Farm Help! Sick chicken

[Willow]

I have a 1 1/2 year old Dark Brahma hen that is sick. She seemed a bit more frightened at the new home (came here about a month ago) but was eating, drinking and beginning to come around. Then I started finding her sitting in snow banks. She was alert but not active like the other chickens. I would pick her up and put her in the coop with some food and she would pick at it. About four days ago I brought her in the house...fully expecting she would die. She is still alert but very weak...sits on her hocks instead of her feet and holds herself up by leaning on the side of the crate. She is eating and drinking but not as much as the other chickens. Her poop is normal. Color is a tiny bit pale but not bad.

The three other hens that came with her are doing great.

Any ideas?? I did check around the vent (is that the correct term) and didn't see anything unusual.

I freely admit, I know nothing about chicken illnesses.

Willow

 

[summerthyme]

As prey animals, chickens are unfortunately a lot like sheep...by the time they actually are displaying symptoms, their problem is usually too far advanced to heal

I'd try tetracycline, and also consider worming her. I've never had a parasite problem in my birds, but maybe she picked them up before you got her.

A vitamin supplement wouldn't hurt either...I'm thinking of vitamin B and iron especially.

Summerthyme