# hen sick for a month now



## Autumn (Jun 18, 2016)

I have two dozen 8 month old hens. One month ago I found a hen who was suddenly acting sick -- lethargically standing around under the heat lamp with her eyes closed, her comb limp and dark purple colored. I knew I should quarantine her, but I couldn't at that moment, so hoping she'd just gotten too cold the night before I set up another heat lamp. (The temperatures weren't getting above -4 degrees outside even during the day. This is why I had a heat lamp on, but this hen is low in rank, and I figured maybe she hadn't been allowed to snuggle in for heat.) The next day she looked a little perkier, so I figured I had been right about the cold and let her be. (I should add that there was no funny breathing sounds, and no funny looking droppings in the coop.) The weather warmed up, and she seemed to be doing better -- going out and grazing on the grass after things thawed, and hanging with the flock. Then a week later she started standing around with her eyes closed again. Her comb, which had never really gotten back to normal, got more purplish/whitish. She does eat. In fact she has always been a shy girl, but now, in spite of her low rank, she pushes in to get at any greens or dairy I bring in. I am not sure whether she is eating the dry food or not, and she doesn't go for scratch grain. Because at this point she has been in with the others so long, and no one else has gotten sick, I haven't bothered quarantining her. Today she did have a streak of poo down her backside, though it looks normal colored.

I know it is impossible to give a diagnosis with this kind of info, but I'd be grateful for any input on what you would do in my shoes. Should I just go ahead and cull her? Try to isolate her even though its been a month. Just let her be? Or try one of the medicines?


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Hi, sorry about your hen. The first thing I usually grab is an anticoccidial. But it sounds more like cardiac trouble. That would be my first thought. Hope someone else here has some better ideas.
How thin is she? Does she have any lice or mites? Has she been wormed?


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I recommend that you separate her and put her in a cage or crate, provide her feed and water. Since she is low in the pecking order, it may be a case where the other birds arnt letting her eat, or eating enough. If she doesnt eat her regular feed, try adding some water to it to make a mash. You can also add plain cooked white rice to the mash. After a few days, add a few drops of Poultry Nutri Drench to the mash which will provide plenty of vitamins. Use the Nutri Drench for only a few days. You should see improvement by then.


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## Autumn (Jun 18, 2016)

Thanks for the input. I took dawg53's advice and went ahead and isolated her. Unfortunately I don't have a crate, or ability to move her inside. I moved her to a separate section of the barn that I use as a coop. At least she'll have her own heat lamp. I didn't think she was being kept from eating the flock's food, but she did seem very keen on getting her own plate of crumbles . . . so maybe. 

I wondered about possible cardiac/circulation issues given her purplish comb. Now today for the first time she's breathing in a labored way (no discharge or wheezing). I sure hope it is cardiac or something like that because if it is contagious I waited way too long to separate her. I don't see any lice or mites. I don't see any worms in the poo. But no, I haven't wormed them yet. I just learned about that as I was trying to figure out what is wrong with this one. I've had chickens for a total of 4 years, and never did that or heard about that. I stopped by the farm store today and asked about wormer, but the kind they had wasn't appropriate for layers. I'll have to look into finding a supply. This sick gal does seem VERY hungry. As I say, she is low in rank, and it has been unusual for her to be so pushy about getting to the treats. Would that be normal for a wormy bird? The guides all say they lose their appetite, but in my experience most animals get extra hungry.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Chickens live longer as pets. At the very least, an ounce of Wazine in a gallon of water. What many of us do is use Valbazen or Safeguard. I did lose a chicken to worms. The worms damaged her intestines, and e. Coli and cocci moved in and killed her (lab verified).

But your hen does sound like she has a cardiac problem, her circulatory system is compromised. Labored breathing can be that lack of circulation in the lungs is not carrying the moisture away, or that her lungs are trying to compensate for what her heart isn't doing. Make sure the heat is not too warm.

I think wormy birds would be thin and pale, and maybe sort of weak.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

This doesnt sound like a case of worm infestation. I've dealt with different types of poultry worms and have seen birds at deaths door...none with a purple comb. Besides, sick wormy birds wont eat or they eat very little.
You can pick up a fresh fecal sample from her and put it in a ziplock bag. Then take it to a vet and have them look at it under a microscope. It's the same feces testing they do for dogs and cats and shouldnt cost much. They'll let you know what worm eggs are present as well as cocci.
If worm eggs are present, then go to the feed store and purchase a wormer like Seminolewind mentioned. It's best to buy valbazen as a first time wormer as it kills worms slowly over several days preventing intestinal dead worm blockage. We'll tell you how much to give your chicken(s.) I dont recommend wazine for first time worming.
If it's not a worm problem, then you'll know for sure it's most likely a heart problem such as a heart valve, enlarged heart etc..,then it might be best to cull her.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I know you don't recommend Wazine and neither do I. But Wazine is better than doing nothing. 
Autumn , Wazine only kills roundworms. Chickens can have several different kinds of worms. Dawg is the "worm" man and can help with any questions.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

There are only two types of poultry worms that can cause intestinal blockage; large roundworms and certain types of tapeworms. 
Large roundworms are by far the main culprit and can infect chickens in as little as 6 weeks old depending on environmental conditions. Wazine acts as a flush with large roundworms and can easily cause a blockage if there are enough of them...which there usually is. See pic:


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Oh thanks a lot, haven't had my dinner yet!


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

seminolewind said:


> Oh thanks a lot, haven't had my dinner yet!


Spaghetti with meat sauce? Hahahaha!


