Sick chicken- RIP Kelly :(

[Dace]

my girl Kelly is still not well. Not getting dramatically worse but not getting better either. She eats a little, has the runs and is no longer sleeping on the roost....she just snuggles into a corner.

She does not feel egg bound and does not seem to have sour breath.

She is just moving slowly, often a bit puffed up and mostly laying down somewhere. I really do not know what to do for her.
Advice?

 

[FarmerDenise]

We've had so many chickens die of marek's that now I think every chicken that isn't behaving normally has come down with it.

I usually bring my unwell chickens in the house, so I can pamper them. I try to give them food with greater nutritional value, yogurt, canned corn, eggs and lots of other goodies we have around. I figure they need more in order to fight off whatever is getting them down.
I also like having them in the house, because then we can observe them better. The temperature in the house is usually more comfortable too.

I have several pet carriers for this purpose, a baby gate for the bathroom that we keep the chicken in, and lots of old towels to put on the floor. I will also put a hot pad on the floor for the chicken, if it is too cold. We still use this bathroom, while the chicken is in there. The chicken doesn't mind.

 

[Dace]

I brought her in and gave her bottom a warm bath. Her abdomen feels a little swollen, but then again I have never really felt it before

Washed away to poo and let her sit in the water for a few minutes....wrapped her up in a towel and she is all snuggled up in a baby pool in the laundry room. I put an old comforter in the bottom of the pool so it should be comfy. Tried to give her some water but she was not interested. I will try some yogurt in a little bit.

 

[TanksHill]

I am sorry about your chicken Dace. I hope she is feeling better.

g

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

sorry about your little friend! its so hard to tell.... she doenst have weirdly yellow or green poo, does she??? just the runs?

 

[Dace]

As far as I have noticed it is normal color, just runny. I just took another look and I think I am becoming convinced that she is egg bound. I will am going to give her another warm soak in about 15 minutes.

How long can an egg bound hen last? I first noticed she was not well several days ago, but I thought it was her crop...she seemed to be doing a little better, but I don't know, maybe it was never her crop at all.

 

[Dace]

During her second bath I found little worms swimming around. I was rubbing on her vent area and abdomen....ewwwwy.

Now what the heck do I do?

Poor thing.

 

[Wifezilla]

Go to the feed store. They have the medication your bird needs.

You can also feed her pumpkin seeds if she will eat them and put some DE in her feed.

 

[Dace]

ok...so I guess everyone has them huh?

Poor bird. I am a bad mommy!

They have so much DE in their coop, I thought that prevented worms!

 

[big brown horse]

Give her and the rest a good bit of cayenne pepper in some nice plain yogurt. Mine get this about once a week or so. Also what WZ said, pumpkin seeds do work well too. I usually toss a handful in the mix when I can.

They aren't supposed to taste the heat in cayenne pepper, so it wont hurt them.

Good luck!