2 years ago we purchased 3 Jersey Giant chicks, who turned out to be wonderful hens. One of them has always been a heavy eater, and if she were a human, I suppose she would be consider "obese". She free-ranges along with everybody else, and is a good forager, but she also loves to indulge in her feed and hangs around the feeder for hours, while everybody else plays in the yard. Her crop is stretched out and hangs like a big bag, swaying left to right when she walks. We have a flock of 20, and nobody else is overweight like her. About 6 months ago I noticed her making a weird, snake-like motion, as if she had something stuck in her throat, and was trying to work it down. I checked her out, but found nothing wrong. She has been doing that, ever since - kind of wiggling her neck from side to side in a wavy motion. Since we have no vet who will touch chickens in our area, I usually take care of sick birds as best as I can, but since she was still eating and foraging and hanging with the flock, I left her alone. Recently, she has started walking funny, and seems to be losing control over her movements. She lifts her feet up high, and stalks like a heron in water. She loses balance, and looks as if she is drunk, slowly walking through the yard with this weird gait, and her head and neck wobbling. She was still eating and taking dust baths, until yesterday, but is now standing in a corner, seemingly too disoriented to know where to go and what to do.
I just got home, and am separating her from the flock, to keep her in the house. Has anyone ever seen anything like this?
Update: After examining her last night, we determined that she has a severely impacted crop. What is baffling is that it must have been going on for months. She is very heavy, and since she has been eating, foraging, and acting perfectly normal, we just assumed that the bulging chest was fat. I feel horrible for not checking her sooner, because I did not feel that anything was wrong with her. Her crop is HUGE and hard, and I was afraid that it would rupture, when I carried her inside. There has to be material in there from months ago. Is that possible? She has lost no weight, and is still eating. I tried to give her olive oil, and massage the area, but feel that it might be too far gone for that. Contemplating crop surgery now, to remove the material. Any input from folks who have done this with no prior experience will be appreciated.
I just got home, and am separating her from the flock, to keep her in the house. Has anyone ever seen anything like this?
Update: After examining her last night, we determined that she has a severely impacted crop. What is baffling is that it must have been going on for months. She is very heavy, and since she has been eating, foraging, and acting perfectly normal, we just assumed that the bulging chest was fat. I feel horrible for not checking her sooner, because I did not feel that anything was wrong with her. Her crop is HUGE and hard, and I was afraid that it would rupture, when I carried her inside. There has to be material in there from months ago. Is that possible? She has lost no weight, and is still eating. I tried to give her olive oil, and massage the area, but feel that it might be too far gone for that. Contemplating crop surgery now, to remove the material. Any input from folks who have done this with no prior experience will be appreciated.
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