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## Autumn (Jun 18, 2016)

Yes, I can see how those worms would cause a blockage! Even if I never figure out what is wrong with this bird, I'm grateful to have learned about worms and deworming.

Still not sure what to make of this gal. One minute I look at her fluffed up under the heat lamp with her eyes closed and her whole body moving with each breath, and I think I should just put her out of her misery. Then the next minute I look in and she's pecking away at her food and looking weak but bright eyed. Temperature wise, the barn is unheated and it is 25 degrees out, so not too hot in there. I've given her a heat lamp, and when she is not eating or drinking she pretty much stays under it.

The one other thing I notice is that she really doesn't like to be picked up or held. It seems like it causes her pain. I say pain instead of fear because she doesn't run away when I grab her, but when I pick her up and tuck her under my arm she suddenly jerks and fights. Usually a scared chicken acts the opposite (hard to catch, but calms when held). 

I've never had to kill a chicken before. I've read about the broom method (breaking the neck under a broom handle), but I noticed that you said you used vodka seminolewind. 60 ml? Administered with a needleless syringe? Does that cause them any discomfort while it takes affect?


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I got really tired of the violence of using an ax, etc. So I started using the vodka so they'd pass out, and found that it could euthanize them. I use 50-60 ml for a regular size bird. I give it with a 60ml syringe and a tube. I have urine catheter tubes right now, but I've used aquarium air tubing . Any tubing that works, and pass it down to their crop. The experiences I've had have been no discomfort. I find it can take an hour or so, they start to fall asleep and breathe slower, and occasionally jerk themselves awake. When they die, their nerves cause their body to jump around, but they are already dead. Their neck goes limp when they die. It appears to me that they pass out drunk,then die. So I assume it feels like they are sleeping. So I don't see any discomfort.


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## Autumn (Jun 18, 2016)

Thanks for the information. I haven't had to put a bird down before. I knew it would be hard for me to break a neck, but I want to do what is easiest on the bird not what is easiest on me. If I get to that point, I might try the vodka method.

In the meantime my gal is about the same. As the weather has gotten warmer her color looks better. She does seem to suddenly be dropping weight (but is still eating). So I decided to try the Safeguard dewormer and see if that makes a difference. I couldn't afford both the test and the medicine, and I figured one way or another I'd want to have the wormer on hand to dose the flock at some point. I gave her 1/2 cc on a piece of bread, and she gobbled it up. If she doesn't improve with this then I'll figure it must be some other internal problem, and use the vodka.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Doesnt vodka burn the esophagus when it's drank straight?
I dig a hole, put the sick bird in the hole and put one .22 bullet to the head. Easy, quick, painless. 
The bird flops around in the hole and dies. Then cover with dirt, done.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

What Dawg says is pretty much what we do as well. Quicker and no pain...just done.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Dale does it for me.He covers them and 1 bullet to the head.Quick and hopefully painless.


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## Autumn (Jun 18, 2016)

I'd like to go the quicker route myself. We don't have a gun, so I'm down to an axe or the broomstick method. None of these sound fun to me, but quick -- as long as I do it right. That is what is hard. Since I've never put one down before I'm worried my technique/aim might not be spot on. Not a fun thing to think about. I was hoping she'd get better or die, but seems like I'm going to have to pick a way. She just keeps staying the same. 

It sounded like seminolewind was talking about bypassing the throat and putting the vodka straight into the crop. Maybe that's why they don't show any sign of distress caused by burning -- it bypasses those nerves. But that might be beyond my expertise.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Sem actually passes a tube down the throat into the crop I think and puts the vodka in a syringe then down the tube.


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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

Autumn said:


> I'd like to go the quicker route myself. We don't have a gun, so I'm down to an axe or the broomstick method. None of these sound fun to me, but quick -- as long as I do it right. That is what is hard. Since I've never put one down before I'm worried my technique/aim might not be spot on. Not a fun thing to think about. I was hoping she'd get better or die, but seems like I'm going to have to pick a way. She just keeps staying the same.
> 
> It sounded like seminolewind was talking about bypassing the throat and putting the vodka straight into the crop. Maybe that's why they don't show any sign of distress caused by burning -- it bypasses those nerves. But that might be beyond my expertise.


The broomstick method is what I use. That or a trip to the vet.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Yes I do use a tube. Some I take to the vet. I used to use an axe and yes it was quick. But sometimes I just don't have the stomach for it. It just seems very peaceful with the vodka. Ether and an axe would be great. I guess we all do what we can with a sad and unpleasant job : (


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## Autumn (Jun 18, 2016)

Well, I gave my red hen Safeguard dewormer last Tuesday, and figured I'd give it a week. Friday there was still no improvement, so I figured I'd better start preparing to cull a chicken. Saturday I watched an instructional video on broomsticking, but when I went to the barn I found my bird with her tail up, wings up, and not standing under the heat lamp (the first time that has happened in several weeks). I presume it was the medicine, and not that she was psychically tuned into my mental preparations. She hasn't started laying again yet, but she certainly seems to be getting stronger, and her color is a lot better. So I gave her the second dose of medicine today, and am hoping she is on the mend. Thank you for making me think about the possibility worms. 

One odd behavior she still seems to have -- she periodically gives her head a funny shake. . .


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Not sure what the head shaking is. I hope she keeps getting better.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I have a couple of hens that do the head shaking.Not sure why but I don't see any signs of distress.


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## jamesBlackAustralorp (Feb 2, 2017)

Take them to a vet sugar water helps them with energy and dehydration


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