This isn’t much info to go on but would appreciate any input.
Have a 10 week old chicken that won’t extend it’s neck and is now just sitting in the same spot. Won’t leave the indoor part of the coop or even move, doesn’t want food or water.
Are there any common chicken problem that have these symptoms?
New to chickens to just learning.
TIA.
I have no idea of what is wrong with it. Find a vet who sees chickens ASAP, or check on one of the backyard chicken forums.
Is it puffed up and " sleepy eyed"? If so it will be dead soon. I am sorry to say 
I have lost several to this over the years but they were older hens. They act like you describe. It is like their heart is stopping.
[QUOTE=candyappy;8907827]
Is it puffed up and " sleepy eyed"? If so it will be dead soon. I am sorry to say
I have lost several to this over the years but they were older hens. They act like you describe. It is like their heart is stopping.[/QUOTE]
Yes candyappy, it’s puffed up and sleepy eyed. Do you have any idea what the underlying problem might have been?
AKB, trying to find a vet that will come out. It looks pretty fragile, not convinced it would survive a car ride. Will find a chicken forum and post there also.
The Backyard Chickens BB is very helpful - there’s a Disease/Injury forum.
Unfortunately there are few vets who treat poultry.
Your best bet would be to find one who treats exotics/parrots & bring your chick in.
Do you know if the chick was vaccinated for Marek’s Disease?
It is a herpes virus & hatchery chicks are usually vaccinated.
If she starts dragging a leg and/or wing Marek’s is likely.
It is not curable & can infect the rest of your flock. Sorry, but you will need to cull her.
Bloody poop could mean (protozoal) coccidiosis that can be treated with a med: Corid you can get at TSC.
The whole flock can be medicated through the waterer.
Sadly, as prey animals, chickens usually don’t act sick until they are pretty far gone.
I’ve had otherwise healthy hens look just a bit NQR for a day or two, then turn up dead.
Sometimes, sick chickens benefit from antibiotics. I don’t know anything about which antibiotics or how one knows if they are needed. Where are you located? Someone may know a chicken vet who can make a farm call or see the chicken in the office.
Well, I called TSC and asked them to set aside some Corid. Will pick it up tonight.
It’s not drinking so I guess using a very small syringe/dropper will be called for.
Separated it from the rest of the flock and will treat them as well.
Having a hard time finding a vet who would be willing to come out to a chicken so tried calling AC. Figuring they deal with chicken from time to time so maybe they/their vets can help.
I hope it’s ok but it looked pretty bad earlier. Not holding much hope but will try regardless. I’m such a big sap and hate losing an animal, even if it’s a chick we’ve only had for a few weeks.
ETA: thank you for the responses, much appreciated!
Usually when they are affected with Coccidia they will still drink and blood will be present in their poop. Corid is really hard on their system so I’d do a search on Backyard Chickens or even start a thread asking for help before Corid treatment. I would also check her crop for swelling, she may have a blockage which would create sour crop. Good luck I hope she pulls through.
Thank again everyone.
Chick is looking a lot better this morning.
Put a low dose of Corid in it’s water and checked the crop. Crop did seem swollen (on one side) so massaged it a little and it’s a lot less swollen this morning. The chick is eating and drinking now and moving around a bit. Still doesn’t look quite right but it’s an improvement from yesterday.
Swollen, soft crop is normal when they’ve eaten.
Firm swelling could be sour crop like Megaladon described.
Crop is usually empty in the morning & full at night, before they roost.
Hope your little hen continues to get better.
[QUOTE=2DogsFarm;8909558]
Swollen, soft crop is normal when they’ve eaten.
Firm swelling could be sour crop like Megaladon described.
Crop is usually empty in the morning & full at night, before they roost.
Hope your little hen continues to get better.[/QUOTE]
Thank you 2Dogs.
To me the crop felt a bit hard but I don’t have much basis for comparison. Also pretty sure the chick hadn’t eaten for around 24 hours.
Will see how it looks when I get home tonight, keeping fingers crossed!
Hoping for a good update.
[QUOTE=Amwrider;8912356]
Hoping for a good update.[/QUOTE]
Thanks Amwrider.
The chick is back to normal now! Still not 100% sure what was wrong but all is well that ends well 
I took a chicken from the barn to my vet and the chicken had some virus that was incurable. Had to be put down by my vet. I cannot stand to see animals suffer so even though the hen was not mine, I took her to my vet.
[QUOTE=4THEHORSES;8907865]
Yes candyappy, it’s puffed up and sleepy eyed. Do you have any idea what the underlying problem might have been?
AKB, trying to find a vet that will come out. It looks pretty fragile, not convinced it would survive a car ride. Will find a chicken forum and post there also.[/QUOTE]
Chickens are surprisingly fragile. I lost one of my young ones early due to a head injury. It seems that puffed up, sleepy eyed and not really moving much happens with injuries or several illnesses. I did take that chicken to the vet and learned quickly that taking a chicken to the vet = $200 and still a dead chicken
[QUOTE=4THEHORSES;8914612]
Thanks Amwrider.
The chick is back to normal now! Still not 100% sure what was wrong but all is well that ends well :)[/QUOTE]
I am shocked!! Mine never rebounded but it has always been old hens and I have to say I never did much in the way of doctoring. I will try Corid as I do have that on hand.
Of course I don’t know what yours had or what the few I had were dealing with .
Glad your chicken is doing well.
[QUOTE=imapepper;8914757]
Chickens are surprisingly fragile. I lost one of my young ones early due to a head injury. It seems that puffed up, sleepy eyed and not really moving much happens with injuries or several illnesses. I did take that chicken to the vet and learned quickly that taking a chicken to the vet = $200 and still a dead chicken :([/QUOTE]
That was my concern imapepper. Couldn’t find a vet who is knowledgeable about chickens and was concerned I’d spend a bunch if money will no results. Looks like the collective wisdom of CoTH and my chicken raising friends did the trick though.
[QUOTE=candyappy;8914764]
I am shocked!! Mine never rebounded but it has always been old hens and I have to say I never did much in the way of doctoring. I will try Corid as I do have that on hand.
Of course I don’t know what yours had or what the few I had were dealing with .
Glad your chicken is doing well.[/QUOTE]
I was shocked as well candyappy, it looked awful and I really thought we’d lose it.
I can’t say for sure the Corid worked but the morning after adding it to the water there was a marked improvement. Used about a half teaspoon to a gallon of water. I also gave it little massages in case of an impaction! Other than that just separated it form the flock, but it back in the house in the brooder and used the heat lamp at night.
[QUOTE=4THEHORSES;8914786]
I was shocked as well candyappy, it looked awful and I really thought we’d lose it.
I can’t say for sure the Corid worked but the morning after adding it to the water there was a marked improvement. Used about a half teaspoon to a gallon of water. I also gave it little massages in case of an impaction! Other than that just separated it form the flock, but it back in the house in the brooder and used the heat lamp at night.[/QUOTE]
Glad yours came around. I have had pretty bad luck with chickens when they start looking bad. I have delayed bad outcomes but haven’t beaten it yet. I had one that my boyfriend called my Lazurus chicken because she had sour crop and I did all sorts of homeopathic stuff for her and she kept getting better but I never fixed the root cause because as soon as she went back outside, she got sick again. That chicken lived in the house for about 6 months…not fun!
I’ve read on BYC that even with tube feeding chickens they end up perishing anyway! Poor little things, it seems when they crash, they crash hard!
Glad your little hen is doing well!
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