Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ChicoryBlue]

Peanut's very ill
I think she is not long for this world, I'm afraid. Maybe ascites from tumors, or internal laying, but her belly is tight and she is not breathing well. This development was very quick, but was probably brewing for some days, and I missed it. The vet I thought she could see (but I didn't establish with them) is not in business anymore, and I've been calling around without success - but just got a call back by a traveling vet outfit that goes to farms and works out of trucks, River Valley Veterinary Services, and should know if someone can come here (or maybe we can go to them) . I don't see how this situation for her can be improved but I'd like a consult. Maybe they can give her pain meds. Any chance antibiotics could help?

I was away Sunday and back Monday evening, but she seemed active and talkative that evening, I didn't think to feel her, I thought she might be beginning molting as I think that's what is up with Butters, and now Hazel, they are both molting, and she held her tail a little down like they did in the beginning. Same Tuesday morning. But yesterday (Tuesday) late afternoon she began standing around and not foraging, her tail down, and went to roost very early. I thought she might have to lay, this didn't look too out of place but she didn't call about it like they normally might.

I should have felt her, because checking in on them late after the auto-door closed I saw she was breathing quickly, making a little noise with each exhale, her tail pumping with her breathing. I didn't think there was anything I could do late at night, so I woke up early this morning and saw she was still alive. I went and felt her, her belly is full and tight. I put a glove on and some KY and checked her vent, in about an inch and a half, I didn't feel anything. She left the coop and drank water

She is drinking, and ate a little, and is now resting in the shade of the lilac bush. She was alone for a couple of hours because the others were hanging out in the Winter run, but now she has company.
@BY Bob
@RoyalChick
@bgmathteach

 

[Ponypoor]

The Marshmallows have all been laying for over a month now and I fear I will have problems with them. They have layer feed and calcium available at all times. They go to town on the oyster shell. That being said every other day I am finding at least 1 is laying a soft shelled egg. I know for a fact all 5 laid yesterday as they did it in the porch boxes. 3 of them slept in the coop and they had already been on the roost for 2 hours when I closed it up last night. 2 of them in that 2 hour span laid a soft shelled egg on the roost. They were not in there before the chickens went to bed as I had cleaned the coop a few hours earlier. 1 of the girls is laying a huge double yolk egg practically every day. 2 of the girls are laying smaller eggs but they are also double yolks with tiny yolks. Right now they are happy and appear healthy and hopefully I can resolve the soft shelled egg issue as they get older. It bothers me though and is one of the reason I was reluctant to get Leghorns. Don't get me wrong I am smitten with them. They are beautiful chickens, smart and well troublemakers. I do not think they are destined for a long life though and I am saddened by it if this continues. I also do not think I will ever get production girls again no matter how pretty the chicken is. I will tell you now, if I were to loose one of them tomorrow it will hurt.

Yes I hear you - I am sure Tuff is likely one of those production hens that suffers from reproductive problems, but I will bring her here and see what with her.

 

[Ponypoor]

Peanut's very ill
I think she is not long for this world, I'm afraid. Maybe ascites from tumors, or internal laying, but her belly is tight and she is not breathing well. This development was very quick, but was probably brewing for some days, and I missed it. The vet I thought she could see (but I didn't establish with them) is not in business anymore, and I've been calling around without success - but just got a call back by a traveling vet outfit that goes to farms and works out of trucks, River Valley Veterinary Services, and should know if someone can come here (or maybe we can go to them) . I don't see how this situation for her can be improved but I'd like a consult. Maybe they can give her pain meds. Any chance antibiotics could help?

I was away Sunday and back Monday evening, but she seemed active and talkative that evening, I didn't think to feel her, I thought she might be beginning molting as I think that's what is up with Butters, and now Hazel, they are both molting, and she held her tail a little down like they did in the beginning. Same Tuesday morning. But yesterday (Tuesday) late afternoon she began standing around and not foraging, her tail down, and went to roost very early. I thought she might have to lay, this didn't look too out of place but she didn't call about it like they normally might.

