chicken found cant walk

[krazykatz13]

Found a white chicken just sitting on the side of a busy road yesterday. It is white and the comb is very small and pale and it can not walk. I am assuming it is a chicken that fell from a chicken truck because it is very dirty and stinky as well. Do not see any cuts but breast and abdomen are reddish blue assuming from the fall. Legs do not appear to be broken. I have her in a cage and have water and food in there with her but have not seen her eat. Don't know what to do with her or if she will make it. Any suggestions?

 

[rebeccakeesee]

This is very sad. give her a stuffed animal for company and talk to her a lot. Baby tylenol is another option to keep her more comfy. U can always force the liquids down with a syringe. Good luck.

 

[sharol]

If you have other chickens, be sure to completely isolate her from them for 30 days? 14 days? Not sure of the length. You need to disinfect yourself between chickens, too. Some of the nastiest diseases can be transferred by you on your shoes or hands.

I would offer her scrambled egg. Mine will eat that when nothing else appeals to them.

You did a nice thing for her. Poor girl.

 

[1ToughChick]

I agree with all of the above. Do isolate her from your chickens though as Marek's can have some of the same symptoms you're describing.

Good luck.

 

[krazykatz13]

The chicken still can not walk but has normal poop. I really think she fell from a truck headed to the slaughter house. I am doing my best to isolate her from all of my chickens but I have adults in the chicken yard, newborns and eggs in the incubator in my guest bedroom and week old babies in my sun room so I am kind of out of space!! If this is a disease, does anyone know of anything I can do to protect my little ones? They are on one end of a very large room in a stock tank with a screen over it and she is at the other end in a wire indoor dog cage. I did not want to confine her too much since I am thinking that is why she is in the shape she is in now. I am posting pics of her for more info hopefully. The 2nd photo is the underside of her right wing which did not look this black yesterday so I am assuming it is either broken or badly bruised. The Left wing looks ok (3rd pic), but she is missing feathers and appears to still have some pin feathers. Her chest/abdomen area are not as discolored as yesterday as shown in the 4th pic. but is also missing lots of feathers. The last pic shows her feet and how she is always sitting. I really do not know what more to do for her.

 

[leadwolf1]

I would say if she is pooping normally, she doesn't have Marek's. Try your best to quarantine her...I think you may be right, she fell from a truck and bruised her whole underside. She might be able to walk but is just too sore to do so.

 

[krazykatz13]

please take a look at the photos I attached and let me know what you think. I really want to make her as comfortable as possible. Also, any info on baby tylenol dosage for pain?

 

[leadwolf1]

She really does look like a meat bird and I have no experience with them. I also do not know how much tylenol to give. I usually use a baby aspirin in a cup of water. I'm wondering if she isn't already too heavy for her legs and it would be a kindness to euthanize her. But, like I said, I know absolutely, next to nothing, about meaties.

As far as quarantining away from babies. She really doesn't look sick...no discharge? sneezing? wheezing? coughing?

The only thing that looks funny are her legs...I don't like the looks of them. I hope someone with meatie experience will come along and comment.

 

[krazykatz13]

Thanks! She seems fine other than being VERY sore. I did get her to eat laying mash and a bit of yogurt with 1/2 baby asprin in it. She also drank a lot of water. No sneezing or coughing or discharge of any sorts. She is a little labored breathing when eating and drinking but she is also very bruised under her neck as well as her wing so I am guessing it hurts to try eat and breath at the same time. Speaking from experience of 3 bruised ribs!! I am going to try to keep her comfortable for a while and see how she does. I have moved her to a foam pad with a waterproof pad over it to try to ease some of the pain as well.

 

[normanbaldwin38]

thanks for sharing...