Scrambles the Wonder Chicken is seriously ill

[smokeythecat]

I finally found a chicken vet and they eliminated a lot of things, but we did blood work and I'm giving her two types of medicine and force feeding her four times a day. She is a pet, so don't do the chicken stew thing.

I have had her since she was 2 weeks old.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Chickens get flus and bronchitis just like humans. Also a couple unpleasant parasites (notably coccidiosis).

It's important they get grit or access to soil/dirt to avoid "sour crop" or impaction. This time of year if they eat a lot of grass it can be the problem. That's a common cause of loss of appetite. Bits of crustless white bread soaked in olive oil and massaging the crop gently can get things moving again.

If you've got a vet on the case you should find out. Good luck.

 

[Blak bart]

Oh no.....maybe it's just old age ?? Hope scrambles gets better smokey. She already made it through some trauma this year so we know shes tough !!

 

[ticndig]

so what are the symptoms ? I'm no vet but have raised poultry for 40 years and have seen a thing or two. I had a Buff Orpington that just passed away at age 12. your birds comb is still red , that's a good sign . when they get dull death is near.

 

[releventchair]

Alright them Smoky , get her straightened out.
She's near celebrity status here...

Keep her hydrated.
Not sure of your weather but it's warmest of the year here today/tomorrow.
She'll need minding in the heat.

C'mon Scrambles. You got stuff to do yet.

 

[A2coins]

Hope She gets better Im an animal lover most animals anyway. Does she lay scrambled eggs lol sorry I had to

 

[smokeythecat]

She is losing weight and listless. Getting two meds and I am tube feeding here. First Snotball the cat Thursday now this. She is better behaved than most dogs and ALL my cats! No parasites.

 

[ticndig]

sorry to hear she's not eating . I hope she gets better for you. I've never had luck tube feeding the sick but it's worth trying.
When I have just one out of the flock sick I always suspect hardware disease. did the doctor x ray her.

 

[smokeythecat]

No xray. There is nothing in the pen that I know of she could have eaten. The other two seem ok. No weight loss on them and Big Red attacked me when I went to feel how heavy her "sister" Buttercup was. Big Red was not amused.

Scrambles argued with me on this evening's meal. She is keeping it down.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Good Luck Smokeythecat!

 

[smokeythecat]

Thanks. Those crazy birds follow me around the yard like puppies. And you have to remember I'm the one who stops traffic so an opossum can cross the road.

 

[old digger]

Hope Scrambles gets to feeling better. I remember when I was a kid, I had a pet chicken also. She would also follow me around, they can be quite loyal and friendly.

 

[PetesPockets55]

So wishing Scrambles will be ok. Amazing how they develop personalities.

I had a friend that had a chicken show up at his place and "adopt" him. He named it Rudy. It would go with him to his framing jobs and strut around the sites and even run dogs off. It was funny as could be to watch him run and strut because he had long red feathers (only on his legs) that would shake and flutter as he ran.

 

[newnan man]

Good luck with Scrambles. Birds are great pets. I'm down to just parakeets now ( budgies) but have had a lot of birds over the past few decades. You can get very attached to them.

 

[smokeythecat]

She's still hanging in there...

 

[TooManyHobbies]

Buffs are great birds. I was going to order some with my yearly meat birds (cornish x rocks), but they wouldn't be available until late Aug. So, I ordered 6 Black Jersey Giants instead.

Maybe Scrambles just needs a spa day. I had a beat up Buff Orp that was being picked on at the tail, and was also raw on her underside. I separated her, gave her a warm bath and washed her. Put her in a pen with heat lamp and fed protein (eggs, meat). She recovered nicely. After about 3 months her wound healed and feathers all grew back. Then she was fine with the other birds. She's gone now, that's why I wanted to order more.

 

[pat-tekker-cat]

Oh Scrambles, I'm Praying for the best for you and all of you all.
Oh, and Scrambles, you is so beautifuls…

Smokeys, you know I'm looking for the best outcome, so do let us know.
My 2 little Quaker parrots turned 20 yrs old, in April or May.
They may have 2 birthdays, one when laid & one when hatched...
I know there will come the day.... or 2 days....
Stay strong, Smokeys

 

[smokeythecat]

Thank you. She is still hanging in there. Because it's 90 degrees outside, and would be a stress on her, she is in the dining room (and not AS dinner). She could not stand up at all yesterday. Today she can. A little. And she is fighting me tooth, beak, nail, claw, whatever when I give her the liquid diet. It comes in a huge feeding syringe and I kid you not some of the stuff is on the walls...I have to take a bath every time I feed her.

 

[ARC]

Sorry to hear... hope Scrambles gets better soon.

 

[ticndig]

Chickens never stay sick for long , they go one way or the other in pretty short order.
you may want to supplement the rest of the flock to boost them up.
also if you see heat stress , wings out , panting, frozen peas or cold watermelon really helps bring them out of danger

I use poultry cell on my flock when they are under stress, started again today after the heat caused them to stop laying.
you can buy this at Tractor supply for $12 .
.