Hi, I have a 2.5 year old Isa Brown hen who started having a purple crest end sometime in the spring, but seemed otherwise ok. Over the summer I noticed she drank a lot of water, but again I had nothing else to go on. During the heatwave of the weekend, I found her in great distress, with her large crest flopped down and the end very purple. I revived her, but now she drinks so much water her crop is really swollen during the day, and the crest didn't recover. She doesn't seem as energetic as usual either. She did lay a large egg in the middle of the heat wave, and she generally is a decent layer, so I cannot assume it's a reproductive issue as it's often the case with Isa Browns. She also has bumblefoot which does not look very severe but she's walking gingerly on the few hard surfaces I have around. I have a vet appointment on Tuesday to treat her for the bumblefoot (made in advance, since she's not cooperative enough for me to do it alone), but now I'm afraid to manipulate her with so much liquid in her crop and after such a stressful weekend. Any ideas what might be her problem? I just don't want to make the situation worse by trying to make it better, which sometimes happens with chickens. Thank you.
Edited to add that her poop looks wet to watery and occasionally she releases just straight water, but not particularly unusual otherwise. Crop is empty in the morning and not squishy. She can eat all the good stuff all day, but not so much her crumbles. She free-ranges during the day.
Edited to add that her poop looks wet to watery and occasionally she releases just straight water, but not particularly unusual otherwise. Crop is empty in the morning and not squishy. She can eat all the good stuff all day, but not so much her crumbles. She free-ranges during the day.
Last edited:
