MinnieMae
Chirping
My 3 year old barnyard mix hen has been acting "off" for the last few weeks. Spending more time alone, resting with slightly ruffled feathers - other times foraging and seeming well. I regularly checked her crop and it felt normal. With warmer weather she was out more, and I thought was improving, I was wrong.
As of 4 days ago, here's where she's at:
I have:
Medications the flock has received since December:
Laying history:
This Spring was filled with more medication than they've ever gotten, I worry it got her all out of whack. I feel like I'm trying too many things while also not doing the right things.
If you were in my shoes, what would you do to help her? What are your thoughts on her droppings? The other 7 hens are laying, active, and doing great.
Thank you so much for your input!
As of 4 days ago, here's where she's at:
- soft squishy crop
- breath smells like sulfur
- inactive
- losing weight
- minimal droppings that look unusual, photo attached
I have:
- isolated in the house and withheld food for 24 hours
- added probiotics to her water
- tried adding a little vinegar to water, she wouldn't drink it
- offered yogurt and scrambled eggs, she wouldn't eat
- syringing a little yogurt in to her mouth
- feeding coconut oil (I've put small chunks in her mouth twice, last night she age them on her own, but was not interested this morning)
- I've been periodically helping her empty her crop, it's mainly brown liquid with minimall grass pieces
- periodically massaging her crop
- yesterday evening I dosed her with a few ml of Epsom salt water (ratio 1 tsp salt to 1 cup water)
Medications the flock has received since December:
- dewormed with Valbazen (2 times)
- treated with Tylosin powder and Corid (we found odd bloody droppings/a very listless hen, after reviewing threads here followed consistent advice given based on symptoms/similar photos of droppings)
- Ivermectin due to scaly leg mites but this hen was already acting "off" at the time of treatment
Laying history:
- Stopped laying late winter, then she (I'm fairly certain it was hers) laid a TINY egg March 10th, and nothing since
This Spring was filled with more medication than they've ever gotten, I worry it got her all out of whack. I feel like I'm trying too many things while also not doing the right things.
If you were in my shoes, what would you do to help her? What are your thoughts on her droppings? The other 7 hens are laying, active, and doing great.
Thank you so much for your input!
