chicken won't eat 6 days

[cforeman]

I have a 2 year old Buff Orpington not eating for 6 days. I have forced her to eat small pieces of grapes that she loves. I have brought her in down the basement because she is losing weight and I am afraid she will freeze in sub freezing temps in St. Louis, MO area. She is losing lots of feathers. Don't know if from stress or from the warm basement temps (60 degrees). Her breast is almost bear - no feathers. She is limping some but gets up and walks some. She pecks at the food but is not eating it. I have a 1 year old Production Red that I brought in several weeks ago. She is not eating either but she seems to be blind and can't find the food. If I put food in front of her she eats. She started limping two weeks ago after I brought her in but I think she fell on to the concrete floor from a cardboard box I had her in. She stands on the one leg but seems to crawl on her wings. I have never had to cull one myself. Is this hopeless?

I wonder if the buff's crop is blocked. I held her upside down she only lost fluid. I can feel a half of a grape inside it.

 

[tigerrrrrrrlilly]

Have you checked for mites or lice? This or something else may be causing stress and loss of feathers. Improper diet, respiratory illness, impacted crop, it could be a number of things. You should not hold the chicken upside down.

 

[cforeman]

just read that if it has a blocked crop you should hold it up side down to get it to vomit.

 

[tigerrrrrrrlilly]

If you feel the crop area and it is extended and hard instead of soft kinda like a water balloon it could be impacted. You can massage the area and gently try to push it up and out but don't force it, crop surgery could be necessary if there is a hard mass. If it feels fine and squishy like a water balloon or feels empty (since she has not been eating) then you are dealing with another problem. I don't know where you read that but I would not do it - especially being in that condition- it could cause fluid to enter the air sacs in the lungs and possibly cause death. You could be dealing with a respiratory problem - you don't know yet- and holding the chicken this way could kill it.
Because the chest area is bare it makes me think she could be plucking due to stress. I would first check for lice or mite infestation and go from there. Since you had another not eating as well, it's possible both are suffering the same issue.
Check the crop, check for bugs, check the vent area then let us know.