Chicken acting strange for a couple weeks Please Read Updates

[chickengirl2016]

Just an update: She is doing even better, ate another scrambled egg, her second dose of medicine and doesn't want to stay still now LOL. She was starting to get a bit antsy downstairs so we decided to let her go out with her buddies over night! Put her right into the coop and shut the door so she can't go get a midnight snack LOL. Its scary for me to let her go out, I want to go check on her, but itd be best if she just rests with her friends. I will bring her in in the morning to give her medicine and food and her corid water. she will stay inside most of the day and go back out to go to bed with them.

 

[chickengirl2016]

Just did my midnight check on her, No purple comb at all! It looks perfect! My guess is that somehow her circulation was getting cut off by laying down. Since she is sleeping on the roost tonight, it looks great. That could mean that she has issues, but as of right now, she feels great and her crop is doing much better. I will still continue the course of Monistat and Corid.

 

[TwoCrows]

Just an update: She is doing even better, ate another scrambled egg, her second dose of medicine and doesn't want to stay still now LOL. She was starting to get a bit antsy downstairs so we decided to let her go out with her buddies over night! Put her right into the coop and shut the door so she can't go get a midnight snack LOL. Its scary for me to let her go out, I want to go check on her, but itd be best if she just rests with her friends. I will bring her in in the morning to give her medicine and food and her corid water. she will stay inside most of the day and go back out to go to bed with them.

Just did my midnight check on her, No purple comb at all! It looks perfect! My guess is that somehow her circulation was getting cut off by laying down. Since she is sleeping on the roost tonight, it looks great. That could mean that she has issues, but as of right now, she feels great and her crop is doing much better. I will still continue the course of Monistat and Corid.

Great to hear she is doing better, eating and hyper! Always a good sign when they can't sit still.

I think it's a great idea she sleeps with her sisters, a happy bird heals faster.

Keep up with all you are doing. You might try and put some weight on her with some cooked rice. Chickens love rice, its soft and looks like maggots.

 

[chickengirl2016]

Great to hear she is doing better, eating and hyper! Always a good sign when they can't sit still.

I think it's a great idea she sleeps with her sisters, a happy bird heals faster.

Keep up with all you are doing. You might try and put some weight on her with some cooked rice. Chickens love rice, its soft and looks like maggots.

Yuck! I'm sure she'd love it She just took her morning medicine like a champ. She is working on eating her egg and yogurt right now. Still monitoring comb, was perfect when I brought her in from the coop, turned a little darker about 2 minutes after I brought inside, it is warmer in the garage maybe the temp change caused it a bit. She is acting the same though, no differences at all so I will continue to monitor it, but other than that I think she feels fine. (little edit: I also just read that if the back of the comb gets darker, it is a sign of stress, and that definitely could be the case. Because I just went down and checked on her and it was fine again after we just let her be alone for a bit. Maybe all the hubbub and fuss about her getting her medicine is making her a little stressed, I sure do know it is making me stressed! ) But she loved being with her friends all night again. I'm finally feeling like she will definitely rebound from this sour crop.

 

[chickengirl2016]

Also her crop was completely empty again today! I just gave her a TINY bit of chick crumbles wetted down and she made her little happy clucking noise when i did, so we will slowly begin starting her on food again. cery slowly though

 

[TwoCrows]

Yuck! I'm sure she'd love it She just took her morning medicine like a champ. She is working on eating her egg and yogurt right now. Still monitoring comb, was perfect when I brought her in from the coop, turned a little darker about 2 minutes after I brought inside, it is warmer in the garage maybe the temp change caused it a bit. She is acting the same though, no differences at all so I will continue to monitor it, but other than that I think she feels fine. (little edit: I also just read that if the back of the comb gets darker, it is a sign of stress, and that definitely could be the case. Because I just went down and checked on her and it was fine again after we just let her be alone for a bit. Maybe all the hubbub and fuss about her getting her medicine is making her a little stressed, I sure do know it is making me stressed! ) But she loved being with her friends all night again. I'm finally feeling like she will definitely rebound from this sour crop.

