Bloated chicken?

[citychicks99]

The chick starter is fine! I would feed that until the pullet comes into lay, then if you want to, you can switch to layer feed or feed an all flock type feed. Provide oyster shell in a small cup inside the coop when the pullet starts laying eggs.

You feared he was getting too big too quickly? That is a cockerel, so he's going to get big. Do you happen to remember what breed he's supposed to be?
Feed them free choice means you make feed available during waking hours - they will eat what they need.

If your only feeding twice a day, they may be hungry and trying to find other things to eat which may be why the crop is not emptying. Re-check the crop first thing in the morning to make sure it's emptying completely.

I would not vomit him again. You risk aspiration. See that he's drinking and eating well. See what the crop is like tomorrow.

No, I would not bring them inside - why? Chickens can do perfectly fine outside. How cold is it?

My brother got them from a family friend and he said he doesn't know what breed they are. The cockerel kind of looks like a rhode island red and the other one a bantam rhode island but I don't know for sure.

Okay, I will go back to free choice then and let my brother know to make sure to have feed available at all times when I'm away.

I read that article from Eggcessive and I tried checking the crop but he was scared and kept running from me. I managed to feel it a bit and it did feel pretty hard. I didn't smell any saurkraut smell from his head. I thought he might have a water belly but I actually didn't see it when I lifted the feathers. It sounds like the culprit might be a full crop. Can it make them lose balance? I noticed earlier that when he was laying, his feet were shriveled up and he was shivering a bit.

I refilled their feed and left out yogurt and he's eating it. Will the crop empty on its own?

I haven't tried to vomit him yet. I was going to but I had an appointment and had to leave and saw the message about not doing it so I didn't. If it's still full tomorrow first thing in the morning I'll follow that article and give him coconut oil and massage his crop. It doesn't say to flip him upside down so I'll just try and massage it with him standing up.

I was just asking about post-treatment. It's about 58F right now and 44F low. We covered the coop with a tarp so hopefully, that can provide some warmth. I've been doing the deep litter method so I hope that helps too.

 

[citychicks99]

I was out there just now to check on him and he seems to be holding himself up a bit better than yesterday but still falling back a bit. His feet still seem a little shaky but he can move them. I got him Pedialyte earlier when I was going to make him vomit. Should I go ahead and give him some today to see if that will help? I was also going to give him some nutritional yeast. Should I go ahead and give both of them these things?

 

[citychicks99]

He's able to stand up better today but still shaky. I noticed that he was pecking at his feathers earlier and his feet look scaly. I don't think it was yesterday. Maybe mites? The other chicken doesn't seem affected though. The first pic is his and second is hers. I would check but I didn't know how to train them to be comfortable around me so they run when I try and get close and won't let me pick them up.

 

[citychicks99]

I've been putting 1.5 powdered Corid in their water since last Tuesday but he doesn't seem to be getting much better. Maybe I should try Sulfadimethoxine? He looks out of it and has been picking himself a lot at the back near the nape of his neck. I'm beginning to see some patchy areas where there used to be feathers. Should I get food grade diatamacaeous earth and try and treat them for mites? He runs from me when I get near so I don't know how I'll do it. Should I clean out their entire coop or just sprinkle DE all over it?

I've been letting them out of the coop to roam around so the chicken looks like she's getting antsy and wants to come out again. I saw a wild cat in my yard yesterday when they were out so I ordered a cat scat mat and waiting to install it before I feel safe letting them out again.

Does the chicken sound normal btw? Since the weather change her voice has been sounding kind of hoarse.

Here's a video of them:

You'll hear the neighbor's dog barking in the background but he's on the other side where they can't see him.

 

[citychicks99]

Sounds like the crop is not emptying completely overnight. Re-check it! If it's not flat or empty first thing in the morning, then begin treating it.

Provide fresh chick starter, provide fresh plain water and poultry grit (crushed granite).

You have finished the Corid treatment, so adding a little nutritional yeast to their feed is fine.

He's trying to preen. He's young and is going through a juvenile molt, this is why his feathers looks a little out of sorts.
Do carefully and gently look through his and her feathers to make sure that lice/mites are not an issue.

