OKhobbit
Chirping
Current problem: One of my RIRs started a hard molt mid-December. She had a mild molt same time last year, which was her first. They will be 2 years old early March. A week ago I noticed she was dropping weight and when I gave them a treat, I noticed she was eating only a small amount and turned away. For about three days before that I gave them cooked rice in the evening to see if her watery poop would get better and it did not help. I brought her inside. I had previously noticed that the coop was going through a LOT of pine shavings that in many areas were so soaked. I thought the watery poops were caused by the molt, but it is a LOT of water. And I'd noticed their waterers were drawing down faster than normal, which I learned is a symptom of impacted crop.
Doing an exam, I felt that her crop was very, very full, so I did research about impacted, slow, doughy, sour crops. I didn't smell any sour smells, so started the impacted crop treatment, putting coconut oil (temperature checked) down with a small syringe (no needle) twice a day and massaging many, many times a day. (Learning more about chickens, I have quite a first aid kit now!) It is harder on her with so many pin feathers, but we are as gentle as possible.
It was of course a long holiday weekend, we have no avian vets nearby. Our local vet told me recently he would do a fecal float test for me, so when he returned to his practice this last Wednesday, I took a sample in. He didn't call, so on Thursday I called and spoke with him and he told me he MAY have seen one egg in the roundworm family. He did not see coccidiosis. I wanted the results before treating which I believe has turned into sour crop now (still doesn't smell bad) but I started the miconazole 2% Wednesday evening. The coconut oil and massaging for several days did help clear out a lot of small feathers she'd eaten, some kind of grass (I think straw alfalfa that I use as bedding in their outside run) and whatever I managed to feed her that she would eat (water in her regular feed, cooked egg white (she will not eat the yolk!), cooked oatmeal. The instructions said to feed her greek yogurt and she absolutely refuses it. I've also been putting a tiny bit of Poultry Cell in her one cup of water, trying to give her any nutrients, which she will drink, but her zest for anything has now gone down, and I'm worried. I tried a scrambled egg this morning and she won't eat it. She would have gulfed it down before. She's also refusing the cooked oatmeal this morning.
As of this morning, she has now had four treatments of the miconazole. There was only one morning when her crop was soft and that was Tuesday morning before treating for sour crop. Every morning now her crop has the walnut in it which I believe is just yeast now. I can manipulate it and it softens quickly.
The volume of water going through her is a little less. I'm cleaning her carrier at least twice a day now to try to monitor if she's retaining any water. The puppy pads I'm using must be the absolute lowest quality and leak quite a bit. I supplement with folded paper towels in the areas where she poops and replace them when they get dirty.
Her eyes are good and clear, her comb and wattles are good color, maybe not quite as plump, and her legs are good. I can feel her breast bone now. Before all this started, she weighted 5 lbs 9 oz. Yesterday she weighted 4 lbs 14 oz. Her poop last night did look a brighter green so I'm concerned it is bile. This morning it looks like other stuff is coming out like tiny feathers since she is still full of pin feathers, but not bright green. I should add there has never been any blood in her poop.
I saw a cecal poop two days ago and I felt like things were starting to work again. She MAY have pendulous crop. When I feel the bottom it hangs over just a little (maybe 1/3 inch?) like when you cup your hand under your boob. Mine however hangs a LOT more! LOL.
I read not to give her her regular food. When I did a few days ago out of desperation, it had water in it and slightly microwave warmed. She ate some, but turned up her nose after just a little bit. Yesterday I gave her oyster shell calcium freely and she ate some of it. I thought maybe she was getting really nutritionally unbalanced and maybe, maybe this would help her system.
Today I'm supposed to get the baby bird feeder syringes with the long tube I ordered from Amazon. I think I may need to force feed her the greek yogurt since it may help? I read one article about making her vomit, but I'm not comfortable with that. She's already stressed enough. And I can manipulate the dough ball. By late morning it is feeling pretty liquidy in her crop.
A few weeks ago I bought "The Chicken Health Handbook" by Gail Damerow and took it to the vet to help him ID the sample. This book has been very helpful, but sometimes there is so much information it is confusing.
Have I missed anything here? Is there more I can do? Any suggestions on feeding her what she will eat? Should I force feed her (with the baby bird syringe kit) the greek yogurt? It is a lot going down into the crop at once, but I'm willing to try. Going into town this afternoon so if I need to buy anything for her there, I will. I think she's definitely not getting enough calories.