I should have felt her, because checking in on them late after the auto-door closed I saw she was breathing quickly, making a little noise with each exhale, her tail pumping with her breathing. I didn't think there was anything I could do late at night, so I woke up early this morning and saw she was still alive. I went and felt her, her belly is full and tight. I put a glove on and some KY and checked her vent, in about an inch and a half, I didn't feel anything. She left the coop and drank water

She is drinking, and ate a little, and is now resting in the shade of the lilac bush. She was alone for a couple of hours because the others were hanging out in the Winter run, but now she has company.
@BY Bob
@RoyalChick

Hopefully that mobile vet can drop by to see her, try some antibiotics. How hot is it there - it warm here I have them all in the barn and every fan on them and the horses.

Her fast panting could be heat related. Do you have thermometer in your coop?

Chickens are not heat hardy I find.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Hopefully that mobile vet can drop by to see her, try some antibiotics. How hot is it there - it warm here I have them all in the barn and every fan on them and the horses.

Her fast panting could be heat related. Do you have thermometer in your coop?

Chickens are not heat hardy I find.

You are right about the heat but I know her, she's always been talkative and she can barely peep and bok like usual. She is not open-beak panting (or wing-spreading). She is closed-beak breathing, looks to me shallow and twice as fast as it should be, and there's a little faint grunt or gurgle with each breath.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Hopefully that mobile vet can drop by to see her, try some antibiotics. How hot is it there - it warm here I have them all in the barn and every fan on them and the horses.

Her fast panting could be heat related. Do you have thermometer in your coop?

Chickens are not heat hardy I find.

and thank you, I forgot to tag you too. I think I can't do much for her and I appreciate your reply right now.

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

Peanut's very ill
I think she is not long for this world, I'm afraid. Maybe ascites from tumors, or internal laying, but her belly is tight and she is not breathing well. This development was very quick, but was probably brewing for some days, and I missed it. The vet I thought she could see (but I didn't establish with them) is not in business anymore, and I've been calling around without success - but just got a call back by a traveling vet outfit that goes to farms and works out of trucks, River Valley Veterinary Services, and should know if someone can come here (or maybe we can go to them) . I don't see how this situation for her can be improved but I'd like a consult. Maybe they can give her pain meds. Any chance antibiotics could help?

I was away Sunday and back Monday evening, but she seemed active and talkative that evening, I didn't think to feel her, I thought she might be beginning molting as I think that's what is up with Butters, and now Hazel, they are both molting, and she held her tail a little down like they did in the beginning. Same Tuesday morning. But yesterday (Tuesday) late afternoon she began standing around and not foraging, her tail down, and went to roost very early. I thought she might have to lay, this didn't look too out of place but she didn't call about it like they normally might.

I should have felt her, because checking in on them late after the auto-door closed I saw she was breathing quickly, making a little noise with each exhale, her tail pumping with her breathing. I didn't think there was anything I could do late at night, so I woke up early this morning and saw she was still alive. I went and felt her, her belly is full and tight. I put a glove on and some KY and checked her vent, in about an inch and a half, I didn't feel anything. She left the coop and drank water

She is drinking, and ate a little, and is now resting in the shade of the lilac bush. She was alone for a couple of hours because the others were hanging out in the Winter run, but now she has company.
@BY Bob
@RoyalChick
@bgmathteach

I am so very sorry. Keep us updated. I really hope that she pulls through. Hugs for you and Peanut

 

[lightm]

In an uncharacteristic move for me I went into Manhattan for dinner and to see the fireworks. A friend of mine has a particularly well located apartment for viewing.
I had never seen a drone display before.
The first three pictures with the star, the flag, and lady Liberty are drone display.
And then a few of the fireworks. I have to say it was quite dramatic and I felt very lucky getting that view without the crowds!
I did think of the pets but I guess at least this is well planned and I imagine animals living in NY get used to a lot of noise!
Finally of course a tax payment: Piglet and Pooh doing what they do best!

