Gasy hen?

[DianeB]

I have another hen with different issues. My 7 year old Barred Rock is very gasy. That's right gasy. Her crop is perfectly fine with no signs of impaction or sour crop. She's also pooping normally, though this last day or so her and another flockmate had a few loose ones with bits of what looked like intestinal lining or dried blood. (Possible coccidia?) No sores, sneezing, water belly or any other issues. Just gas. She's been very alert, talkative and overall perky. Her weight is also good.

I'm currently giving her and the others yogurt with probiotics and Corid. Also, started treating her for possible sour crop yesterday.

The gas doesn't smell fermented like sour crop. Instead it smells like garbage or badly decaying compost. One of her flockmates has stools that smell like her breath. Although, that one has no gas and seems fine otherwise.

The gas seems to be coming from her intestines. Since chickens don't fart, I assume it's just coming back up.

She also has little to no gas a few hours after she's eaten.

I change their food and water once or twice a day. Also, I have been as diligent as possible to clean up overripe/spoilt fruit dropping from a nearby tree.

Has anyone ever heard or experienced this type of thing before? Any possible treatments?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you take some stool samples to your vet for testing?

 

[DianeB]

Thanks for your reply.
I'll see if I can take some tommorow. Could it possibly be caused by worms or parasites?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I don't know. Is she bloated? I mean you say she's not passing gas (farting) so are you just smelling gas?
Is her vent and feathers clean?
I would say it could be from a number of things from food, infection to worms.

 

[DianeB]

Her vent is clean. I've been rubbing her crop to help her pass the gas. She shows lots of interest in food, but the act of eating and drinking brings in air and thus more gas. So, I have been surenging her recovery formula and water. Increasing her water intake, alone, had brought down the amount of gas quite a bit.

This is such a mystery because all other indications are that she's very healthy despite her age. Very perky, talkative, normal poops, good weight and so on.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Her vent is clean. I've been rubbing her crop to help her pass the gas. She shows lots of interest in food, but the act of eating and drinking brings in air and thus more gas. So, I have been surenging her recovery formula and water. Increasing her water intake, alone, had brought down the amount of gas quite a bit.

This is such a mystery because all other indications are that she's very healthy despite her age. Very perky, talkative, normal poops, good weight and so on.

So the crop is gassy right?
I would treat as sour crop then.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

 

[DianeB]

Currently, I am treating her for sour crop. However, the gas seems to be coming from her intestines.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Currently, I am treating her for sour crop. However, the gas seems to be coming from her intestines.

A crop issue can be a symptom of an underlying condition. Have you wormed her or treated for Coccidiosis?
Is she still laying eggs? Any bloat or fluid in the abdomen?

 

[DianeB]

She hasn't layed for over a year. She has no abdominal swelling. She just finished treatment for coccidia. At first, I thought maybe this is the start of ovarian cancer. The other ones I had that died of cancer were very thin, refused to eat, had terrible poops, bad crops and went downhill fast.

That's not the case for her. Her crop is perfectly normal. No swelling or slowness.

 

[DianeB]

Sad to report things not going so great. Her gasiness has mostly given way to the beginning stages of sour crop. Food still passes through her, but I need to give her extra water and massage her crop for a while. She also has a pale face/ comb. Still very alert, good weight and perfect poop. Not sure if it's just the gas issues causing the crop issues or something worse (do to her age).
I've been giving her Corrid, antibiotics and antifungal meds the last few days.