Evening update: I gave in and let her eat her regular crumble which she is now devouring. Will see what happens with the yeast. Will keep on doing the miconazole treatment. Any advice is appreciated.
Thank you!!!
Doing an exam, I felt that her crop was very, very full, so I did research about impacted, slow, doughy, sour crops. I didn't smell any sour smells, so started the impacted crop treatment, putting coconut oil (temperature checked) down with a small syringe (no needle) twice a day and massaging many, many times a day. (Learning more about chickens, I have quite a first aid kit now!) It is harder on her with so many pin feathers, but we are as gentle as possible.
It was of course a long holiday weekend, we have no avian vets nearby. Our local vet told me recently he would do a fecal float test for me, so when he returned to his practice this last Wednesday, I took a sample in. He didn't call, so on Thursday I called and spoke with him and he told me he MAY have seen one egg in the roundworm family. He did not see coccidiosis. I wanted the results before treating which I believe has turned into sour crop now (still doesn't smell bad) but I started the miconazole 2% Wednesday evening. The coconut oil and massaging for several days did help clear out a lot of small feathers she'd eaten, some kind of grass (I think straw alfalfa that I use as bedding in their outside run) and whatever I managed to feed her that she would eat (water in her regular feed, cooked egg white (she will not eat the yolk!), cooked oatmeal. The instructions said to feed her greek yogurt and she absolutely refuses it. I've also been putting a tiny bit of Poultry Cell in her one cup of water, trying to give her any nutrients, which she will drink, but her zest for anything has now gone down, and I'm worried. I tried a scrambled egg this morning and she won't eat it. She would have gulfed it down before. She's also refusing the cooked oatmeal this morning.
As of this morning, she has now had four treatments of the miconazole. There was only one morning when her crop was soft and that was Tuesday morning before treating for sour crop. Every morning now her crop has the walnut in it which I believe is just yeast now. I can manipulate it and it softens quickly.
The volume of water going through her is a little less. I'm cleaning her carrier at least twice a day now to try to monitor if she's retaining any water. The puppy pads I'm using must be the absolute lowest quality and leak quite a bit. I supplement with folded paper towels in the areas where she poops and replace them when they get dirty.
Her eyes are good and clear, her comb and wattles are good color, maybe not quite as plump, and her legs are good. I can feel her breast bone now. Before all this started, she weighted 5 lbs 9 oz. Yesterday she weighted 4 lbs 14 oz. Her poop last night did look a brighter green so I'm concerned it is bile. This morning it looks like other stuff is coming out like tiny feathers since she is still full of pin feathers, but not bright green. I should add there has never been any blood in her poop.
I saw a cecal poop two days ago and I felt like things were starting to work again. She MAY have pendulous crop. When I feel the bottom it hangs over just a little (maybe 1/3 inch?) like when you cup your hand under your boob. Mine however hangs a LOT more! LOL.
I read not to give her her regular food. When I did a few days ago out of desperation, it had water in it and slightly microwave warmed. She ate some, but turned up her nose after just a little bit. Yesterday I gave her oyster shell calcium freely and she ate some of it. I thought maybe she was getting really nutritionally unbalanced and maybe, maybe this would help her system.
Today I'm supposed to get the baby bird feeder syringes with the long tube I ordered from Amazon. I think I may need to force feed her the greek yogurt since it may help? I read one article about making her vomit, but I'm not comfortable with that. She's already stressed enough. And I can manipulate the dough ball. By late morning it is feeling pretty liquidy in her crop.
A few weeks ago I bought "The Chicken Health Handbook" by Gail Damerow and took it to the vet to help him ID the sample. This book has been very helpful, but sometimes there is so much information it is confusing.
Have I missed anything here? Is there more I can do? Any suggestions on feeding her what she will eat? Should I force feed her (with the baby bird syringe kit) the greek yogurt? It is a lot going down into the crop at once, but I'm willing to try. Going into town this afternoon so if I need to buy anything for her there, I will. I think she's definitely not getting enough calories.
Evening update: I gave in and let her eat her regular crumble which she is now devouring. Will see what happens with the yeast. Will keep on doing the miconazole treatment. Any advice is appreciated.
Thank you!!!