Help! I’m not sure what to do

[Michelle14]

The dewormer, it won't work.
They may be getting too much scratch, any other treats?

Yeah, I’m not sure how much to give them, like I said I barely got them last Monday. And I’ve noticed that hen has a particularly larger crop but she doesn’t always look that way. So I’ll give them scratch in the afternoon, for 6 hens I do like 3-4 handfuls and also some mealworms. Pretty much every afternoon also sometimes I’ll throw in some cracked corn.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Scratch includes corn so give them one or the other, not both. For six chickens one handful plus some worms is plenty. They don't need any, these snacks are like cake and ice cream. Since your flock is new to you it's useful to give it to them to teach them to come when you call, but it's not really nutrition.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Sorry for typos, I'm a passenger in a car at the moment and traffic is lurch and go, lol.

 

[Eggcessive]

Not wanting to pile on about the Roostys dewormer, but it says it is a natural product. They don’t include the ingredients on their website, which is always a giveaway that it may not be effective. Most natural dewormers are herbs or spices, and they have no testing to back them up. Get something that works such as Valbazen (albendazole) or SafeGuard (fenbendazole.) The dosages are in my previous post.

 

[Michelle14]

Scratch includes corn so give them one or the other, not both. For six chickens one handful plus some worms is plenty. They don't need any, these snacks are like cake and ice cream. Since your flock is new to you it's useful to give it to them to teach them to come when you call, but it's not really nutrition.

Okay thanks for the information, so with their regular layers feed they should all be ok? No need to add anything else

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Okay thanks for the information, so with their regular layers feed they should all be ok? No need to add anything else

Correct.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Having said that - I do treat my chickens a little bit every afternoon too! It gives me a chance to look them over for any glaring health issues. Ooh, that one has a really poopy butt, is she sick? That one is holding back from the treats, is she being bullied? Another is starting to develop a bald patch on her back - keep an eye on her, is she being overbred? Will she need an apron? And so forth. Just keep it in balance, I've been told snacks should not exceed 10% of their daily diet. And since each chicken averages (I'm told) about a quarter cup of feed a day, that doesn't leave much room for goodies!

 

[Michelle14]

Having said that - I do treat my chickens a little bit every afternoon too! It gives me a chance to look them over for any glaring health issues. Ooh, that one has a really poopy butt, is she sick? That one is holding back from the treats, is she being bullied? Another is starting to develop a bald patch on her back - keep an eye on her, is she being overbred? Will she need an apron? And so forth. Just keep it in balance, I've been told snacks should not exceed 10% of their daily diet. And since each chicken averages (I'm told) about a quarter cup of feed a day, that doesn't leave much room for goodies!

Yes I am going to check on my hen with the enlarged crop, I’m just worried since I’ve never had chickens ever. I did notice even when I got her her chest seemed larger, but that being said when I touched her crop it wasn’t hard, it was more like I could feel the seeds and grittiness, but tomorrow morning before I go in for work I’ll check on her. Any tips, in case she gets sour crop? Or how to check if she does? The picture attached is the first day I got her. Which was on the 13th.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Do a search here on pendulous crop. She might could benefit from a crop bra. Can you post a pic of what she looks like first thing in the morning before she eats or drinks anything? If you feel her crop first thing in the morning, is it flat and empty?

 

[Michelle14]

I looked at her this morning and I did not see that ball anymore. Didn’t feel her since she’s still a bit afraid, only had her for 1 week, but by the looks she looked like the rest of the flock