Chicken Won't Eat and Vomiting

[lundgrenj]

I have a 3 year old hen who hasn't been eating. Each time she reaches down to eat, she appears to vomit up white fluid. She seems now to have no appetite, but will roost at night. No injuries present; she's standing up good, just appears tired, won't walk around much. She also appears to maybe getting ready for a molt, I was thinking this was related, until I saw here vomit.

My guess is some sort of illness that might pass. We've isolated her, and put her under a heat lamp, because it recently got cold.

I tried to give her some egg to eat, she tried it briefly, then wouldn't eat it.

Advice appreciated.

 

[M@M@2four]

Sounds like sour crop. If you press on her crop(area on her upper chest) does she have fluid in there? Smell her breath when you press on her crop--if it smells sour, it's definitely sour crop. You need to separate her into a cage, give her about a tsp of apple cider vinegar, stroke the crop downward, and only give her water in her cage--no food till the crop clears and the sour crop os gone. I would give her the apple cider vinegar every 6 hours or so for the first 24 hours. I would then give her some cooked eggs and yogurt with probiotics to help her gain her strength back and also to help her fight any bad bacteria. If/when you give her chicken food, I would give her just plain chick food for a few day and no corn. Just my opinion! Good luck!

 

[lundgrenj]

That does sound about right, I will try that, thanks.

 

[M@M@2four]

Quote:
Not a problem!

The heat lamp is a great idea--feeling ill on top of being cold is just miserable! Just make sure of course that she can get away from the heat in case she gets too hot. So just have the heat lamp on one side of her cage. Also, you can always add some Apple Cider Vinegar into her water as well. Good luck!

 

[nuttyredhead]

It does sound like Sour Crop, i agree with the pp. I just lost one of my girls this weekend because i was to slow in realizing it. Let us know how she is doing.

 

[lundgrenj]

Just to reply, yes it was Sour Crop, and after 4-5 days out of the cold, with some Apple Cider Vinegar water, and warm lights, she recovered. So happy.

 

[welasharon]

Yay!