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Wow these are stunning views and pictures. Maybe big city is not all that bad

 

[lightm]

@lightm I have indeed dealt with a few crop issues so will pass on what I learned from others on BYC, from my research on other sites, and from personal experience. Hopefully it will help your husband.

The first thing is to figure if you are dealing with a simple blockage (can be tangled long grass for example) or if the contents have gone sour. There is an article all about that which I will link here if I can find it. But basically, you can tell if it has gone sour by smelling the chicken's breath. If she has sour crop then she will smell like a brewery or bread dough. Sour crop is a yeast infection of the contents of a blocked or slow crop. Just like grains ferment if you leave them in water on your kitchen countertop, they ferment in the chicken's crop if they don't move on through.
A topical antifungal cream given direct can get rid of the yeasts that are fermenting. If it doesn't smell you don't need that.
Typically a straight blockage will mean the crop is hard whereas if it is fermenting it means there is enough liquid in there to make it feel like a balloon full of water.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ealing-with.73607/?page=11#ams-comment-524676

For a simple blocked crop where it feels hard and you might even be able to feel grains or plant stems massage and lubrication are the main tools. I think you said he is already using coconut oil for lubrication. Massage needs to be quite firm because you are trying to break up very fibrous plugs. I have found my chickens like this process - either because it helps them or it just feels good - I press really quite hard and roll the crop contents between my fingers to try and break it up.
The anatomy is such that you should be massaging the bottom of the crop slightly upwards because the outlet into the gizzard is a bit higher than the lowest point of the crop.
Clearing the blockage from a crop that is full of liquid is a bit more scary because of the risk of the liquid coming up and aspirating the chicken. Go slow!
I have also used cellulase - a supplement you can get on line. I have not read of anyone doing that and I have no idea if it contributed to solving the problem - but logically it should help. It is an enzyme that breaks down cellulose and cellulose is what the fibrous plugs are made of.
Try and observe any poop - if any poop comes out you are winning because it means something is making its way through!

One last word, not meaning to be a downer, but often crop problems are secondary to other internal issues.
There are plenty of examples of crops getting blocked with long grass and clearing and everything is fine. I think both @bgmathteach and I have experienced that. But there are also examples where the crop issue is because of something else and that is just the first way the illness shows itself.

I am hoping for the best for you - clearing the crop of a grass plug is immensely satisfying for you and the chicken. Wishing all good luck to your husband.



Sorry to be so wordy!

Thank you for such detailed description. I really appreciate it.

Light (impacted crop) is on day 4 of treatment. He massages regularly. Yes we do see some poop every day which is encouraging. Out of coop this morning Light still had a big crop. However we noticed she is eating more than yesterday. My husband started to treat her with stool softeners today, as many have suggested (should be in linked article or comments too)

Light is molting (the bald girl is finally getting some feathers!) which is why we did not notice her crop issue right away.

RC or anyone else, when you treated an impacted crop in the past, do you remember how long it took to clear?

Thanks again!!!

 

[BY Bob]

The little rooster is ok, instead of putting him back with his tribe Lety has chosen to rehome him. There's still 3 roosters and only 4 hens in that tribe so there's probably too much testosterone going on.

I'm glad to hear he is ok. Rehoming seems wise.

 

[BY Bob]

In an uncharacteristic move for me I went into Manhattan for dinner and to see the fireworks. A friend of mine has a particularly well located apartment for viewing.
I had never seen a drone display before.
The first three pictures with the star, the flag, and lady Liberty are drone display.
And then a few of the fireworks. I have to say it was quite dramatic and I felt very lucky getting that view without the crowds!
I did think of the pets but I guess at least this is well planned and I imagine animals living in NY get used to a lot of noise!
Finally of course a tax payment: Piglet and Pooh doing what they do best!

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How wonderful!