Chicken is ill, would appreciate advice.

[SillyAndSalty]

Hello all. Hoping someone may have some advice for us, as we're newbies.

We have 10 chickens, 4-5 months old, several kinds. The one we're worried about is an Aricana (sp?), approximately 2 pounds. Salty found her just sitting there this morning, quite lethargic, very still, not moving about with the other chickens, not doing anything. She is alert. He says it's like she's depressed. Salty thought perhaps she is constipated, so he fed her fresh plums, chicken scratch, ants, grass...all of which she ate. She has been drinking water. He handles the chickens daily and feels that she is hot, temperature-wise. There is no sign of injury or trauma. Salty isolated her, and says she has not pooped all day. These chickens were all fed the medicated/immunized chick feed when they were younger.

We can't afford a vet right now, so any information would be appreciated!
Silly

 

[justusnak]

Check her bum...make sure it is clean, and not swollen. How is her crop? Is it large and full? Hard....soft?? Maybe she just needed a "me day" ?? Hope she comes out of it...keep us posted.

 

[SillyAndSalty]

Ok, stupid newbie question. What is her crop?

 

[barg]

It's a pouch where the food goes, its on the upper part of her breast, just under her neck, to one side, I think the right side, but id'e have to look to be sure.

It gets larger when they eat or shrinks if they don't eat for a while.

 

[SillyAndSalty]

Ok, this has been an interesting afternoon.

The crop is fine. She is eating and drinking fine.

After searching for "eggbound" and doing a lot of reading, and finding a very helpful diagram, we set about "checking" our girl. I'm a labor and delivery RN, and we've been laughing a lot today about my potential role as Chicken Midwife. Will I be able to add the initials CM to my credentials?

Upon examination (which Salty actually did, while I held firm and comforted the patient), there is nothing felt in the vent (Salty says "Tell them I went to the third knuckle"

). I thoroughly palpated externally, and she's slender, I could feel nothing out of the ordinary. Admittedly, this is the first time I've ever palpated a live chicken, so I could be wrong.

She has been pooping, white/brown/a little black.

She is still not interested in moving about. She doesn't like being on her back. She did escape once, during examination, and cluck at us...albeit with little enthusiasm.

So what now?

 

[justusnak]

Hmmmmm, now this is a thinker. So, no egg....she is pooing regularly...still not wanting to move around much?? Is she being picked on by the others? If she is the lowest on the pecking order, she might just be trying to stay out of the others way...so as not to get pecked. If she is eating...drinking..and pooing regularly...and moves around some..I sure dont know. Can you take her out of the yard...away from the other hens..see how she acts? She might just be getting bullied.