Sick Chicken. Please help!

Mayday · 07-16-2008, 06:50 PM

Today my mum and I went out to feed the chickens some bread. Before we got to the cage I noticed the chickens playing and flying around the cage; one of the White Rocks flew rather spectacularly. When we got to the cage and started throwing bread all was normal for a while, then all of a sudden I noticed that one of our White Rock hens (Matilda) wasn't going after the bread. She didn't look sick or injured at all, she just wasn't chasing bread which is abnormal for her; she simply followed the bread with her head. She then attempted to fly onto a little spool we have in there and couldn't make it. She stood with her head underneath the top spool when her right wing held akwardly and she panted. We went in to look at her more closely, and while I was holding her and my mum examining her, she spit out some clear liquid from her mouth. We put her in an isolation cage so the others wouldn't bother her. She got her own feed and water but wouldn't take any of it while we watched. She just sat on her pile of hay. This is our first time with chickens and I'm not really sure what else to do, or what this could be. Any thoughts?

Peter-John's Love · 07-16-2008, 08:06 PM

I never had a chicken do that...no idea what to tell you about it.

Prayers for Matilda

Ferronsgranny · 07-16-2008, 08:17 PM

She could be egg bound, having a heat stroke or be crop bound?

Mayday · 07-16-2008, 08:21 PM

I forgot to say that she's only about 3 months old. I got her as a chick in mid-April.

Ferronsgranny · 07-16-2008, 08:52 PM

Check her crop to see if it is hard. If it is, she is crop bound. Try massaging the crop. Make sure your chickens have grit to help digest their food.

Here is a stie that may help
http://successwithpoultry.blogspot.c...d-chicken.html

ChazsNewDestiny · 07-17-2008, 09:05 AM

Do they have plenty of fresh water??

mandelyn82 · 07-17-2008, 09:26 AM

Could also be the "chicken cold"... is she weazing at all when she breathes? (runny nose, neck stretched out, sort of lethargic). That is treated by antibiotics added to the water.

But check her crop too, massaging helps. If she's crop bound, adding cracked corn to the feed will help digestion. Other than a digestive aid, corn is pretty useless as a feed for chickens, it doesn't have enough nutrients. But it has to be cracked corn, not whole corn.

How often do you feed bread? The bread swells in the crop, so you don't want to feed too much of it.

I've never had one get egg bound, so I don't know what to do about that if that's the case.

You can help her with water if she's not drinking by holding her on your lap, massaging her crop, gently going up her neck to get her to stretch her neck out, then use an eye dropped to send some water down her throat.

crittermom · 07-17-2008, 05:47 PM

FG---thanks for that link! Interesting info.----keep us posted on how your chicken is doing.

Mayday · 07-17-2008, 06:09 PM

I managed to give Matilda some water with a syringe today, and she ate a little probiotic yogurt (saw on a chicken site that that might help with her crop blockage) and while she doesn't seem drastically better tdoay she's also no worse. She's been laying down most of the day and she had some watery diarrhea (light brown to clear in colour) earlier. I've also made sure she has plenty of grit in her little pen. Thanks for all the help, I'll keep everyone updated.

farmergal · 07-21-2008, 03:43 PM

How is Matilda today? Did she pull through?

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07-16-2008, 06:50 PM
Mayday Halter broke Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Nothern VA Posts: 123	Sick Chicken. Please help! Today my mum and I went out to feed the chickens some bread. Before we got to the cage I noticed the chickens playing and flying around the cage; one of the White Rocks flew rather spectacularly. When we got to the cage and started throwing bread all was normal for a while, then all of a sudden I noticed that one of our White Rock hens (Matilda) wasn't going after the bread. She didn't look sick or injured at all, she just wasn't chasing bread which is abnormal for her; she simply followed the bread with her head. She then attempted to fly onto a little spool we have in there and couldn't make it. She stood with her head underneath the top spool when her right wing held akwardly and she panted. We went in to look at her more closely, and while I was holding her and my mum examining her, she spit out some clear liquid from her mouth. We put her in an isolation cage so the others wouldn't bother her. She got her own feed and water but wouldn't take any of it while we watched. She just sat on her pile of hay. This is our first time with chickens and I'm not really sure what else to do, or what this could be. Any thoughts?

07-16-2008, 08:06 PM
Peter-John's Love Yearling Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Missouri Posts: 758	I never had a chicken do that...no idea what to tell you about it. Prayers for Matilda __________________ Love is a visible gift of God like when you see Peter-John's and Darlin's souls touch

07-16-2008, 08:17 PM
Ferronsgranny Started Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Big Creek, MS Posts: 2,050	She could be egg bound, having a heat stroke or be crop bound? __________________ Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

07-16-2008, 08:21 PM
Mayday Halter broke Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Nothern VA Posts: 123	I forgot to say that she's only about 3 months old. I got her as a chick in mid-April.

07-16-2008, 08:52 PM
Ferronsgranny Started Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Big Creek, MS Posts: 2,050	Check her crop to see if it is hard. If it is, she is crop bound. Try massaging the crop. Make sure your chickens have grit to help digest their food. Here is a stie that may help http://successwithpoultry.blogspot.c...d-chicken.html __________________ Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Last edited by Ferronsgranny : 07-16-2008 at 09:12 PM.

07-17-2008, 09:05 AM
ChazsNewDestiny Yearling Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 529	Do they have plenty of fresh water?? __________________ \"Blessed are those who rejoice in the little things.\" http://www.myspace.com/cr8zychiknlady

07-17-2008, 09:26 AM
mandelyn82 Coming two Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Ft. Campbell, KY Posts: 1,962	Could also be the "chicken cold"... is she weazing at all when she breathes? (runny nose, neck stretched out, sort of lethargic). That is treated by antibiotics added to the water. But check her crop too, massaging helps. If she's crop bound, adding cracked corn to the feed will help digestion. Other than a digestive aid, corn is pretty useless as a feed for chickens, it doesn't have enough nutrients. But it has to be cracked corn, not whole corn. How often do you feed bread? The bread swells in the crop, so you don't want to feed too much of it. I've never had one get egg bound, so I don't know what to do about that if that's the case. You can help her with water if she's not drinking by holding her on your lap, massaging her crop, gently going up her neck to get her to stretch her neck out, then use an eye dropped to send some water down her throat. __________________ "The more people I meet the more I love my German Shepherd"

07-17-2008, 05:47 PM
crittermom Started Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 2,528	FG---thanks for that link! Interesting info.----keep us posted on how your chicken is doing. __________________ Peace!! I wish the people of the world could get along as well as the animals in my backyard.

07-17-2008, 06:09 PM
Mayday Halter broke Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Nothern VA Posts: 123	I managed to give Matilda some water with a syringe today, and she ate a little probiotic yogurt (saw on a chicken site that that might help with her crop blockage) and while she doesn't seem drastically better tdoay she's also no worse. She's been laying down most of the day and she had some watery diarrhea (light brown to clear in colour) earlier. I've also made sure she has plenty of grit in her little pen. Thanks for all the help, I'll keep everyone updated.

07-21-2008, 03:43 PM
farmergal Seasoned Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New York Posts: 4,818	How is Matilda today? Did she pull through? __________________