Hen Cannot Walk or Stand

[Razzlefrazzle]

What do I use to lubricate? I have gloves

Do you have vaseline or ky jelly?

 

[WendyTestaburger]

Do you have vaseline or ky jelly?

Yes. Vaseline. I'll check now

 

[WendyTestaburger]

Ok went about two inches in, I didn't feel anything, regular Poo on the glove after but she didn't actually Poop if that makes sense

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

Ok went about two inches in, I didn't feel anything, regular Poo on the glove after but she didn't actually Poop if that makes sense

Good! She's not egg bound and hopefully just constipated from dehydration and stress from her injury. Make sure she gets plenty of fluids. If you have molasses you can mix a teaspoon with 1/4 cup warm water to give her, which should get things moving through her system again.

As for why she's not walking I'd check her over inch by inch for any other injuries, but as long as you get her pooping again I don't think she is in immediate danger.

 

[WendyTestaburger]

Good! She's not egg bound and hopefully just constipated from dehydration and stress from her injury. Make sure she gets plenty of fluids. If you have molasses you can mix a teaspoon with 1/4 cup warm water to give her, which should get things moving through her system again.

As for why she's not walking I'd check her over inch by inch for any other injuries, but as long as you get her pooping again I don't think she is in immediate danger.

Thank you! I'll get some molasses asap and see if it helps

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

How's your girl doing today?

 

[WendyTestaburger]

Update: I took Pepper to the vet Monday afternoon. They did an x-ray and found that she ingested metal bits. She pooped one out yesterday morning (this poop looked normal) and it was magnetic, this is how we know. She is on an antibiotic, pain med, and anti-inflammatory. They also gave her some fluids. Her appetite has been hit and miss. She picked at some mash with scrambled yolks yesterday around noon and I got her to eat 10-15 blueberries last night. She'll voluntarily sip water on occasion but for the most part I'm having to drip it down her beak. I'm not super stressing about it since the blueberries have a good amount of hydration. She pooped twice more yesterday, both small and very liquid. She stood briefly this morning (first time she's put weight on her "bad leg" since Saturday) and had a big liquid poop. I have pictures of x-rays and poops if anyone has any advice or has seen this type of poo before, I'd also like to know if you all see blue in the bigger poop because that means some foods are making it past the blockage.

The vet has mentioned surgery. They also said we have to watch out for metal toxicity, but they made it sound like this wasn't definitely going to happen just that it could. Right now I'd like to get her standing and eating a bit more regularly while I wait to hear back about possibly doing surgery. The vet has said the blockage is unlikely to pass on its own based on where it is in her stomach.

 

[WendyTestaburger]

How's your girl doing today?

So sorry! I somehow missed this, I posted an update to the thread

 

[WendyTestaburger]

Also, my girls have a large enclosed run due to the amount of hawks in our area so I have no idea where she got these metal bits since we haven’t free ranged recently. My only guess is that someone at some point crushed something metal in that spot and we ended up building our run there?? It doesn't look like anything I've ever had in their run (I'll attach a picture of the metal bit she passed). I have the other girls sectioned off in our smaller older run until I can get a metal picker upper thing but Pepper has always been my most adventurous (?) eater I'm not surprised she is the one to have this problem.

 

[WendyTestaburger]

Anyone have any experience with something like this?