How best to put a sick chicken to bed for the night?

[Petrichoryl]

Our ~5 month old Easter Egger has been stumbling and lethargic/out of it these past few days and has worsened today, continually missing when she pecks at her food and standing in an odd, wide-legged position. It shouldn't be Marek's as she and her whole flock have been vaccinated and other than an injury we can't see, I haven't yet found a better diagnosis online. We've been swaddling her in a blanket and slowly feeding her form a dropper but she's not taking much in.

We plan to take her to a local exotics vet when they open in the morning if she lasts that long, but we are unsure how best to put her to sleep for the night.

If we separate her fully from her flock mates at night outside we worry about her freezing or panicking as she can't get to her friends; the others will likely panic too.
However if she is with them she may infect them if it is something transmissible and/or the others may attack her. Taking her inside our house is likely not an option.

Any guidance or advice here would be deeply appreciated, and I hope you're all having a nice day.

 

[Chichin Mama]

I wouldn't worry about her infecting the others, because they've already gotten exposed. I would say that if the rest are going to get it, they will get it no matter if you separate her or not.

 

[TwoCrows]

I am sorry she is struggling. Do you have a cage or crate you can put her in, in the coop? This will keep her safe and she can sleep with the others. Put some sort of bedding in this enclosure, hay, shavings, even a towel will work.

 

[Sussex19]

I to think you don't need to worry about her giving it to the others. If it has been a few days, and she has been with them for that time, if they are going to get it they will already be infected.
Unfortunately, the Mareks vaccine isn't fully effective, so it could still be that. Hopefully not though!
What do you feed them?

 

[Petrichoryl]

I wouldn't worry about her infecting the others, because they've already gotten exposed. I would say that if the rest are going to get it, they will get it no matter if you separate her or not.

Thank you for the quick reply! If we put her in with the rest of them, do you think we should we keep her still wrapped up as it seems to bring her comfort?

Thank you again.

 

[Petrichoryl]

I am sorry she is struggling. Do you have a cage or crate you can put her in, in the coop? This will keep her safe and she can sleep with the others. Put some sort of bedding in this enclosure, hay, shavings, even a towel will work.

Thank you for the sympathy and quick response! We have a crate but its pretty big and will need to be kept out of their inner area. We will definitely put in bedding if we go with the crate, thank you for the great idea!

 

[Petrichoryl]

I to think you don't need to worry about her giving it to the others. If it has been a few days, and she has been with them for that time, if they are going to get it they will already be infected.
Unfortunately, the Mareks vaccine isn't fully effective, so it could still be that. Hopefully not though!
What do you feed them?

Oof, hope its not Marek's too, thats an awful way to go...
Their normal feed is a basic starter grower, but we give them a fair amount of snacks like cut oats, greens and yogurt. Should we be worried about contaminations in the food?

Thank you for the response!

 

[Sussex19]

Oof, hope its not Marek's too, thats an awful way to go...
Their normal feed is a basic starter grower, but we give them a fair amount of snacks like cut oats, greens and yogurt. Should we be worried about contaminations in the food?

Thank you for the response!

As long as the food looks good quality, contaminates shouldn't be a problem. I was more thinking if she could have vitamin deficiencies, but with the starter grower that shouldn't be a problem. (if for example you only fed scratch mix, that could be a big problem, so thats why I asked)
I hope the vet can help her, or at least provide answers.
So sorry you and her are going though this

 

[Petrichoryl]

Good to rule that out atleast!
Thank you so much for the well wishes and support.
Sorry to ask another question on top of all this, but if the hens are all kept together, do you think we should be worried about them attacking her as she's sick? I'd like to think they wouldn't, but I've heard some stories that make me a little hesitant.

Thanks again!

 

[Sussex19]

Sorry to ask another question on top of all this, but if the hens are all kept together, do you think we should be worried about them attacking her as she's sick? I'd like to think they wouldn't, but I've heard some stories that make me a little hesitant.

It can be a problem. Most of my hens don't, but I have seen many stories from other people where they have attacked a sick flock member. If you could put her in a crate, or put up some kind of partition that would be safest, but if thats not possible just check on her often.
Do you have nesting boxes in your coop yet? When I have a sick hen they often like to sleep in those, and at least they are not right next to the others at night then.