Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

The cocconut oil is to help with lubricating the proventriculus. It doesn't do a lot for the crop. Need to bear in mind what I wrote earlier about the position of the crop and what the crops function is. Essentially the crop is a storage place. But, healthy chickens have food moving from the crop, down the proventriculus and into the gizzard constantly. Often what are percieved as crop problems are problems with the provetriculus. A blockage here slows the whole system up and the crop while functioning, cant empty do to the blockage in the proventriculus.
According to Gloria my vet in Catalonia the majority of the slow crop and sour crop problems she has dealt with are due to blockages in the proventriculus. The oil helps stuff move through the proventriculus,much like oiling the vent of an egg bound hen. Lots of water is to help wash up the bits in the crop so they float to a hieght that allows themto enter the proventriculus and flush down to the gizzard.
Most cases of fully impacted crop need operating on to remove the blockage. In some cases some concoction may help to dissolve the mass that causes the impaction but obviously this depends on what the mass comprises.

Shad, I’m concerned this is Flash’s problem. The mass in her crop is pliable. I suspect she may be clogged further down, like the proventriculus, as you suggested. How do you feel about molasses flushes?

 

[micstrachan]

Hazel update, she has not acted "off" as she did a few days ago and I'm encouraged that maybe that was the low point. I saw her poop a normal poop yesterday, which I collected to try a fecal float, but most of her poops are still quite watery. Color looks normal but it's just very loose. I gave her a short once over and saw nothing yesterday but will look more carefully again soon, with gigs and a funeral and things this weekend has been busy. Today she was digging next to Peanut who was dirt bathing in a hole in their uncovered netted run, then next I looked she was bathing too, & thought that was another good sign.

She is bones and feathers, but not quite so picky about foods and not so standoffish when out foraging, she is getting in the middle of things and eating. Today I snuck her about a tablespoon of cooked hamburger bits which she liked, and everyone got a bit of some too, and cooked medium-grain brown rice which was a big hit. Later they cleared the bowls of brussel sprout trimmings chopped up, and some crumbled cornbread.

This sounds promising!

 

[RoyalChick]

As long as they are not plucking the feathers off themselves or another hen I would be inclined to let it go.

Thanks. Nobody is pulling them off themselves or anyone else. There are plenty to go around on the ground!
I just noticed Diana was foraging around and came across a feather and ate it.
I gave them all sardines and shrimp today so hopefully that was a protein boost.

 

[featherhead007]

Thanks. Nobody is pulling them off themselves or anyone else. There are plenty to go around on the ground!
I just noticed Diana was foraging around and came across a feather and ate it.
I gave them all sardines and shrimp today so hopefully that was a protein boost.

I could do with some shrimp !

 

[featherhead007]

I’m thinking, I will just cut the pumpkin in half horizontally and serve raw, seeds and all. But I’m doing research first.

 

[featherhead007]

Alex has a Rock Garden!

 

[Lexicon]

I’m thinking, I will just cut the pumpkin in half horizontally and serve raw, seeds and all. But I’m doing research first.

That's what I have done. They particularly like the seeds and membranes around the seeds.

 

[RoyalChick]

That's what I have done. They particularly like the seeds and membranes around the seeds.

I do that too - the first pumpkin I gave them was a Halloween decoration that got frozen on my neighbor's doorstep. The neighbor and I gave it to the Princesses and they were TERRIFIED .. .. .. until suddenly they weren't and they were all over that thing!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I bought a pumpkin for the chooks, but now, how do I serve it to them?

DH stomped ours to reveal the yumminess inside and to let the party begin!

 

[featherhead007]

DH stomped ours to reveal the yumminess inside and to let the party begin!

Thank you. So, just jump on it and smash it? I can do that!