This morning I went to let the chickens out of the coop and noticed poor Matilda did not make it back in to the coop before curfew. The chickens were locked up just after dark, and none of the chickens were out wandering the chicken run so I’m not sure where Matilda was.
As I was turning to open the door to the coop I almost tripped over a near lifeless chicken on the ground. I’m not sure if she flew out of the coop at some point during the day, then came back really late to find the door locked up tight for the night or what, but the poor thing spent the night outside where the temperatures hovered around 35 degrees.
We hurried her in to the garage and placed her in the stock tank with the baby chicks where she is resting under a warming light right now. She won’t open her eyes by she is alive. The local vet does not treat chickens.
This have never happened to us before, and I’m not sure what else to do.
Does anyone know?
~Mavis
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Random Person Named Melissa says
I don’t know alot about bird care but I know you don’t put sick birds with young vulnerable ones. You might want to get another box (with another light) to put the chicks in till her illness is resolved. She might have caught something bad and you don’t want the chicks to be in the same condition.
Good luck with her.
Mavis says
I did not think of that! Thank you. I’ll move the babies right now.
Ruthie Picton says
Please move her from the lil ones. Not good for them. Also she could go in shock from being really cold to real warm under the light. I try to change their temp a bit at a time. Is she having trouble breathing, runny nose, any noticeable problem. Egg bound. Try to get her to drink. Poor girl
Denise says
mabey she is in shock and will recover soon
Darcy says
Would warm water help her? If she is cold I would put warm water in her waterer along with some electrolytes.
maggiewann says
One of our chickens was attacked by a hawk and we thought she was dead. We left her in the shop and came back later to find she was alive. After a couple of days she was back to normal–so, wait and see.
Megan says
Our chicken coop in WV get down to the twenties sometimes in the winter. And our girls are just fine. They never act like this unless they are very sick or have been hurt by something. My guess is she got hurt by another animal and managed to get away. Then again, if she was out longer than just a night she might be dehydrated from lack of water….Sorry Mavis! I hate losing any of our girls and when they don’t feel well I just feel so bad! So I can totally understand your concern!
michelle g-b says
She’s not suffering from the cold– chickens are way tougher than that. She’s either sick or injured. There’s probably not much you can do– keep her isolated until she either gets well or does not.
michelle g-b says
I should add that none of my birds that have turned up sick have survived… so prepare yourself for that.
Melissa says
I have dealt with a couple sick birds throughout the years. Sometimes they get better sometimes not. Yes, do separate from the youngs ones. Then I offer sugar water, mashed up oatmeal…anything easy and mashed to eat to get something in her system(baby food consistency). I’d try dipping her beek in the food or water. Sometimes they take it sometimes not. Hope this helps and Hope she gets better!
Mavis says
I tried dipping her beak in water but had no luck. I’m going to call Mrs. HB and see if she has an eye dropper.
JGrant says
Try an eye dropper with warm water and quik chick (vitamin and electrolites supplement used for stress with chicks). Give her a few drops every half hour raising her head slightly and administer to side of her mouth drop at a time. Shes probably in shock if you do not see injuries. Keep her under heat lamp but that will dehydrate her without this supplement. good luck!
JGrant says
Do not lift her up expecting her to stand on her own to eat or drink shes in shock. Follow my advise above comment and if shes going to survive she will get up on her own dont stress her out more .
Destini says
I had a chicken that could not walk and took her to all creatures animal hospital in Belfair. It cost me 300 dollars and she still did not make it how old is she? Mine was 6 months and she just could not walk. The vet said they probably missed her mareks vaccination and she probably had that. But I have not had any that got sick and lived.
Katie says
We took one to the vet…she lived in our kitchen for a month (gross!), but survived and is as sassy as ever. My husband still talks about her as our $400 chicken.
