[Buffy the eggs layer]

Hi there,

     one of my little blue hens is feeling ill can any one help please?

    I have spotted her dosing several times today but each time I have decided that she might be under the weather she has opened her eyes and wandered off.

  By this evening though when everyone came for last orders at corn corner she stayed asleep pearched on the wall. I have put her in a small coop on her own with water and bedding. she is just stood up with her eyes closed.

Can any one suggest what it might be or how I can help her. Her crop feels small and she has done a limey poo. She dosent appear to be egg bound but despite being in her second year of lay she layed a little wind egg yesterday. Could that be connected?

Please help me to help her,

Buffy.

[little blue]

oh-er, not much to go on....

Have you seen her eat and drink?   her crop will be quite empty if it feels small, so when did she last eat?
Is she hunched up?
Breathing loudly?
Have they been wormed recently?
Does her breath smell?
Are her eyes clear?
Has she had alot of grass, free range or anything
Are the others all ok?

hope she perks up, poor little Bluebell...

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Hi little blue,

 shes not hunched up, I cant recall if I have seen her eat or drink today but if she has it hasnt been alot due to her crop size. she isnt rattling or breathing heavy. They are on day 4 of their fluben vet. She dosent have bad breath but she did open and close her beak a little to begin with but shes not doing it now. Her eyes are bright when she opens them. She free ranges an was on the manure heap yesterday so she could have picked up something there?

Her crop isnt compacted or soured

Is there anything I can do other than sit and wait?

Buffy 

[CameronS]

Has she suffered heat stroke?

 wouldn't have a clue what to do if she had, but it sounds as good as anything for a hypothesis 

[doganjo]

Could be that.  If she doesn't drink she'll die anyway so I would try to get a little water into her.

[little blue]

well, that hopefully rules out some nasty things...

Try syringing (warmish) water into her beak & see how well she swallows.
Have you any glucose powder you can add? Keep her energy up.

does flubenvet treat Gapeworm? If she is opening her beak & stretching her neck.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Thanks all,

              I did syringe some warm water and honey down her earlier and put her to bed. I have left her with some water and some chick crumb in case she perks up in the morning and fancies eating anything.

              She wasnt gaping just opening her beak a little every so often as if she was taking a slightly deeper breath. Could it be heat stroke then? It was pretty hot yesterday but not as bad today.

              I have been researching herbal remadies to treat her as I dont have any antibiotics to hand but if she is no better tomorrow I will call the vet and see if I can pick up a prescription.

               Thanks for your replies,

Buffy

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Hi all,

 she is still poorly today. she was stood up in the nest box with her eyes shut this morning so I have made her a crate up and brought her into the sun room as its warmer. I think her problem is respiritory. When I lifted her up this morning she felt light and her keel bone seemed pronounced. She hadnt done any droppings over night. When I placed her in the crate she just laid where I'd put her. It hard to see her so ill.

I will give her an hour to perk up in the warmth and then give the vet a call.

I wish I could do some thing to make her feel better.

Buffy

[little blue]

Buffy, its an awful feeling of helplessness.
We had a hen with similar, very vague symptoms ... I kept her going with glucose & water for about 5 days, but she didnt make it.
  On the other hand, the next hen who appeared at death's door made a micraculous recovery - we think she had banged her head/neck and was temporarily paralysed, she got a little better each day for about a week and a half.

I hope Bluebell is ok, and the vet is helpful 

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Hi,

   we went to the vet and he was not very hopeful. He was concerned about the rapidity of her deterioration within less than 24hours. He suspected mycoplasma but wasnt certain. She had an anti biotic injection and he massaged her crop to break up the dehydrating food in there.

I syringed her with some oil twice today and massaged her crop gently each time. she has been to the loo a few times which is good but has slept most of the day. I have maneged to syringe some water down her and she has taken a drink herself and a tiny amount of food so I think there is still hope for her.

I have kept her in a little coop of her own today under a tree which is nice and cool. she managed to wander down the ramp this evening and got up on the perch but she cant do much without being exhausted. She has taken herself back up the ramp and got into the nest box for a snooze now which is a good sign. She was so ill before she didnt seem to know where she was or where she wanted to be. In fact by the time we were at the vets she just layed where ever you put her.

I have been cutting the grass in the orchard today so I have been able to keep a constant eye on her and chat to her. She is very docile and friendly and so she hasnt minded being handled but I know that I will be pleased when I pick her up and she starts wriggling and protesting

I brought home some oral biotics to give the other girls as a precautionary measure. I hope they dont come down with it. I can only give this level of TLC to one patient at a time. Poor things,

Buffy.

[manian]

i really don't want to be pessimistic...........but..........
we had one who seemed to be doing the same thing - especially standing with her eyes shut and then opening them when noise/movement.
she started having loose stools..... then a week later tried to lay her first egg but it was VERY large and she prolapsed, she got over that and was very perky.......... but she then didn't make it

fingers crossed yours is just a little bit dehydrated and she pulls through 

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Hi All,

            just thought I'd let you know that unforunatly I lost little Bluebell yesterday evening. She slipped unconcious and all I could do was to cry and stroke her until she died.



Buffy

           

[doganjo]

So sorry, Buffy, but I think most of us thought that would be the outcome.  She's at peace now.

[Bikerene]

Hi Buffy, really sorry to hear Bluebell did not make it.  You gave her the best chance and that is lovely you were with her to the end.  What a lucky hen to have such a caring owner.  x

[northfifeduckling]

So sad  bluebell did not make it, I feel for you, Buffy.
 When I wormed mine last it had a similar effect in one of them like the symptomes you described. Thank heavens she recovered but I was concerned. flubenvet must give them some trouble, I will try to find something else.