Cockerel hiding in coop all day, "vomiting" clearish liquid.

[Wyorp Rock]

Yeah, it was completely flat, felt zero bulge. Corid has been started.

So now his crop is full up again, and 2 of my pullets were sitting there in their run and they just puked up water in front of me.
I felt their crops, and sure enough , although not as easy to feel for, they were also soft like a baloon, but not sticking out as far and not nearly as easy to see.

If he had been eating/drinking, then the crop should have something in it.

Where are you located in the world? Are the pullets drinking a lot of water?

Is that poop "fresh" or a couple of days old? Looks to have a lot of fibrous material, color can vary depending on what they have been eating.

 

[ManWithChicks]

If he had been eating/drinking, then the crop should have something in it.

Where are you located in the world? Are the pullets drinking a lot of water?

Is that poop "fresh" or a couple of days old? Looks to have a lot of fibrous material, color can vary depending on what they have been eating.

It was from today, although not super fresh.

I'm in Southern California, was at least 100 degrees F today. So they are probably drinking lots of water.

They eat scratch & peck organic grower, which is full of whole grains, but i usualy think their poop looks less fibrous.

As far as his crop being full, yes he was eating and drinking, i just am not sure what a healthy crop feels like i suppose. And I noticed his and the girls who "puked" felt more soft than my other pullet who scarfs food down anytime she gets a chance.

I guess I'll check again in the morning. Im thinking of giving them all Hydro-Hen https://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/adult-poultry-care/hydro-hen
as well

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It was from today, although not super fresh.

I'm in Southern California, was at least 100 degrees F today. So they are probably drinking lots of water.

They eat scratch & peck organic grower, which is full of whole grains, but i usualy think their poop looks less fibrous.

As far as his crop being full, yes he was eating and drinking, i just am not sure what a healthy crop feels like i suppose. And I noticed his and the girls who "puked" felt more soft than my other pullet who scarfs food down anytime she gets a chance.

I guess I'll check again in the morning. Im thinking of giving them all Hydro-Hen https://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/adult-poultry-care/hydro-hen
as well

They do have grit (crushed granite) available free choice?
I've never tried HydroHen so couldn't say - I would think it's similar to most electrolytes that are on the market. Fresh water also needs to be available as well.

 

[ManWithChicks]

They do have grit (crushed granite) available free choice?
I've never tried HydroHen so couldn't say - I would think it's similar to most electrolytes that are on the market. Fresh water also needs to be available as well.

Great to know about the water, because I was just going to add electrolyte to the main water and give them no other sources.

They have grit currently(as of today), but before that they only grit they had was on the floor of their run(had been knocked out of feeder about a week ago and i had nothing to replace it until today) and I assumed they would eat the grit off the floor, but I dont think they did as much as I thought they would.

I wonder if this was a critical mistake. I refilled the grit feeder and most of them were at it asap. Thats was around noon today, I hope it helps some.

I've also started fermenting some feed today, in hopes that they can digest that better. I usualy just feed straight from sack.

I'm hoping that tomorrow with them having slightly cooler weather, grit, and fermented feed they will show some improvement.

My adjoining run has 6 one-year old chickens in it and so far they are all seemingly healthy. They eat the same food, drink same water and lay eggs, but are doing better than the younger ones and never knocked over their grit feeder. Grit is the major difference in the last week, but i didnt even think anything of it. Wonder if it has more to do with this than I cared to think.

Again, thanks for all your help, experience, and suggestions. Im only a year into this and obviously have a ton to learn still.

 

[piminuse]

Eerie timing, but I just lost a hen today to sour crop. They had knocked over their grit and I assumed they would do the chicken thing and eat it from the ground, but I guess when they're used to having it served up in a container the dirt looks less appetizing.

Our broodpen had an outbreak of coccidiosis that we wrapped up treatment for a few days ago, and when the hen presented lethargy, diarrhea and little eating we assumed we had accidentally tracked in the parasite and isolated her to rest. It wasn't until day 2 (today) of using a syringe to feed her a liquid slurry that we noticed we might be wrong in our diagnosis.

