Help Needed! - Symptoms Associated with Molting or Something Else?

[Dreammaker]

I saw some of the video.
Check her crop.

I will, thanks. Here's the picture again in case it wasn't loading properly. Not sure if there's an issue with the video where it's only partially loading.

Anyone else having an issue with the picture or video?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I can see the video and photo.

If she's molting, then the head shaking may just be irritation due to pin feathers coming in on the head. Molting usually starts at the neck/head.

They can feel quite sorry for themselves during molt and be standoffish.
I'd re-check her crop first thing in the morning. Watch her throughout the day to see if she's drinking well and eating.

Combs/wattles do become pale during molt, most hens go out of lay during molt, so their coloring is not a vibrant as when they are in lay.

 

[Dreammaker]

I can see the video and photo.

If she's molting, then the head shaking may just be irritation due to pin feathers coming in on the head. Molting usually starts at the neck/head.

They can feel quite sorry for themselves during molt and be standoffish.
I'd re-check her crop first thing in the morning. Watch her throughout the day to see if she's drinking well and eating.

Combs/wattles do become pale during molt, most hens go out of lay during molt, so their coloring is not a vibrant as when they are in lay.

Yes, she's definitely been molting from the head down. Her head and neck were where I first noticed feather loss and pin feathers are making their way through now. So, hopefully it's just that. She is certainly standoffish these days! I will try and check her in the AM to make sure her crop doesn't feel too full, hard, etc.

I know molting is a normal and necessary thing for chickens, but it's definitely worrisome when you first witness it for yourself!

She did just have a drink a little while ago, so hopefully the head movement is just discomfort as opposed to illness. I will definitely keep an eye on her poop though. I hope the one from earlier was truly just a one-off anomaly.

 

[Dreammaker]

Hi again... So, it's been a bit confusing for me having the same post in two forums, but wanted to share an update from my "parallel post" in another forum:

UPDATE:

Helga is still shaking her head a bit, but is walking around, drinking (haven't caught her eating today but I've been out most of the day so it's possible she has been), and acting her usual sullen, "I'm-molting-leave-me-alone" self. Still dropping lots of feathers of course.

Just now, 1:45 EST, I checked her crop. It felt pretty squishy. I had a super busy morning with my kids and didn't get to check any earlier. I haven't owned chickens long enough to know with 100% certainty what a normal crop feels like, but this did seem noticeably soft, like a water balloon. I checked one of my seemingly healthy girls to get a comparison and it was not squishy. I'd say it felt med-firm: not hard or lumpy, but not squishy. It felt like what I usually feel when I pick them up.

So... In addition to her obvious molting, and the weird poop I saw yesterday, am I now dealing with sour crop? I did not try to massage it or do anything like that. What can I do in the next 3 or 4 days to help her? Again, I'll be out of state and though my dad is kind enough to do basic chicken-sitting while we're away (collecting eggs, refilling water and feed, etc), I don't feel comfortable making him administer chicken first aid while we're gone. Among the remedies I've come across for sour crop are Apple Cider Vinegar and Monistat. Thoughts?

Can't thank you all enough for your help thus far. I hope she gets well soon!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Just now, 1:45 EST, I checked her crop. It felt pretty squishy. I had a super busy morning with my kids and didn't get to check any earlier.

Checking during the day when she's been eating/drinking is not a good way to gauge crop function. I would expect to feel food/water in the crop at 1:45 in the afternoon.

Check first thing in the morning before she's had anything to eat/drink. If it's not empty then, then you would want to address that symptom. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Check her crop to make sure it's emptying overnight.

I'd re-check her crop first thing in the morning.

 

[Dreammaker]

As of this morning at 6:30 AM EST, she is still squishy. She couldnt have eaten or drank too much since their door opened at dawn. Not enough to have a full crop. There was no foul smell that I noticed, nothing coming out of her beak. She had a really gross poop last night as she was roosting--pretty much water. There was honestly nothing to take a picture of, it was so clear.

I took a look at that link you sent. I lean towards this being a very early onset of sour crop vs impacted crop (doesnt feel firm or lumpy at all), though I'm not an expert by any means. I'm at a loss as to how to manage this in the next 3 days before we leave. Couldn't have come at a worse time! I'm hoping she improves or stays the course until we get back Thursday, at which point I can devote a full week to Monistat treatment, if need be. I'm really not wanting my poor dad to have a dead chicken on his hands!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

For the next 3 days, I'd work on the crop. Do the coconut oil and yeast cream 2x a day.

When you get back, see how she is. If needed, then begin treating again.

 

[Dreammaker]

For the next 3 days, I'd work on the crop. Do the coconut oil and yeast cream 2x a day.

When you get back, see how she is. If needed, then begin treating again.

Thank you. Is it OK to administer both at the same time? I'm thinking of chilling little coconut oil "pills" and maybe even doing the same with the cream to make it easier to pop in her beak. Or using the suppository version, with each cut in half.

I do have to say, she seems more chipper as of yesterday and is spending more time with the rest of the flock and visiting the waterer and feeder. She's a bit chattier too. She had been spending most of her time in the run under the raised henhouse, so it's nice to see her moving around more. Hoping for a full recovery soon

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you. Is it OK to administer both at the same time? I'm thinking of chilling little coconut oil "pills" and maybe even doing the same with the cream to make it easier to pop in her beak. Or using the suppository version, with each cut in half.

I do have to say, she seems more chipper as of yesterday and is spending more time with the rest of the flock and visiting the waterer and feeder. She's a bit chattier too. She had been spending most of her time in the run under the raised henhouse, so it's nice to see her moving around more. Hoping for a full recovery soon

Yes, it's o.k. to give both at the same time.

 

[Dreammaker]

UPDATE: We're back from our trip and Helga seems ok, for now. Still molting, of course, but she's moving around and drinking and eating (or at least appears interested).

But... her crop just now, at 9:30 AM EST feels hard and lumpy! So, what I had been treating as sour crop (which I still believe it was) seemingly turned into an impacted crop! I'll stick some coconut oil in the freezer to begin treating her with (frozen will be much easier to work with!).

Does it often happen that one crop issue morphs into another like this?