Foamy poop and hen acting strange

[The Welch Chickens]

One of our hens has been acting a bit off this morning. She is sort of… shaking her crop? It’s hard to describe. Almost like she is jiggling it and shaking her head at the same time, almost like they do when adjusting their crops, but not the same way.

While I was watching our hen acting like this, another hen (not the same one that was shaking her crop!) did a weird foamy poop. Are the issues related?

We have a layer of hay down on our run, and I have been worried about them having problems if they eat the hay. The pieces are pretty long, and I know long grasses can cause crop problems. They do have access to grit, both natural and grit we provide.

 

[Papaye]

...I know what you are talking about : I had a Marans hen that did exactly it in the past...
She was a GLUTTON (but not obese-glutton thanksfully : she just really liked to eat), so I think she just did eat too much...

...When I did notice her problem (being the exact day it had started), I first tried to empty her crop by using the "vomiting method".
But : in spite of the fact her crop was full, nothing was getting out of it!

So : I then just gave her Olive Oil in the bill, then knead/rub on her crop for a few minutes to ease the passage of what she did eat...
Then : I mixed Olive Oil in my chickens' waterer...
...And the evening - just before she was going to sleep : I gave her Olive Oil directly in her bill again, then knead/rub on her crop for several minutes (until her weird movement stopped).

Next : I had used this method (Olive Oil in bill + massage of the crop for several minutes) for all the next evenings - always just before putting her to sleep in her coop...
(Knowing her crop and head movements could not always be stopped - they were lessened only some evenings -, if I am remembering right...)

Worked fine, since my hen was fixed after just a few days the first time...
"The first time", because this problem with her crop did come again once or twice... but my method fixed it quickly again!

Good luck with your hen!

 

[The Welch Chickens]

...I know what you are talking about : I had a Marans hen that did exactly it in the past...
She was a GLUTTON (but not obese-glutton thanksfully : she just really liked to eat), so I think she just did eat too much...

...When I did notice her problem (being the exact day it had started), I first tried to empty her crop by using the "vomiting method".
But : in spite of the fact her crop was full, nothing was getting out of it!

So : I then just gave her Olive Oil in the bill, then knead/rub on her crop for a few minutes to ease the passage of what she did eat...
Then : I mixed Olive Oil in my chickens' waterer...
...And the evening - just before she was going to sleep : I gave her Olive Oil directly in her bill again, then knead/rub on her crop for several minutes (until her weird movement stopped).

Next : I had used this method (Olive Oil in bill + massage of the crop for several minutes) for all the next evenings - always just before putting her to sleep in her coop...
(Knowing her crop and head movements could not always be stopped - they were lessened only some evenings -, if I am remembering right...)

Worked fine, since my hen was fixed after just a few days the first time...
"The first time", because this problem with her crop did come again once or twice... but my method fixed it quickly again!

Good luck with your hen!

Thanks for replying, @Papaye! I will put olive oil in their water, and try to massage her crop as well. I don't think she will tolerate me feeding the olive oil to her directly, she is a very flighty hen.

How much olive oil do you put into the water?

 

[Papaye]

What you could do is putting some Olive Oil in a very small glass, such as a shot glass, then force her bill in the Olive Oil.
She will at least lick what could go in her mouth...!
(If you catch her everyday, she will get used to it and will let you make her what you want to eventually.)

I... actually did not measure how much Olive Oil I put in the water : I just put a lot, so there would be enough to act on the chickens' crops.
I don't know... maybe 100, 200 ml? Or not... I really don't know...

But trust yourself : YOU will know how much to put when you do it!
You just need AT LEAST enough so Olive Oil can cover all the surface of water.
(Do NOT worry to put too much Olive Oil in the water : your chickens really won't die from that. Could actually help them, since Olive Oil is good for health...!)

 

[The Welch Chickens]

What you could do is putting some Olive Oil in a very small glass, such as a shot glass, then force her bill in the Olive Oil.
She will at least lick what could go in her mouth...!
(If you catch her everyday, she will get used to it and will let you make her what you want to eventually.)

I... actually did not measure how much Olive Oil I put in the water : I just put a lot, so there would be enough to act on the chickens' crops.
I don't know... maybe 100, 200 ml? Or not... I really don't know...

But trust yourself : YOU will know how much to put when you do it!
You just need AT LEAST enough so Olive Oil can cover all the surface of water.
(Do NOT worry to put too much Olive Oil in the water : your chickens really won't die from that. Could actually help them, since Olive Oil is good for health...!)

Ok, thank you!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

One of our hens has been acting a bit off this morning. She is sort of… shaking her crop? It’s hard to describe. Almost like she is jiggling it and shaking her head at the same time, almost like they do when adjusting their crops, but not the same way.

While I was watching our hen acting like this, another hen did a weird foamy poop. Are the issues related?
View attachment 3722483
We have a layer of hay down on our run, and I have been worried about them having problems if they eat the hay. The pieces are pretty long, and I know long grasses can cause crop problems. They do have access to grit, both natural and grit we provide.

Do you have video of her actions?

Upload video to YouTube and provide a link.

Check her crop first thing in the morning before she's had anything to eat/drink, make sure it's emptying. If it's not, then begin treating according to this article.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

If you find that you do need to give your hen oil according to the article (after you have access her crop), give her Coconut Oil Chunks, just put the Coconut Oil into the fridge and break it into small pieces and let her eat it on her own.

Do not try to force liquid oil down the throat, you risk aspiration and oil will cause Lipoid Pneumonia which can be fatal. If you MUST give liquid oil, then syringe or tube oil into her but I've found that most hens will willing eat the chunks of Coconut Oil on their own unless they are in very bad shape. They like the taste of Coconut.

It may be crop adjustment that you are seeing but consider also getting a fecal float to see if worms are part of the problem.


IF syringing or tubing fluids/liquids/food into a bird, please take the time, read articles and watch videos to be sure where you are placing the syringe or tube. The center is the Airway (Trachea)so do not place your syringe/tube there. It must be placed on the right side (bird's right side) so the liquids enter the esophagus.
This article is detailed with instructions, photos and video.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

For Tubing, this article may help.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/crop-feeding.75454/

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Do you have video of her actions?

Upload video to YouTube and provide a link.

If her actions continue today, I will upload a video.

Do not try to force liquid oil down the throat, you risk aspiration and oil will cause Lipoid Pneumonia which can be fatal. If you MUST give liquid oil, then syringe or tube oil into her but I've found that most hens will willing eat the chunks of Coconut Oil on their own unless they are in very bad shape. They like the taste of Coconut.

I put some olive oil into their water according to the advice in previous posts. The hen (that was previously acting strange) was the first to drink, so I know she got some.
I will feed coconut oil today, in chunks (which I have done successfully before)

The foamy poop (there was just one, as far as I know) was from a different hen. I posted it to see if the issues are related, perhaps caused by eating the hay, which we have never used before. What do you think?

While I was watching our hen acting like this, another hen did a weird foamy poop. Are the issues related?