WHAT SHOULD I DO FOR MY SICK CHICKEN?

by Tab
(Minnesota )

My chicken won't eat nor drink water she's can't walk. Her legs seems fine. So I wouldn't say they are broke. She's very weak. I gave her a few baths.

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by: Sharon

Thank you for your question and email. So sorry we didn't get to this sooner. I just received the email notification late last night, so see it now.

It's important to check her for external parasites, like lice and mites. When rescuing a sick chicken we have to go by ANY physical clues to help them.

Often supplying heat, like a heat lamp, can help perk them up. Your girl does need help fast. Not sure why the baths. Warmth is probably her first need, then encouraging her to eat and drink. It's next to impossible to force feed solids or liquids to a chicken. To get both into her I suggest offering watery foods, like crumbles soaked in warm water. Mixing in some vitamin/electrolyte supplement can help her to perk up - if she is strong enough to want to eat.

I couldn't tell you why this has happened - but very important to work fast to try to save her. At this stage she is near giving up, may be too weak and sick to recover on her own without much nursing.

She could have a disease, she could have parasites draining her of her natural resources. She could be egg bound, which blocks the digestive system, or her crop may be impacted with a mostly solid lump of feed that is spoiling and allowing toxins into her system and not enough nutrients.

We have resources in our library for treating an egg bound hen, for treating a sour or impacted crop, and for isolating a sick chicken from the rest of the flock.

Hope this helps.

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