A broody, constipated and sour crop hen - could she be any worse?? :S

[Echo River]

Hi, one of my three hens is currently broody and has been for a while. I then discovered whilst lifting her out of the coop several days ago that she has a sac of fluid on her chest which I then researched and I think she has sour crop. 3 days ago I made her be sick a few times like i was told to on here and the sac has gone down in size, but still remains.
Yesterday I was giving it another shot and making her throw up the last of the contents of her crop, but instead some unruly content came out of her back end and exploded all over me whilst I was massaging her crop.
As hilarious of a sight it was to see me covered in chicken diarrhea I think she was quite relieved as since putting her inside a cage where I could monitor her, she hadnt passed droppings, so I think that was that (there was a hell of a lot of it!).
Also to top it all off, I dont think shes been drinking any water that Ive provided for her.
After researching how to treat sour crop, Ive given her an olive oil and yoghurt mix diet and also water with poultry cider vinegar mixed in.
But because she's broody and just nesting all the time, I cant even see if theres any other behaviours or ailments that might be present.
Today I still see no droppings and I've resorted to feeding her water through a syringe by placing it on the tip of her beak and pushing where she will quite happily drink it, and also she wolfs down her yoghurt so feeding is not a problem.

My questions are, is the yoghurt and olive diet okay for her or am I under nourishing her, and when should I place back onto normal feed?
Why is she not drinking her water?
And, how can I stop her being broody? I've read about the broody cage method with a wired floor but I cant get my head around how the hen is supposed to walk? Is she meant to roost on the widely spaced bars on the floor or is the point for her not to walk at all? I know it sounds stupid but I cant get my head around the concept.
Theres also the dunking in water method but at the moment with our british 'summer' where it's cold and rainy most days now I feel I might give her pneumonia or something, so thats a no no for her.

Any suggestions on any of my questions or do you think shes on her way out?
Thanks in advance

 

[PunkinPeep]

Am i understanding correctly that she's broody but she's not setting on any actual fertile eggs?
Quote:
I guess that depends on whether her crop is cleared out. After a few days of yogurt, you might try adding something soft, like boiled eggs and see how it goes through.

Quote: Basicaly, they don't roost that way. They sit on the bottom of the cage. The idea is to get cool air on their bellies, which seems to help trigger them to stop being broody. But not always.

About the "constipation," broody girls always store it up a long time. I think that's just broodiness, not an ailment.

I'd say she's probably not drinking water for exactly the same reason. Broody girls go into a trance and don't think about that stuff. She probably eats when you bring it to her, but water is another story.

If she doesn't have eggs that are getting to hatch, i would concentrate on helping her get "un-broody," and i have a feeling most of your worries will vanish.

One unorthodox but useful method for breaking a brood, is to put the broody hen in a pen alone with a randy rooster for a couple days. That one works really well. Use your own judgment.

 

[Echo River]

Hey thanks a lot for your help, I think I'll try the broody cage tomorrow and just keep an extra eye on her thank you

 

[PunkinPeep]

good luck!