After a feedind session we noticed how enlarged her chest looked. We use scratch n peck, and when we felt her crop is felt almost like a beanbag if that makes sense. Easy to tell that there were grains in there. Also lots of liquid dribble if we held her at an angle and massaged the crop. We (stupidly) only watched 2 youtube videos on how to solve it and my husband very enthusiastically/aggressively massaged her crop and she aspirated. Died quickly and it was an unpleasant experience for us as this is the first time we've actually witness and unwilling participated in one of our layers deaths.

SO long story short: continue to research and take your time treating your birds gently.

Good luck!

 

[ManWithChicks]

Eerie timing, but I just lost a hen today to sour crop. They had knocked over their grit and I assumed they would do the chicken thing and eat it from the ground, but I guess when they're used to having it served up in a container the dirt looks less appetizing.

Our broodpen had an outbreak of coccidiosis that we wrapped up treatment for a few days ago, and when the hen presented lethargy, diarrhea and little eating we assumed we had accidentally tracked in the parasite and isolated her to rest. It wasn't until day 2 (today) of using a syringe to feed her a liquid slurry that we noticed we might be wrong in our diagnosis.

After a feedind session we noticed how enlarged her chest looked. We use scratch n peck, and when we felt her crop is felt almost like a beanbag if that makes sense. Easy to tell that there were grains in there. Also lots of liquid dribble if we held her at an angle and massaged the crop. We (stupidly) only watched 2 youtube videos on how to solve it and my husband very enthusiastically/aggressively massaged her crop and she aspirated. Died quickly and it was an unpleasant experience for us as this is the first time we've actually witness and unwilling participated in one of our layers deaths.

SO long story short: continue to research and take your time treating your birds gently.

Good luck!

Sorry for your loss ! What a story, and lots of similarities to mine. Thank you for using the time to share, it is definitely helpful for me and I hope anyone who comes across this in the future.

I totally can imagine what you mean about the bean bag feeling. I never felt the "beans" part, but i never felt after feeding. So far its always felt like a beanbag without the individual beans to me.

I gotta say, you guys did exactly what I almost did. The info online all leads to massaging the crop in my research. Kinda only luck that I hadn't before I posted here .

Hope the rest of the summer goes smoothly for you guys!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They have grit currently(as of today), but before that they only grit they had was on the floor of their run(had been knocked out of feeder about a week ago and i had nothing to replace it until today) and I assumed they would eat the grit off the floor, but I dont think they did as much as I thought they would.

Hmm.. mine will pick up the grit from the ground, I usually just scatter it. They don't have to eat grit all the time, they may pick up a few pieces - these lodge in the gizzard and aid the processing of foods. With a feed like Peck and Scratch that more "whole", having grit would be needed. The biggest problem I've seen folks report when they use a feed like that is the birds seem to pick and choose what they eat, so a lot of times they are not getting "complete" nutrition. Say, one may prefer the corn over everything else, so they mostly consume just corn so they aren't eating the rest or getting much of the powdered vitamins/minerals that is added to the feed. Fermenting may be a better way to go with a feed like that.

 

[ManWithChicks]

Hmm.. mine will pick up the grit from the ground, I usually just scatter it. They don't have to eat grit all the time, they may pick up a few pieces - these lodge in the gizzard and aid the processing of foods. With a feed like Peck and Scratch that more "whole", having grit would be needed. The biggest problem I've seen folks report when they use a feed like that is the birds seem to pick and choose what they eat, so a lot of times they are not getting "complete" nutrition. Say, one may prefer the corn over everything else, so they mostly consume just corn so they aren't eating the rest or getting much of the powdered vitamins/minerals that is added to the feed. Fermenting may be a better way to go with a feed like that.

I'm with you on that they will pick out what they like. Seems like my older chickens leave all the peas behind. My younger ones usually eat it all, but im guessing they don't all eat the same ratio.

UPDATE:
So I started fermenting the feed and have made sure that they have a cup of grit full everyday.
I offered them a separate water with electrolyte powder.

Got rid of 2 of the other cockerels, that all the other chickens seemed to be "scared" of.

The two pullets seem to be fine, no more puking water that Ive seen and crops feel normal.

The cockerel that was the sickest seems to be recovering, his poop is still has slight mucus splat look to it, but waaaaaaaay better and his crop has felt fine everytime Ive felt it. Either empty, or slightly firm.

Ive not seen anymore of the fibrous poops, hopefully this issue is behind me ! Thanks for all the support guys.