Meanwhile, yeah…look for marks or bites….swollen bits. There’s a good track record for ‘cold’ chickens recovering. If she’s sick from a virus…
Michele says
Sounds like she is in shock. Keep her warm and separated. If she is not used to the cold that could cause it. Just let her rest. Give her some sweet treats and she should recover. We live in the southeast and had two go into shock like that this summer when the temps hit 112. Peaceful thoughts for your sweet hen.
Janet Brister says
I agree with isolation in a warm place. If you don’t have any electrolytes around, you can give her a little beer in the event she’s dehydrated. Certain breeds of chickens are more susceptible to cold than others, especially if they’re not acclimated to it. Also the warm mushed-up oatmeal suggested may be a good idea once she has stabilized. Hope everything turns out all right ~ this is definitely not the fun part of chicken ownership. Keep us posted, please.
Pat Giaquinta says
I agree with keeping the little girl isolated until she acts herself again. I have a had some sick chicks & we took one to an aviary doctor who was no help at all ~ $76 and an hour drive each way and all he said was “if she dies bring her back and I can do an autopsy for a fee”. No thanks, Chickenhead Dr. I have seen people wrap birds in a towel and rub their bodies gently to stimulate their organs. Have you tried that? My girls like yogurt or scrambled eggs (cooled down). Maybe if you tried something mild like that, she’d respond. Please let us know how she’s doing ~ poor little girl. Good luck, Mavis.
Tami says
i agree with the others,
she might have flown head first into the gate, being it was after dark.
my husband has brought back 3 lifeless hummingbirds from hitting windows
using sugar water. 1 part water to 1/2 part sugar. administer with eye dropper.
good luck.
Mara says
I used to live in Seattle. Try the Bird and Exotic Vet Clinic http://www.birdandexotic.com/
Or ACCES (emergency hospital in Renton and Seattle) sees birds http://www.criticalcarevets.com/
Allison says
Mavis. Try Brookside ver over the purdy bridge. They are open today and I am pretty sure they treat chickens.
Mavis says
Thank! I will give them a call! 🙂
Laura Arnett says
Check with your gal pal From hencam.com- she has great tips and advice like the spa treatment. I pray it’s just a lil shock and she just needs a day to herself!
Angie says
No advice to offer (other than what has already been said and to go with your instincts) – just wanted to send a virtual hug and good thoughts! 🙂
Haley Barrett says
There is a vet in Gorst that I believe takes all kinds of animals chickens included. I think it is all creatures animal hospital. You would get off the highway in Gorst like you are going towards Belfair and it will be on your right. I hope that helps
Kathryn A says
Absolutely no ideas, but blessings offered for you and Matilda. Take care.
Larissa says
All chickens carry a herpes virus and sometimes when they start laying it will flare up and they die. Nothing you can do. It is more common in chickens that I order compared to mixed breeds born on my farm. It’s sad.
jolene says
If you have Apple Cider Vinegar, that may help. Separate, warm, get a bit of fuilds into her and pray for the best. She may have a wound. Do you have Weasles there? They suck out blood….
Hope she gets better!
Mavis says
I don’t think we have weasels. Scary if we did though.
Samantha M. says
I’ve done a bit of wild bird rescuing in the past. Most injured birds die of shock and the symptoms sound a lot like it. Keep her warm and quiet and in a darkened area until she recovers. Trying to force in food or drink right now will stress her further, but have it available. If you take her to a vets, keep her in a dark quiet box and handle her as little as possible and let the vet examine her. If you aren’t going the vet route, and injuries aren’t obvious wait at least until the morning before handling her and looking for injuries.
If she was feeling off colour before you closed up for the night, that might explain why she wasn’t in the house as she may have been hiding somewhere.
Good luck with everything.
Mavis says
Thanks Samantha. She is laying pretty flat on her belly right now. I don’t want to move her because I’m afraid to stress her out. Fingers crossed she will be okay.
J says
Have you watched the Natural History of the Chicken?
Mavis says
Yes! I LOVE the lady from Florida who swims with her chicken. Kinda make you wonder what her husband is like. 😉
Rebecca says
We’ve had a few cold chickens and some in this same shock thing. Some made it, some didn’t. 🙁 We bring them in the house with a heat lamp and watch them. We offer water and food, but we haven’t forced it. If they aren’t moving, it’s not that big of a deal to have them in the house on a blanket or towel.
