Can anyone recommend a feed for a hen with crop / digestive issues?

[Wyorp Rock]

Ah, you'll probably notice how her one foot points out to the side when she's standing. She injured her leg when she was about 4 months old. We tried to fix it with the rubber bands and all that, but this is as good as it got. She gets around and can really move fast when she wants to. But she lived inside our patio kitchen with us while she was recovering from the injury, so she's used to being here with us and the dogs.

This is Cleo, peeking inside. She's super jealous that Butchie gets to be in the kitchen whenever she wants...View attachment 3454944

Butchie looks great!

Oh my...Cleo! Love it

 

[TwoCrows]

@TropicalChickies I just remembered, Aloe Vera juice reduces inflammation in the gut, it also improves the gut lining and overall digestion. You might try some 100% Aloe Vera juice on her. Its a great tonic for good health!

 

[TropicalChickies]

@TropicalChickies I just remembered, Aloe Vera juice reduces inflammation in the gut, it also improves the gut lining and overall digestion. You might try some 100% Aloe Vera juice on her. Its a great tonic for good health!

It's funny you mention that. Aloe (called sabilla here) is widely used as a health tonic. You can buy whole fresh leaves in any produce stall in the street. I make juice with it all the time and I was thinking it might be a good idea to add to Butchie's health regimen.

How much would be a good dose for her?

 

[TropicalChickies]

@TwoCrows also I have a question about the Acidified Copper sulphate... How much of the water does she need to drink each day to build up enough copper in her system to effectively kill the yeast?

Butchie has gotten it into her little head that she doesn't want to drink her ACS water. I'm only putting 1/8 tsp in a half gallon water jug, so I doubt she can taste it. But now she only wants to drink from the dogs' water bowl (which I don't let her but that's what she wants because now she thinks she's a dog).

So I'm giving her ACS water via syringe 3x per day, 25ml at a time (5x 5ml syringes). But that's only 75ml and I read that chickens drink about half a liter of water per day!

Do you have any recommendations regarding how much of the ACS water she needs to drink? I'll syringe her whatever is necessary but I don't want to overdose her. Thanks for your help.

 

[TwoCrows]

It's funny you mention that. Aloe (called sabilla here) is widely used as a health tonic. You can buy whole fresh leaves in any produce stall in the street. I make juice with it all the time and I was thinking it might be a good idea to add to Butchie's health regimen.

How much would be a good dose for her?

Here in the US you can purchase liquid Aloe for pets, you would only give her about a tablespoon per day. So only a small amount, you could mix it into eggs or something.

@TwoCrows also I have a question about the Acidified Copper sulphate... How much of the water does she need to drink each day to build up enough copper in her system to effectively kill the yeast?

Butchie has gotten it into her little head that she doesn't want to drink her ACS water. I'm only putting 1/8 tsp in a half gallon water jug, so I doubt she can taste it. But now she only wants to drink from the dogs' water bowl (which I don't let her but that's what she wants because now she thinks she's a dog).

So I'm giving her ACS water via syringe 3x per day, 25ml at a time (5x 5ml syringes). But that's only 75ml and I read that chickens drink about half a liter of water per day!

Do you have any recommendations regarding how much of the ACS water she needs to drink? I'll syringe her whatever is necessary but I don't want to overdose her. Thanks for your help.

Have you tried adding Apple Cider Vinegar to the mix? I usually add 1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar to the gallon of Copper mix, the vinegar makes it all palletable. My birds won't drink the Copper without the vinegar mixed in. And the amount you are syringeing in sounds like it would be enough to kill off yeasts, 25ml is at least 2 tablespoons. But this said, she should probably drink it on her own.

 

[Kiki]

@TwoCrows also I have a question about the Acidified Copper sulphate... How much of the water does she need to drink each day to build up enough copper in her system to effectively kill the yeast?

Butchie has gotten it into her little head that she doesn't want to drink her ACS water. I'm only putting 1/8 tsp in a half gallon water jug, so I doubt she can taste it. But now she only wants to drink from the dogs' water bowl (which I don't let her but that's what she wants because now she thinks she's a dog).

