Feather picking in a "sick bay" bird.

[Tigertrea]

I have a bird (17wk RIR) I have isolated to treat for sour crop. I noticed today she was getting worse again after 3 days of improving.(not wanting to eat, crop very distended) I decided to give her crop a feel and it was very mushy, gassy feeling. So, I flushed and vomited her. Some grass came out but, mostly feathers...whole feathers. My guess is she is feather picking due to boredom. I am not sure I want to put her back with the flock yet. I have her on just her feed, well soaked (to increase water intake and decrease need for crop to "work") so don't want to let her have access to treats. I also don't want her on shavings yet since she has tried to eat the few that have fallen into the dog crate she is in. I have her on old towels because she was even eating paper. I'm sure it is all out of boredom.

Any suggestions on how I can help relieve her boredom so she gets better? She is headed for culling if she doesn't get better in another week or so.

She was improving so well until just today!

 

[Judy]

I would guess she is also hungry, as it doesn't sound like much food is getting past the crop into her gut, as it should.

 

[Tigertrea]

OK....I hope she she will start eating again. I was feeding her small meals as often as I could but, maybe not enough. Her crop was getting smaller daily until just yesterday. She was eating what I gave her each time, now she's not eating hardly at all.