We had one guy that we found half frozen in a snow drift and he thawed out and was fine. It’s a 50/50 thing, IMHE.
I hope she gets better!!
Tracy M says
Couple things, how is her breathing and how is her Crop? What color is her comb (bright red, pale red, or pale pink)?
The cold will not have this affect in chickens they are not people and are way hardier than we give them credit for. One of three things is going on, she was injured sometime last night (look carefully for a wound and if you find it clean it and leave her isolated) her crop is impacted and she was not feeling well for awhile (the reason she was not in last night) in that case she needs surgery to remove the impact. You can google this it is simpler than you think. OR she is ill from an unknown disease or worm and there is not much you can do in this case.
If you have an dog/cat crate put her in that in the house. Some warm water nearby with ACV and garlic in it. Keep her somewhere dark and quiet and let her recover.
HOWEVER my very best advice is to go to backyardchickens.com and post there. Those people know EVERYTHING if there is something more you can/should do then they will know.
Good Luck HTH, Tracy in WA
Susan Robinson says
Prayers for you and your little one! Please keep us posted on her recovery. I know you are doing all you know to help her survive. Hugs!
darlene says
Any update on Matilda yet? I am dying to know <3
thesalemgarden says
I’m sorry for your sweet girl. We lost a white brahma a few weeks ago. She was kind of lethargic and not coming in with the flock for a few days and then we noticed some nasal congestion and swelling in her breast area. We isolated her and gave her antibiotics for a day but it didn’t work and she died. Maybe a little bit of antibiotic in your chicken’s water would help clear up infection, if there is one. You can probably get it where you buy feed. You would want to keep her kind of separate (we use a bunny cage in the coop at this time of the year because it’s still cold here). Ideally in better weather we use our chicken tractor for sick birds. We do try to keep them within sight of each other so that they integrate back in okay. As was mentioned above I’d keep her far away from the babies and wash thoroughly after handling her. Good luck, I hope she gets better!
Meryl says
Awww, love to you and Matilda! I hope she’ll take a dropper full of room temp sugar water and if not let her be. Sweet girl, maybe she was getting sick. I hope you’re ok!
Judy N. says
Mavis I’m late seeing this post..I have raised chickens for 30 years. Most all of them are Cold hardy. She has most likely been attacked by something during the night. It could have been a raccoon or weasel, but quite possibly a dog wandering the neighborhood at night. She has most likely sustained internal injuries and at this point be prepared because I never was able to save a chicken that had been attacked. Hopefully she’s not sick because you have exposed the new babies to it. I really think though she was attacked by something.
Hope she recovers, I know its sad because I have lost many. Good luck and best wishes to her.
Ramona says
Check the website Hencam a chicken way of life. I think it was one you had on one of your posts. Go to the FAQs and she has several posts on sick chickens etc. Chck the Spa treatment one. Good luck.
Elise says
Hello, having once become the laughing-stock of my small town when I called the local vet with a “chicken emergency”…I feel qualified to let you know that I was advised to keep her in complete quiet and isolation- in a warm, dark space. Our chicken was “mouthed” by a dog, not bitten, but was in shock. Other less sensitive follks had plenty of suggestion like, “chicken potpie”, but I did not appreciate that as our chickens were for providing us with eggs, but were hand raised and like pets to us! Our “Lucky” wasn’t so lucky and didn’t make it that day, but sometimes they will revive. Best of luck to Matilda- poor dear.
Deb says
How is Matilda?
Mavis says
She died on Monday night. 🙁
Angie says
So sorry to hear that Mavis! So sad for you 🙁
I have heard that some animals know when their time is up. Maybe that’s why she didn’t come back to the coop at bedtime. Who knows?
Still, very sorry to hear it. Virtual hugs!
Angie
Mavis says
Thanks Angie.