Sick Barnevelder Chick

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by Katie Phillips
(Alameda, CA USA)

Question:

Sick Barnevelder Chick: I have a six month old Barnevelder pullet who is not right. I first noticed something was wrong when her right wing was drooping at her side. Since then she has become disoriented and off balance.

She has no loss in appetite and in fact is eating like normal. I've also seen her drink. I am very concerned because I lost a hen a little over two weeks ago.

My little Millie Fleur passed away and had similar but not exact symptoms. They both were/are eating and drinking but seemed to be disoriented.

I have morning glories with purple flowers in my yard were the hens free roam. Could this be killing and ailing my girls, or do you think it could possibly be something else??? I am very worried for my flock. Any word would be greatly appreciated!

Answer:
Chickens are pretty smart about not eating toxic plants. Usually one taste is enough to tell them it’s not good.

Having two sick birds in such a short time would lead me to consider a disease. This chicken might benefit from the availability of a heat lamp to keep up her body temperature, to help strengthen her immune system and you should probably remove her from the flock in
case this is contagious.

She could probably benefit from extra vitamins and foods high in nutrients. If you have a local vet familiar with poultry I would suggest giving a call and finding out what services they can offer you and what they cost.

At that point you can decide if that will work for you. Sometimes disease and illnesses cannot be explained or diagnosed without a lot of expense, but it’s good to know ahead of time what is involved.

When I check in with a vet I like to give them an idea of what I can afford and ask for the most accurate testing and treatment in that range. Hope this helps.

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