Hen from before is displaying worrying symptoms. I don’t know what’s wrong with her.

[AChickenBoi]

I thought I knew what was wrong with Rocky, and found a solution, but she doesn’t seem to be getting better. I suspect that she has sour crop, and just needs a lot more attention, but I’ve never seen these symptoms that she’s showing.

-A brown/orangish fluid leaks out of her beak whenever she reaches down.
-She curls up one of her feet when standing idle. She’s not lame in that leg at all, but she still does it more than often.
-Her comb is more floppy and becoming purple at the edges. She doesn’t gasp for air or show any respiratory problems
-She doesn’t like to dip her beak into any liquid, shaking away the contents if it gets on her beak. She also doesn’t want to eat any solid foods, but will eat live boon worms I gave her
-her crop gurgles when I listen to it, and is very squishy to the touch
-her poop is green, but was also normal before with undigested food before I isolated her

I really don’t know what’s up with her. She acts normal, if not a little lethargic, and will eat if hungry, but I don’t know if it is something as minor as sour crop or something more serious. I can’t afford to take her to the vet and risk not getting a clear answer.

I have her on a diet of unsweetened applesauce, plain yogurt, and electrolyte water to keep her hydrated. Other than her crop, I don’t feel any problems with her body. Every day, I administer diluted 1 milliliter apple cider vinegar by hand. Despite my efforts, she doesn’t seem to be making much progress, and it’s beginning to really worry me.

Below is 1. The liquid coming from her crop that leaked into her yogurt, and 2. Her poop

 

[AChickenBoi]

Additional info: I listened to her heartbeat. People say that if I hear clicking, then there is a valve malfunction. Her heart sounds healthy and normal for a hen. I also felt for ascites, but her abdomen feels firm and normal. I also didn’t see any mites in the thorough examination of her vent. Nothing. The only other thing that could be the cause of Rocky’s ailing could be worms, but I don’t see any present in her poop, and I have no idea how only she could be infested, as I haven’t brought any new chickens into the picture since I hatched Levi and Lexus. She’s fairly awake, and was patient enough to let me poke and prod at her for any other symptoms I didn’t notice.

 

[Tookie]

@azygous @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive

 

[azygous]

Here is the other thread on this hen. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/3-year-old-hen-is-acting-sickly-help.1520707/

I would treat her crop with miconazole for seven days. It's possible she has an underlying health issue that is causing a slow crop, though.

Here is additional information on crop disorders and instructions on treating. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[AChickenBoi]

Update: Rocky seems to be doing much better now. The purple in her comb receded considerably, to the point where it is almost gone, and her crop emptied overnight. She seems to be acting completely normal now, albeit she hasn’t gone back to laying eggs just yet. She also is pecking around with the other girls just fine, not isolating herself. However, she wasn’t interested in the yogurt and applesauce I laid out, unlike her sister, who went crazy on the applesauce and devoured half of it before the others got over there. I don’t blame her, though, as that was all that she could eat yesterday, and the unsweetened applesauce and yogurt isn’t the best tasting thing in the world.

I’m super confused about whether to be relieved or more concerned. When I research these symptoms, nothing comes up. I’m glad she seems to be doing better, but I feel that I am left with more questions than answers about what is up with her. She’s never gotten sick before, and doesn’t have a history of underlying issues. She’s a healthy, happy hen, I think…

 

[AChickenBoi]

Update 2: Rocky is behaving fairly normally now. Her poop constantly switches between being liquid-y and green and having a normal appearance. The only thing that confuses me is how she eats food now. She only likes to eat soft foods, and will only eat pieces that are tiny enough to be nibbled on by a chick. She will grind food between her beak, but if it doesn’t seem to tear, she’ll drop it and move on. She very much has gotten her appetite back. She will gladly eat grapes and earthworms I have for her, but she will refuse to eat them unless they are small or soft enough to be similar to a pulp. It’s odd, but I’m just glad her comb is doing better and she is behaving normally again

 

[azygous]

Having had lots of experience with crop disorders, one very common feature of these disorders is that the chicken seems to know what foods they can handle and they self limit to just those foods.

She's instinctively rejecting hard to digest things, and she's selecting smaller units of food so her crop won't have such a big job to do before it's completely functioning again.

 

[AChickenBoi]

Here is the other thread on this hen. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/3-year-old-hen-is-acting-sickly-help.1520707/

I would treat her crop with miconazole for seven days. It's possible she has an underlying health issue that is causing a slow crop, though.

Here is additional information on crop disorders and instructions on treating. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Maybe, but I am a little skeptical about the miconazole. The last time I was recommended miconazole, I gave it to my sick roo and it did nothing to help him. All it did was make him smell like the medicine and he was angry at me for a little bit.

I think that maybe it could be an underlying problem, as I heard that hens that are very productive can suffer as a result from all of the nutrients and time going to their eggs. I can’t be sure though. A vet visit would really clear stuff up, but my parents refuse to take her, even if I were to pay. They just don’t think it’s worth the pricey vet bill and 1 1/2 hour drive

 

[AChickenBoi]

Having had lots of experience with crop disorders, one very common feature of these disorders is that the chicken seems to know what foods they can handle and they self limit to just those foods.

She's instinctively rejecting hard to digest things, and she's selecting smaller units of food so her crop won't have such a big job to do before it's completely functioning again.

It’s been like this for a week or so now, and she’s acting sluggish again. To boot, her comb is also turning a bright purple again, but I don’t feel or hear anything different with her heart or breathing. People say that combs are a very good way to see a chicken’s health. If you want, I can see if I can download a picture if it helps?

 

[azygous]

Yes, please. A photo would help.

More often than not, a crop issue can have an underlying issue, and the crop disorder is but a symptom of it. Often cancer will cause organ slow down which causes the crop to slow down, as well.