Diet for Chicken Recovering from 1) Raccoon attack and 2) Issues related to Over-ingesting Grit

[Lovetoeilou]

Hi All - My flock was subjected to a raccoon attack over a month ago and we have been rehabilitating the 2 survivors. One hen - Rogue, a Rhode Island Red of ~3-4 years old - apparently began ingesting large amounts of grit which we found upon X-ray at the vet (symptoms were consistent with an impacted crop; while she did present with grit in her crop, there is COPIOUS amount throughout her intestines). She has been receiving pain killers, a mild laxative, and daily water intubated to her crop. She has been responding GREAT (active, eating normally, vet said she is producing an egg), but I am concerned about feeding her moving forward. I suspect that she was eating more grit related to recovering inside in a dog crate following the raccoon attack and not eating normally (??) or getting her normal routine (free ranging during the day). Welcome any advice here. Note that we trapped and moved the raccoon, have reinforced the coop, and the other hen is 100% recovered.

 

[emmyn74]

Instead of offering grit by itself...I mix a tablespoon or so in their food when I feed them....this way they can't eat a bunch at a time...but they still get what they need..