Thistle: Nursing a Chicken with Botulism

The freeze happens in eastern Idaho not by slow degrees, but by sudden shocks. It arrived this way in the middle of September 2019. I scrambled in the abruptly plummeting temperatures, trying to salvage portions of the garden by serving bugged-out squash to the chickens.

I love that I can feed all my garden surplus to the chickens. They love the fresh produce as well, so we’re both happy. On this particular night, however, while checking for eggs inside the coop, I noticed a sad and drooping chicken. My first impression was she was trying to lay an egg, but her time in the nesting box was not accompanied with the usual clucking. Her neck drooped downward. I tried stroking her feathers a few times, wondering if she would try to peck me for grabbing the eggs. That’s when I noticed her lack of spark, her listlessness. She tucked her head into her body and tried fluffing out her feathers, but the plumage around the neck in particular seemed to poke out, exposing the tender skin all around her neck.

My heart sank. This was Thistle, one of my favorite chickens. She was new to the flock, a Speckled Sussex with an adventuring spirit. True to her name, her plumage bore the appearance of white paint flecked across ruddy brown feathers. Iridescent black plumage, interspersed among the white and brown tones, gave an unexpected sheen to the bird. And then there was Thistle's spirit--curious, inquisitive, fearless--she sidled past her brood-mates time and again to explore new areas or take treats from my hand.

I had experienced chicken deaths before. Some come more expectedly than others, but it's still devastating to find one of your favorite hens ill. All I could do as a chicken mom on a freezing September evening in remote Idaho was to begin scouring the Internet for symptoms. I read about coccidiosis and fowl cholera, toxic poisoning and wryneck. Anything was possible in my limited experience.

Due to the seeming paralysis in Thistle's neck, along with the fact that some of the chickens had escaped into the uncleaned pigpen, I started to suspect chicken botulism. Botulism in chickens is caused by a bacteria, Clostridium Botulinum, but the bacteria itself is not harmful until it reproduces, creating a deadly neurotoxin as a byproduct. The microbe needs a warm, moist environment to reproduce, like unturned compost. Botulism in chickens creates a floppiness in the limbs. Sometimes the disease is referred to as "limberneck," which certainly seemed to apply in Thistle's case. She had no strength or control, and seemed to be weakening rapidly.

Once I had my diagnosis, I quickly separated Thistle from the rest of the flock and brought her indoors. Online forums typically recommended warmth and isolation in response to chicken illness, so we set up a cage in the garage, which we always have handy for such occasions. In addition, many sources indicate that potassium permanganate (Epsom salts), dissolved in drinking water, can counteract the toxicity of the Botulism. I prepared an Epsom salt solution and administered it to Thistle three times a day, orally, using a needle-less syringe. I also made sure Thistle had oatmeal and other special treats to strengthen her, such as scrambled eggs, though she didn't eat much of any of these until some of the toxicity left. It took her two to three days, but eventually she regained her normal vigor.

If you suspect your chicken has Botulism, isolate the chicken in a warm place. Administer Epsom salt by dissolving 3 tsp. in 1-1/2 cups of water, given by oral syringe, 3 times a day, for at least two full days. Within that time, you should start to see the chicken improve. If there is too much toxicity, the bird may die. In Thistle's case, I felt blessed for the sudden freeze. It enabled me to find her early and nurse her back to health. About a week later, she was roaming again, fearless and inquisitive as ever.

Tips for Nursing Sick Birds

• When handling a hurt or weak bird, wrap them in a towel to reduce their stress, flapping, and any potential scratching.

• While giving an Epsom salt solution orally:

  • Hold your bird upright, firmly against your body to keep them from moving.

  • Pry open the beak, and keep it open by holding your finger between the beak.

  • Slowly dispense the liquid to the back of the throat. Let the bird swallow before giving more.

• Although I saw results with Thistle by the second day of using the Epsom salt solution, you may also choose to initiate the flush using molasses (1 tbsp. stirred into 2 cups/water). Molasses can be used twice during the first 8 hours only; then switch to Epsom salts.

Tips to Keep Your Flock Healthy

• Isolate sick birds from the rest of the flock. If possible, keep them in a warm, comfortable location.

• If you find a dead member of the flock, remove it immediately.

• Remove potential threats from your flock's environment, including decaying meat, vegetables or plant matter (including in compost), stagnant or slow-moving water, and spoiled food.

• Re-introduce recovered birds to the flock from within a cage (at first) or at night.

• Clean your coop regularly. Replace wet bedding, and ensure the environment is dry.

• Replenish water regularly; regularly clean your watering containers.

• Make sure your coop has good ventilation.

• Check on your chickens regularly. The more you visit your chickens, the easier it will be to detect when something is amiss.