Hello! I have had this pullet since she was 5 weeks old, she lives with 3 others of the same breed, one the same age and 2 hens who are nearly 3 years old. They are fed Nutrena all flock crumbles, both dry and moistened. They have free choice oyster shells and crushed eggshells. She weighed just under 5 pounds when I weighed her prior to worming last fall. There have been no traumas that I know of, no injuries change of diet etc... It has been very cold however, nighttime temps in the upper 20's, some days as high as 40.
Night before last I noticed she was standing there fluffed up and when I picked her up i could feel her crop more than usual at the end of the day. I put her carrier in the upstairs shower where it's very warm. I offered her water that evening which she cheerfully drank, I can't say how may mls, but it took as long as they usually do drinking if that makes sense. I held her on my lap and massaged her crop, which felt firm but not rock hard. She hopped up onto the counter let loose a runny poo, watery with white gel and a few dark specks. Yesterday morning there was one fairly normal looking poo in the carrier, except it was ropy with fiber. The chickens spend the day in a tractor, and they've been working on some spent broccoli plants, so I'm thinking she ate too much of that or the grass they were on that day. She was a runt and has always been food aggressive.
No more poos yesterday, although she did take water when it was held up to her. After reading many threads on this subject I called the vet and she said she would sell me a catheter and a syringe, so last night dear Jim held Valerie wrapped in a towel so I could tube some fluid. I was only able to get about 30cc into the bird before it started coming back out. That was scary but she's still with us! I massaged her for a few minutes, then again before I went to bed.
This morning, more massage and she did drink on her own, not much and she doesn't want to move around. I decided to weigh her so of course as soon as I put her on the scale whoosh! a big diarrhea mess, same as previous evening, mostly clear water with white thick stuff and a few normal colored chunks. I apologize for the description but I'm trying to give as much detail as possible. This afternoon, after assuming she's got a virtual rope laying in there, I opened a couple stool softener gels and let them soak in the water/probotic/vitamin mixture I mixed up for the next tubing.
So a couple hours ago I plopped poor Valerie on Jim's lap and this time only got a little over 10 mls in. I massaged her for a few minutes then let her be.
Am I on the right track? Is this way too little fluid? I hope that @casportpony would take a look since I only had the courage to tube the bird from reading her posts. Incidentally, the vet said " Usually crop issues do not have a good prognosis". I am hoping that because I hand carry these birds twice a day every day that I caught this in time. It couldn't have been brewing longer than about 24 hours. I feel extremely lucky to have a vet that treats chickens! Thank you all so much, if you've read this far.....Lol!
Cathy
Night before last I noticed she was standing there fluffed up and when I picked her up i could feel her crop more than usual at the end of the day. I put her carrier in the upstairs shower where it's very warm. I offered her water that evening which she cheerfully drank, I can't say how may mls, but it took as long as they usually do drinking if that makes sense. I held her on my lap and massaged her crop, which felt firm but not rock hard. She hopped up onto the counter let loose a runny poo, watery with white gel and a few dark specks. Yesterday morning there was one fairly normal looking poo in the carrier, except it was ropy with fiber. The chickens spend the day in a tractor, and they've been working on some spent broccoli plants, so I'm thinking she ate too much of that or the grass they were on that day. She was a runt and has always been food aggressive.
No more poos yesterday, although she did take water when it was held up to her. After reading many threads on this subject I called the vet and she said she would sell me a catheter and a syringe, so last night dear Jim held Valerie wrapped in a towel so I could tube some fluid. I was only able to get about 30cc into the bird before it started coming back out. That was scary but she's still with us! I massaged her for a few minutes, then again before I went to bed.
This morning, more massage and she did drink on her own, not much and she doesn't want to move around. I decided to weigh her so of course as soon as I put her on the scale whoosh! a big diarrhea mess, same as previous evening, mostly clear water with white thick stuff and a few normal colored chunks. I apologize for the description but I'm trying to give as much detail as possible. This afternoon, after assuming she's got a virtual rope laying in there, I opened a couple stool softener gels and let them soak in the water/probotic/vitamin mixture I mixed up for the next tubing.
So a couple hours ago I plopped poor Valerie on Jim's lap and this time only got a little over 10 mls in. I massaged her for a few minutes then let her be.
Am I on the right track? Is this way too little fluid? I hope that @casportpony would take a look since I only had the courage to tube the bird from reading her posts. Incidentally, the vet said " Usually crop issues do not have a good prognosis". I am hoping that because I hand carry these birds twice a day every day that I caught this in time. It couldn't have been brewing longer than about 24 hours. I feel extremely lucky to have a vet that treats chickens! Thank you all so much, if you've read this far.....Lol!
Cathy