So I'm giving her ACS water via syringe 3x per day, 25ml at a time (5x 5ml syringes). But that's only 75ml and I read that chickens drink about half a liter of water per day!

Do you have any recommendations regarding how much of the ACS water she needs to drink? I'll syringe her whatever is necessary but I don't want to overdose her. Thanks for your help.

I'm rooting for Butchie. I'm not positive but I believe how much water they need per day is based on how much she weighs.
I am sure you are careful but please be very careful when forcing liquid by syringe. You don't want to get any going down the wrong pipe and it happens easily. Tubing it would be safer.

 

[TropicalChickies]

Here in the US you can purchase liquid Aloe for pets, you would only give her about a tablespoon per day. So only a small amount, you could mix it into eggs or something.

Have you tried adding Apple Cider Vinegar to the mix? I usually add 1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar to the gallon of Copper mix, the vinegar makes it all palletable. My birds won't drink the Copper without the vinegar mixed in. And the amount you are syringeing in sounds like it would be enough to kill off yeasts, 25ml is at least 2 tablespoons. But this said, she should probably drink it on her own.

Ok, I'll try it with Apple Cider Vinegar. I'd feel better if I knew she was drinking it on her own.

 

[TropicalChickies]

I'm rooting for Butchie. I'm not positive but I believe how much water they need per day is based on how much she weighs.
I am sure you are careful but please be very careful when forcing liquid by syringe. You don't want to get any going down the wrong pipe and it happens easily. Tubing it would be safer.

Thank you. Yep, I'm being super careful, keeping the beak level and not shooting the syringe into her throat. Butchie is really sweet and I think she knows I'm helping her, so she cooperates with the syringe really well.

 

[TropicalChickies]

Hi folks,

Butchie update! She continues to do well and is really looking good. She's on the 6th day of her second round of ACS, and I'm also giving her some yeast buster to help her digestion. She's eating only protein (eggs or sardines) and a little bit of quinoa or sweet potato every day to keep her blood sugar stable. Her crop has been empty every morning now for two weeks! But I'm also really happy to report that all of the hardness and bloating in her lower abdomen is gone. I think the inflammation and gasses in her intestines are finally going away, hopefully for good.

Another good sign is that her poop is more consistently brown (not yellowish) in color with the urates more separated. It's still muddy, but I think the ACS is causing that partway.

She is definitely absorbing more nutrients and water into her system though. Her comb is perfectly upright and has a good firm and hydrated feel to it. (It was floppy and dry feeling for months before this treatment and diet change). Her skin is much less flaky and looks like it's regenerating, but I still give her a little exfoliating scrub with diluted sulphur soap once a day.

She is very happy. She goes outside, forages a bit, comes back in, and is very chatty. Hard to believe she was on deaths door a couple weeks ago.

The yeast ball in her crop is still there. In the morning I can't even feel it. By the late afternoon, it's about the size of a plum pit. I think it's going to take a few months of low carb, wheat and soy free diet with probiotics and yeast buster to knock it down.

Maybe I should do "maintenance rounds" of ACS every 4 - 6 weeks for a few days to keep it in check?

 

[TropicalChickies]

@TwoCrows, you suggested a homeopathic sulphur for her runny poop. I actually have pure technical grade sulphur -- you can make an organic-approved plant spray with it that prevents leaf rust, mildews, and other plant plagues. In the tropics, with all the fungi and mildews around, they really wreak havoc on the fruit trees. Technical grade means it's the purest form and stays suspended in water.

I'm started researching and I'm going to do A LOT more about this, but I'm thinking I can make a homeopathic sulphur remedy instead of giving her something like Sulmet that also comes with stronger antibiotics. I think antibiotics are the last thing she needs.

Hopefully, her loose poo will firm up as her intestines heal, but I'm going to look into the sulphur remedy in the meantime. I'll keep you posted.