Unsecure chicken perches

[jools+6]

nugget died last friday and as we were all out we didnt find her until that evening . dipper was lying on top of her . after we took nugget away dipper wouldnt leave the coop . on sunday we removed her and locked all the girls out for an hour . dipper just stumbled about , the only way i can describe it is that she looked like a chick thats fallen from a nest , as if her legs were too small to support her . she hadnt eaten or drank since friday at least so i put it down to that . we put her into "hospital" , a rabbit cage lined with wood chips and a bowl of water and a bowl of pellets , corn , grit and grapes . she is drinking but wont eat ! not even a grape . the cage is in the hut right next to the run so she can still see and babble to the other 4 hens in the run . she responds when we talk to her , her eyes are bright but its as if shes just given up . her legs havent regained any strength she just sits there . there is no poo , not surprising as she isnt eating , just a darkish green liquid staining the woodchips . i think i read somewhere else this could be bile . her "symptoms" dont seem to fit any picture of any ailment ! ive trawlled the internet and the back room is littered with chicken books . shes a 5 year old blackrock and no nugget wasnt ill , she just died suddenly . the other four are running around destroying everything as usual , could she be pining ? the cage is large enough for her to stand up and move around but she wont she just sits there . any ideas ????

[Egghead68]

Oh dear - I'm sorry about Nugget.

 

I think you will need to syringe feed and drink Dipper. Nutridrops (1ml per kg) directly into her beak will help and you can syringe small amounts of Critical Care Formula carefully into the side of her beak. You can also syringe water, preferably with avian electrolytes, into her beak. All these things can be bought on the internet.

 

If you don't have any of them, for now I would get any food into her that you can, e.g. syringe in raw egg yolk (others may disagree), put little balls of wet mash or pellets or peanut butter into her beak etc. Keep her warm. Check her for parasites.

 

Of course she may have caught what Nugget had so it may be a good idea to take her to the vet.

 

Good luck.

[jools+6]

thanks but last time i asked my vet for anything chicken they laughed ! dont think they see any at all . i have clients (hairdressing ! nowt else) who are or were farmers wives and general feedback is they dont much bother with the vet for hens , its dear enough for their livestock ....

[jools+6]

have taken draconian measures . mixed brown sugar water and whiskey (just a few drops of grouse ) like a sort of cold toddy . she seems impressed and has now taken a big mouthful of mealworms , rice and maize . .

[Egghead68]

Great!!