Hen eats everything but the feed

[Emrosenagel]

Hello!

I’ve been having trouble with this hen who doesn’t empty her crop entirely by morning. It’s been about a week, I think, since it was emptied completely. It isn’t impacted, and her poops are normal, considering. But she just has junk in her crop that won’t seem to get out. Whenever I watch her, she eats anything she can find on the ground. Rocks, grass, hay, sticks, whatever. She even tried to eat tin foil and styrofoam ( I caught her before she could). But she has very little interest in the chicken feed. It isn’t bad, because the other hens eat it and are fine. She just takes maybe a couple bites of it and then proceeds to eat garbage on the ground. And when I say garbage, I just mean rocks and organic stuff, not actually garbage; their run is clear of plastics and such.

I just don’t know why she won’t eat the feed. She used to, before she went broody and hatched some eggs in February. Then she stopped eating, lost weight, and now she eats anything she can find (besides feed). She had been bullied away from the feeder before, could she remember that and avoid it? They no longer bully her, but still.

My problem hen is a ten month old Cochin bantam, 3lbs. Thanks for any advice!

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hello! I recommend that you set up a couple other feed stations that are hidden from the others. I have seven hens and I have three feed stations. In the meantime I would try to feed her alone, some cooked ground beef or raw yolk.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

doesn’t empty her crop entirely by morning.

This may be a problem. What's in there? Rocks, junk, metal, other indigestible material? What does it feel like? Feel it carefully, see if you can identify anything by feel. You may need to do a crop surgery (or have it done) to clean it out if she's ingested foreign matter. Is a vet a possibility?

 

[Lillith37]

Try giving her some coconut oil and massage the crop several times daily to see if that helps it to empty. If you are really concerned you can isolate her to prevent her from eating more until the crop empties overnight. Feed her soft foods like scrambled eggs or feed mashed with water.

Do you give them grit they can access at all times?

 

[Emrosenagel]

This may be a problem. What's in there? Rocks, junk, metal, other indigestible material? What does it feel like? Feel it carefully, see if you can identify anything by feel. You may need to do a crop surgery (or have it done) to clean it out if she's ingested foreign matter. Is a vet a possibility?

She’s been to the vet twice and got an xray. They said everything looked normal. It feels like seeds and/or grit. My chickens have roundworm AND coccidiosis, which the vet thinks might have caused the crop issue. They have corid in their water and I’m deworming today, so hopefully it helps. Idk why her crop isn’t functioning properly. Still happy as can be, though.

 

[Emrosenagel]

Try giving her some coconut oil and massage the crop several times daily to see if that helps it to empty. If you are really concerned you can isolate her to prevent her from eating more until the crop empties overnight. Feed her soft foods like scrambled eggs or feed mashed with water.

Do you give them grit they can access at all times?

Yeah, I’ve tried giving her oil. She refuses to eat bread soaked in oil, but will take it plain. Getting her beak open is a nearly impossible task, and she hates eating egg (always has; guess she isn’t a cannibal!) they have access to grit at all times.

 

[Lillith37]

My chickens have roundworm AND coccidiosis, which the vet thinks might have caused the crop issue.

Worms can absolutely cause issues with crop emptying. Hopefully this is the issue and the medication resolves things!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Yeah, I’ve tried giving her oil. She refuses to eat bread soaked in oil, but will take it plain. Getting her beak open is a nearly impossible task, and she hates eating egg (always has; guess she isn’t a cannibal!) they have access to grit at all times.

Chill a teaspoon of coconut oil then break it into pieces. Then pull down gently on her wattles to get her to open her beak (hold her like football and use the same hand; wrap her in a towel if necessary), and pop a piece of the cold oil in, let her shut her beak to swallow. Repeat as needed. Good luck!