get into her? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 As the others are fit and well, I'm sure you don't need to worry about the illnesses you mentioned. If her breathing was laboured, perhaps this is an indication of a chest infection. She needs to see a vet tomorrow. Re the water, just syringe small amounts into her beak to stop her becoming dehydrated. Little and often is your best bet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billie Posted June 20, 2010 Author Share Posted June 20, 2010 Thanks for advice, much appreciated. I can not take her t vets until tomorrow night due to starting work 7am in the morning, I will take her with me so i can give water through the day, TBH she is so weak I am not sure she will last if she does not pick up a bit between now and then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billie Posted June 20, 2010 Author Share Posted June 20, 2010 Chris seemed to improve around tea time and even ate half a dozen pieces of pellets/corn then was a little worse again before bedtime. She was trying to hold her head a little better too and a better look in her eyes, eyes still bright, could be false hope but I hope she will be ok. I will let you know how tonorrow goes. thanks again for advice, good to see I am not the only soft chicken owner!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 Best of luck for you, what a worrying time.. fingers crossed.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 Glad to hear she imay be a little better. Fingers crossed for her. Do arrange to see a vet if she hasn't picked up in the morning. Axx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 Sorry she's not well. I was reading about Mareks which can cause paralysis of the head causing the chicken not to be able to eat. Some recover with treatment so I would definately take her to the vet in the morning to exclude it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