De is not going to get rid of lice/mites. Provide them with enough space so they can take a dust bath. This will help condition their feathers as they molt too.

I think if you can get some good feed into them consistently, keep their space clean, provide them with fresh water you will see some improvement.

How big is the cat? The birds are likely too large for the cat to mess with. Trap the cat and take it to the shelter if it keeps coming around.

Thanks for your advice. I forgot to mention that I didn't realize I was supposed to change the size of their grit at 8 weeks of age, which was about 3 weeks ago, when he started wobbling a bit. I got them the poultry-sized grit on Friday but it seemed like it was too large for the chicken so I left both sizes out for them. I'm quite nervous about trying to make him vomit. Will it take a few days for the new size to help his crop empty completely?

I'm glad you mentioned that he's just preening. I thought it might have been worrisome behavior.

 

[Lizzy733]

You said he was being fed apples? Would that be with the cores? Apple seeds contain cyanide. I'm not sure how many he'd need to eat to have an effect, but would he have had access to the seeds? With him being unsteady on his feet, I'd worry about him getting ahold of something toxic or having a vitamin deficiency, not to mention his age being when many of the nastier poultry diseases can manifest.

 

[citychicks99]

Please do not vomit him.

I'm not understanding your question about the grit. IF the crop is not empty first thing in the morning before he's had anything to eat/drink, then begin treating the crop issue.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Do you have a family member or neighbor that can help you with this?

I read the article about massaging his crop and helping it empty. I thought it was the same thing as vomiting because I watched someone do it in a video and saw green stuff come up. I don't have anybody to help me with this, unfortunately. With the grit size, I thought maybe his crop isn't emptying because I wasn't giving him the proper size until Friday and was wondering if it would take a few days for the new size to help him empty his crop?

You said he was being fed apples? Would that be with the cores? Apple seeds contain cyanide. I'm not sure how many he'd need to eat to have an effect, but would he have had access to the seeds? With him being unsteady on his feet, I'd worry about him getting ahold of something toxic or having a vitamin deficiency, not to mention his age being when many of the nastier poultry diseases can manifest.

No cores.

Edit:
@Wyorp Rock
I plan on separating him tonight and bringing him indoors so I can treat him first thing in the morning if needed. If his crop does empty, what should post-treatment be like? I didn't see it mentioned in the article but some people have said to withhold water for 12 hours and food for 24 hours.. other people say to give them electrolytes, yogurt, fruits like watermelon, and grit after emptying the crop for one to two days, and check again the second day...

 

[citychicks99]

Right. And you won't see that mentioned in the article for good reason. Never withhold water during waking hours.
Sometimes it may be necessary to withhold food, but only for a very short period of time.

IF the crop is empty that is good news. Feed him and the pullet chick starter free choice, give plain fresh water and make grit available free choice.

Well, I checked last night and both of their crops were soft and squishy. I triple-checked this morning, and that same spot felt flat. I haven't dewormed them yet so maybe I'll try that next. Is it too soon since I just stopped their Corid treatment today? Do some breeds just tend to have weak legs? This is starting to look like a common issue after digging around a bit. I also wanted to mention that I did notice where they were sleeping, it smelled a bit like fresh urine. Is this normal? I gave them fresh shavings on Friday.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Well, I checked last night and both of their crops were soft and squishy. I triple-checked this morning, and that same spot felt flat. I haven't dewormed them yet so maybe I'll try that next. Is it too soon since I just stopped their Corid treatment today? Do some breeds just tend to have weak legs? This is starting to look like a common issue after digging around a bit. I also wanted to mention that I did notice where they were sleeping, it smelled a bit like fresh urine. Is this normal? I gave them fresh shavings on Friday.

You may need to clean out the bedding more often if the coop has a smell. How much ventilation does it have?

Since you've finished the Corid, then I would start them both on some vitamins. Poultry Cell is a good choice or you can give each bird 1/4 tablet B-Complex once a day. See if that helps.

 

[citychicks99]

I'm looking at the chick starter I got them and somewhere in the description says this is for chick layer feed?? The calcium isn't more than 1%ish though so I hope that isn't the issue for him.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...ck-starter-grower-crumbles-40-lb?cm_vc=-10005