Do very sick chickens ever recover and live for long?

[Wyorp Rock]

Personally, I would treat her with the Safeguard, you can find that at most feed stores.

Again, the crop not emptying is not good. A large and hard crop sounds like it may be impacted(?) do you feel a firmish mass in it? I would continue to massage the crop, offer some coconut oil and plenty of water. She can go 24hrs without food if need be so you can try to get the crop cleared. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments
After you get the crop cleared, offer her soft foods for several days so you can monitor the crop. Wet feed, hard boiled or scrambled eggs would be good. The whole time, see that she has plenty of water.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@basement chick
I have done a little more investigative work. It does seem that Ivermectin can be used to treat Capillary worms. You have Pour On, so you will want to give the correct dosage.

"Drops" can be very hard to control - my "drop" may be a different size than yours.
You mention your girl weighs 2lbs. Maximum dosage of Ivermectin Pour On is 0.09 ml per pound, so the dose for her would be .18ml Use a 1ml syringe to draw up it up so you get the correct amount. Pour On needs to be adminstered at the base of the neck in contact with the spine. It is repeated in 10-14days.

You will still want to work on getting her crop to clear. Also she is a 3yr old Sex Link. Feel her abdomen for any bloat/swelling or feeling of fluid. Sometimes crop issues are a symptom of an underlying condition. Could be the worms, but reproductive disorders are very common in older laying hens.

Let us know how she is doing.

 

[basement chick]

Ok. Thank you. We put .2ml on her and it was near the base of her neck. I got it all right on her skin because she doesn't move around so I think I got the right dosage or possibly a hair more. Her abdomen is thin like the rest of her, except the crop. She is skin and bones. She is acting the same today. I just came in from letting them out. I gave her coconut oil and she actually liked it and ate it all. About 1/2 teaspoon minus some melting. I massaged her crop twice for 5 minutes or more. She seems to enjoy it. To me it feels like gel. Not hard not squishy. No lumps. It does not seem any smaller or larger than last night. She is pooping small amounts when she sleeps and pooped once while out this morning. Runny dark green/brown with white on top. I mixed some layer pellets with water and crushed dried mealworms. She was not interested but I put some on her beak and she nibbled a little. She will slowly scratch in the bushes and eats small bugs. I gave her a live moth yesterday and she gobbled it up. I put dried mealworms on the ground today in the dirt and she ate a few. Also I dripped water on her beak and she drank some. Then I found an old sack of grit from a couple years ago when they weren't being let out. Threw a small handful on the ground and she and the others sucked it up like a vacuum! I am letting her rest while I mow then will massage again. How much and how often should I do coconut oil? Is fresh raw fish chopped up good to feed her? Just noticed you're in NC too. We are eastern coastal on a tidal creek off Pamlico.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would stick with wet feed and/or scrambled-hard boiled egg, maybe a little yogurt until you get the crop cleared. Sometimes you may need to withhold feed for a day and work on the crop. Coconut oil, you can give her a couple of times a day. You can also try 1 time a Dulcolax stool softener (no stimulant). Plenty Plenty of water.

You live waaaayyy out there! LOL We used to go to Hatteras on vacation, but that was many moons ago. It's beautiful on the coast, but I love the mountains.

 

[PirateGirl]

I have. I just want to tell you that to give you some hope. Mine did not have the same kind of illness as yours, but I lost 2 chickens, and I had a third one on death's door. I came home from work and expected to find her dead and instead she had escaped her hospital box and was wandering around my laundry room looking much improved. Good luck.

 

[basement chick]

I have. I just want to tell you that to give you some hope. Mine did not have the same kind of illness as yours, but I lost 2 chickens, and I had a third one on death's door. I came home from work and expected to find her dead and instead she had escaped her hospital box and was wandering around my laundry room looking much improved. Good luck.

Thanks!

 

[basement chick]

Her crop is smaller today but not empty. I can feel the grit in there that she ate yesterday. I did not feed her anything today but scrambled egg, wet chkn pellets and coconut oil. She ate the coconut oil and maybe a very small amount of egg but no chkn food. She is still walking around the yard and eating a bug or two. She was even with the others for a while. I massaged her crop 4 times. I did not see her poop. You may be able to see the crop and how thin she is in the picture. She drank 3 big drinks of water before bed. What else can i feed her for protein? Maybe some live crickets? Live bugs are all she eats. Not even worms.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Her crop is smaller today but not empty. I can feel the grit in there that she ate yesterday. I did not feed her anything today but scrambled egg, wet chkn pellets and coconut oil. She ate the coconut oil and maybe a very small amount of egg but no chkn food. She is still walking around the yard and eating a bug or two. She was even with the others for a while. I massaged her crop 4 times. I did not see her poop. You may be able to see the crop and how thin she is in the picture. She drank 3 big drinks of water before bed. What else can i feed her for protein? Maybe some live crickets? Live bugs are all she eats. Not even worms.

Do you have any chick starter?

 

[basement chick]

Do you have any chick starter?

No but I am going in town tomorrow and can get some. Unmedicated I assume?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes, unmedicated would be good. Get a small bag to see if she will eat it, my adults love wet chick feed If this sick girl doesn't like it, I bet your other girls will so it doesn't go to waste.