deacons
Songster
Hi everyone! It's been quite a while since I've posted, but I was hoping the more experienced people here could help me help one of my 6-yr-old Golden Wyandottes who's been a little off the past few days.
A few days ago (maybe 4-5 days now?), I noticed she had a really large crop first thing in the morning. I had given them some corn cobs to pick at while I did other chores, so figured maybe she had just really indulged on them and filled up quickly. I felt her crop in the evening when they were roosting, and while large, it didn't seem abnormal- not squishy, not lumpy, no bad breath, etc.
Next morning, I made sure to check her over right when she got off the roost. It had gone down a little but was definitely bigger than it should have been first thing in the morning. I also noticed under her spot on the roost, there was some weird poop- mostly urates, sort of pale yellow, with green solids. Ugh oh.
Kept an eye on her all weekend and it's been the same. Yesterday was the first time she looked outwardly uncomfortable- she was pretty slow moving when they were out free ranging, not really scratching around, just sort of standing off to the side. Never good when they do that. When I went to close them up at night, she was laying in the nesting box and hadn't roosted. I lifted her up to the roost and expected the worst this morning.
But she surprised me, at least for now. She came down from the roost with better color in her face (she is a bit pale, but is also molting, so she's been a bit pale anyway). Poop under the roost is still mostly urates and pale yellow, but there was a little bit of normal solid in it as well as the green solids. She was acting HUNGRY this morning- really eager for appealing food like sunflower seeds and kale leaves. She drank a lot of water. She seems to really want grit- she ate grit from the bowl and then was also picking at the sand in their dustbath bucket. She just looked perkier, though was still waddling a little uncomfortably. But more interested in staying with the others.
I can't shake the feeling that it's some sort of crop issue. Several years ago, I lost my absolute favorite hen to what an avian vet called "Crop Immobility"- basically, the muscles of her crop just slowed way, way down and couldn't push food through. It wasn't obstructed crop or sour crop, something more structural. He even gave me some shots (can't remember what now) to give her to try to "jump start" it again. Sadly, she really never responded, and unfortunately I lost her.
If she stays perkier like she was this morning, I'd love to try to nurse her through it if you have suggestions. If she goes downhill I won't let her suffer. Does anyone else have any ideas for me to try? I don't think it's something like egg yolk peritonitis, despite the yellowy urates, as she's not really seeming swollen in her abdomen.
PS- we no longer live near the avian vet, though my small animal vet practice does have one vet who will see chickens. Because of covid though, I know it's taking a really long time to get in for an appt, so I'm not sure how quickly I could get her seen.
A few days ago (maybe 4-5 days now?), I noticed she had a really large crop first thing in the morning. I had given them some corn cobs to pick at while I did other chores, so figured maybe she had just really indulged on them and filled up quickly. I felt her crop in the evening when they were roosting, and while large, it didn't seem abnormal- not squishy, not lumpy, no bad breath, etc.
Next morning, I made sure to check her over right when she got off the roost. It had gone down a little but was definitely bigger than it should have been first thing in the morning. I also noticed under her spot on the roost, there was some weird poop- mostly urates, sort of pale yellow, with green solids. Ugh oh.
Kept an eye on her all weekend and it's been the same. Yesterday was the first time she looked outwardly uncomfortable- she was pretty slow moving when they were out free ranging, not really scratching around, just sort of standing off to the side. Never good when they do that. When I went to close them up at night, she was laying in the nesting box and hadn't roosted. I lifted her up to the roost and expected the worst this morning.
But she surprised me, at least for now. She came down from the roost with better color in her face (she is a bit pale, but is also molting, so she's been a bit pale anyway). Poop under the roost is still mostly urates and pale yellow, but there was a little bit of normal solid in it as well as the green solids. She was acting HUNGRY this morning- really eager for appealing food like sunflower seeds and kale leaves. She drank a lot of water. She seems to really want grit- she ate grit from the bowl and then was also picking at the sand in their dustbath bucket. She just looked perkier, though was still waddling a little uncomfortably. But more interested in staying with the others.
I can't shake the feeling that it's some sort of crop issue. Several years ago, I lost my absolute favorite hen to what an avian vet called "Crop Immobility"- basically, the muscles of her crop just slowed way, way down and couldn't push food through. It wasn't obstructed crop or sour crop, something more structural. He even gave me some shots (can't remember what now) to give her to try to "jump start" it again. Sadly, she really never responded, and unfortunately I lost her.
If she stays perkier like she was this morning, I'd love to try to nurse her through it if you have suggestions. If she goes downhill I won't let her suffer. Does anyone else have any ideas for me to try? I don't think it's something like egg yolk peritonitis, despite the yellowy urates, as she's not really seeming swollen in her abdomen.
PS- we no longer live near the avian vet, though my small animal vet practice does have one vet who will see chickens. Because of covid though, I know it's taking a really long time to get in for an appt, so I'm not sure how quickly I could get her seen.