Egg bound? Impacted Crop? Other?? HELP!

[looptloop]

For the past 4-5 days one of my 6 month old Buff Orpinton's has been not feeling well. I brought her inside and have been watching her. She is lethargic, holding her head close to her body, not pooping, little interest in food and water. Basically, I think she is dying. I got a few Polyvisol drops down her tonight, but I fear it is too little, too late. I felt her belly, I feel nothing that seems out of the norm. When I feel her crop, i just feel her neck, nothing swollen or watery.... I am at a complete loss here of what to do next. I'm just trying to make her comfortable, because I fear that she will pass..... any suggestions???

 

[Smoky73]

sorry about your hen, I just went through this too, it happens even to the most experienced breeder. I had a silkie hen who was in a cage for show conditioning. She LOVED dried mealworms. Well, one day she acted "off" and she had laid a soft shelled egg. Felt her crop and it was full. Next day still full despite not eating. Pumped her full of oil and massaged crop. Got much down. She still stood there at a weird angle, and not eating. I gave her bird hand rearing formula syringe fed and lots of vitamins for a day or so but its like she could not digest her food, even though the last bits were mostly water, vitamins and liquid food.. She never did recover and died after a few days. She was a few years old, but never noticed anything wrong except the not emptying crop part. I felt her abdomen and around her vent for a possible egg but never found anything.

 

[LuvMyPeeps7]

Bump

 

[bragabit]

Going through the same thing with my own buff orp. She is in a dog kennel. Mine is finally drinking water, but not eating. I wish I had some idea what was going on.

 

[looptloop]

She is still hanging in there, I feel like I should be doing something..... I dribbled a few drops of water in her beak and the Polyvisol drops. This morning she is keeping one eye closed.

So sad....

 

[madornato]

Hi. I am glad I found this thread. I found my daughter's 5-month old light brahma acting the same way about an hour ago. I noticed her earlier this morning sitting in one corner of the coop. After I went walking, I noticed her sitting in the same spot, and when another pullet jumped on top and around her, she acted like she couldn't move. I picked her up and noticed how light she felt. She acted normally yesterday, but she must not have been eating well for several days. I moved her to an isolation pen and gave her water and food, but I think she is going to die. I, too, don't know what is wrong with her. There were several other pullets in the pen with her, and they are all acting fine. I would like to know what this is even if she dies from it because I want to treat the other pullets if possible so they don't die. I, too felt her vent area--not swollen, but it does look like she may have had diarrhea, but it didn't look bloody. I also checked under her wings for mites--no mites. I did not check the crop--I don't really know how do do that. All she wants to do is lay in that same spot and sleep. When she breathes, she looks like she is shaking, like she is shivering. It is one of my daughter's 4H poultry chain pullets, so I would really love to "heal" her. My daughter is only 8 and loves her chickens. She'll be so devastated if one of them dies. I know that is just part of life, but it is so hard for an 8 year old. Any input and help would be much appreciated.

 

[madornato]

My daughter's pullet just died. I don't know what it was. I was able to give her some vitamin water with a dropper, but she had a hard time getting it down. From the time I discovered her laying down until death was less than 6 hours. I wish I knew what it was.

 

[OregonChickenGal]

So sorry.

 

[ruth]

Quote:
If you don't feel anything but her neck, she's doesn't have impacted crop - she actually has an empty crop which means she may have stopped eating/drinking before you found her. It's important that she eat and drink in order to be strong enough to fight anything else. Try scrambled egg. Cut it into tiny pieces then gently open her beak and put a piece in the front of the beak. Normally instinct alone will cause them to eat once something is in their mouth. If she spits it out or shakes her head and throws it out, put it a little farther back the next time.

At six months old - had she started laying eggs yet? If so, had she laid any recently? If not, it could be that her first egg has her egg bound but you would see and feel the swelling at the vent.

Had she been wormed or treated for Cocci? It doesn't hurt to try both at this point. I use Sulmet to treat for Cocci though I've never had an adult bird get it, I've only had chicks that were kept too long in brooders. Use Wazine to treat for worms.

If she can be force fed long enough for the medicines to kick it, she might beat it. However, sometimes they just get sick and die and there's nothing you can do. I'm sorry, I wish there was more I could offer. I've come to learn that when they refuse food and water, it's time to let them go.

 

[Smoky73]

Another good medicine for Coccidiosis is Cocci-cure, and you can purchase that online through Foys Pigeon Supplies. It has 3 different kinds of sufa meds in it so should really knock it out if it was cocci. Cocci is usually what cause the birds that "go light" meaning they will be lethargic, and just not really eat or drink worth a darn. You normallly do not octice it till its too late, they will have green droppings. My birds were all treated for Coccidiosis about a month ago, "just because" I had some go light on me.

Everyone else is fine here in my yard, but I usually have a few young birds (silkies) who just wander around the yard and "forget" to go inside and eat. I actually have to lock them up. Silkies are more adapted to being in confined spaces that you would not consider much room at all.

Bragabit, I would treat for Cocci and worms as well just in case. Just because we do not see blood in droppings does not mean anything sometimes.