HELP! 1 and now 2nd chicken front of chest sac squishy diarrhea ???

[newbiechickenowner]

PLEASE READ AND SEE IF OYU HAVE ANY FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE OF THIS. OK so a week or two ago, I noticed that one of my 25 hens didn't "seem right" so when I picked her up I noticed that the front of her chest, above the breast bone (the part that is just below the neck, but, not between the legs yet) was large and "squishy". Felt like a ton of fluid deep under the skin filling the whole front chest area, but, not going up into the neck. She is now seemingly "normal", but still has this giant squishy sac filling the front area if you touch it. I checked a few other birds, everyone was fine. All are acting normally. Now, two weeks later, I just saw my favorite hen (of course) standing funny with what appeared to be her butt feathers puffing way out and towards the ground. I picked her up and she had a bunch of poo stuck all down her butt....brown and white....While I was taking care of that, I all of a sudden realized that her chest too was "full of fluid" feeling. As I had her sort of inclined looking at her bum, my son watched a bunch of liquid run out of her mouth (like throwing up) and she kept swallowing after that funny. I put her down and she gets around just fine, but, is puffed out funny. What is going on? Thank you for your time.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

well, squishy front sounds like normal crop. Poo sounds like maybe she ate something and has some diarrhea, so give her some yogurt if you have some... and as far as water falling out of her mouth when you invert her, the same thing happens to mine, and they are totally fine. The just rely pretty strongly on gravity

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

the walking around puffy thing sounds like she might be broody... Also might have worms. can you inspect her poo?

 

[newbiechickenowner]

I have not wormed them yet this spring...No one elses crop feels THAT full...it is squishy and feels like there is a baseball sized water balloon in there

 

[newbiechickenowner]

?

 

[texaschickmom]

This could be impacted or sour crop. I'm treating a 10-week-old pullet of mine. The description sounds like your hen. My chick doesn't have diarrhea though. Of course I've withheld food for 3 days now and only giving ACV in water and a little bit of olive oil hoping she'll pass whatever is stopping her up. Maybe someone else has some ideas for you.

 

[newbiechickenowner]

would that be catching? I am wondering why I haven't seen this before and then, over the course of two weeks, two have developed it....could be a giant coincidence, but seems weird...what are you doing for the impacted crop?

 

[texaschickmom]

No, it would not be contagious. But they may have eaten something that got them stopped up so to speak. Sour crop would smell "sour" like spoiled milk, I've heard. My chick has an impacted crop that I believe I caused by giving this flock access to cut grass that was too long. Fortunately, out of 35 this is the only one affected. I'm thanking my lucky stars for that! I have isolated her in a dog crate so I can control what she's eating and drinking. I'm only giving water with ACV for 3 days, then add plain yogurt for a few more days and hope and pray this works out. I'm on day 3 and this lump is the same size and she hasn't pooped anything of substance out, mainly water.
Your chicken could have something completely different if she's got diarrhea, too. I'm definitely no expert...have only had chickens for 1 and a half years and have been very fortunate so far with no sickness or diseases to treat. Good luck and hope this helps.

 

[newbiechickenowner]

OK so you have peaked my interested because, I have had chickens for a couple of years now and for the first time I have had the kids throw into their yard piles of cut grass...some long...over the past few weeks a couple of times...could this be it? What happens when this happens? What should I do? What is this ACV? What is the regimen you are giving? you mentioned olive oil?

 

[texaschickmom]

Quote:
That's what I was doing!! I think that long grass can get all balled up. That's what I read on BYC that had happened to someone else. But this is my only chick out of 35 that was affected. ACV is apple cider vinegar, but I was advised to get the kind they sell at health food stores. The brand I got was Bragg's, I think. But if you only have the "regular" kind, I'd start putting it in the chicken's water. 1 tablespoon per gallon. If you put more in though, it won't hurt them. If it's too strong though, they might not drink it. The olive oil is to help lubricate their crop and help what's in there pass on through. That's what the massaging should do, too. Let me say that none of this has helped my chick. Her crop is just as big and she's not passing much poo at all, mainly water. I'm including a pic of her so you'll see what mine looks like. I'm looking for the link that told all about it. I'll post it in another message. Won't be long...