Stress definitely changes the color of a comb but hers gets a bit too dark too quick. Just keep up all the lovin' on her.

Also her crop was completely empty again today! I just gave her a TINY bit of chick crumbles wetted down and she made her little happy clucking noise when i did, so we will slowly begin starting her on food again. cery slowly though

Fabulous that her crop was again empty! I think you definitely have a handle on the sour crop! I love when they are happy. Keep up all the great work you are doing on her, she sure has a good Mom.

 

[Hen Stefani]

Great to hear she is doing better, eating and hyper! Always a good sign when they can't sit still.

I think it's a great idea she sleeps with her sisters, a happy bird heals faster.

Keep up with all you are doing. You might try and put some weight on her with some cooked rice. Chickens love rice, its soft and looks like maggots.

I love happy endings in threads! I really enjoyed reading the back and forth between you two.

You are so knowledgeable!! Mad respect!! #chickenmomgoals!! I definitely took some notes on your comments regarding the dark comb issue.

OP was awesome too! Very thorough with updates and great at following your advice.

I’ve had chickens a little over 6 years and my roommate considers me an expert. I always correct him and say no I’m far from it. He has no idea lol. There is sooo much to learn! Probably one of the best parts about having pet chickens IMO…

Oh and my avian vet said it best, “All domesticated chickens have been bred to lay far more eggs than their bodies can handle. They basically need to be fed rocket fuel just to keep up.”

 

[chickengirl2016]

I love happy endings in threads! I really enjoyed reading the back and forth between you two.

You are so knowledgeable!! Mad respect!! #chickenmomgoals!! I definitely took some notes on your comments regarding the dark comb issue.

OP was awesome too! Very thorough with updates and great at following your advice.

I’ve had chickens a little over 6 years and my roommate considers me an expert. I always correct him and say no I’m far from it. He has no idea lol. There is sooo much to learn! Probably one of the best parts about having pet chickens IMO…

Oh and my avian vet said it best, “All domesticated chickens have been bred to lay far more eggs than their bodies can handle. They basically need to be fed rocket fuel just to keep up.”

Thank you! I will continue to update this thread, in case anyone down the road needs this info. I know that I love to be able to find other people who go through similar things, makes you feel less alone. Your vet is correct, I can't even begin to think about how they've been bred, it makes me so mad.

 

[TwoCrows]

I love happy endings in threads! I really enjoyed reading the back and forth between you two.

You are so knowledgeable!! Mad respect!! #chickenmomgoals!! I definitely took some notes on your comments regarding the dark comb issue.

OP was awesome too! Very thorough with updates and great at following your advice.

I’ve had chickens a little over 6 years and my roommate considers me an expert. I always correct him and say no I’m far from it. He has no idea lol. There is sooo much to learn! Probably one of the best parts about having pet chickens IMO…

Oh and my avian vet said it best, “All domesticated chickens have been bred to lay far more eggs than their bodies can handle. They basically need to be fed rocket fuel just to keep up.”

The learning never stops with chickens, one thing I've learned is that once you think you know something, they find a way to prove you completely wrong. And every bird is designed differently, what works for one won't necessarily work for the other. They definitely keep you on your toes no matter how many years you've been keeping them.

Yes, your vet is so correct, hatchery breeds are bred to be laying machines, which eventually does kill them. My next flock is going to be Heritage breeds. They are so much healthier and lay far less often.

 

[chickengirl2016]

The learning never stops with chickens, one thing I've learned is that once you think you know something, they find a way to prove you completely wrong. And every bird is designed differently, what works for one won't necessarily work for the other. They definitely keep you on your toes no matter how many years you've been keeping them.

Yes, your vet is so correct, hatchery breeds are bred to be laying machines, which eventually does kill them. My next flock is going to be Heritage breeds. They are so much healthier and lay far less often.

Be sure to let us know what breeds you get! I can have 6 chickens but am down to four due to the passing of the one last year, and one ended up being a rooster. Ive been thinking about adding two more to my flock before summer but after all of these issues.