Hen has nothing in her crop, breathing hard don't know whats wrong!

[TerriL188]

I need the help of the community again. I have a Rhode Island Red hen, about 4 or 5 years old. She has been a little on the thin side for a month or more but she was running around and looked like she was eating. I had a chicken from the same flock die a few days ago, I don't know what she had but she was thin also. I know I should have sent her to someone to find out what she died of. So the first thing I noticed was a couple of weeks ago, she was sitting on her perch and she was breathing hard. I picked her up and noticed she had lost some weight. She has been molting forever it seems so I got online and did some research and it seemed that she might be having a hard molt. The pain could cause the hard breathing, I think I read an article on her about that and it said to get vitiamins and I don't remember what else but then the other chicken showed up thin really really thin so I got distracted which her. So now I just don't know what to think she has had nothing in her crop for several days maybe more. I give her a warm mash and chopped up eggs she picks at them but I guess she does not actually eat them. She doesn't go poop much but it is fairly watery, white mostly but not frothy. I wormed her several days ago with Valbezan and will do it again Thursday. I have been giving her VetRX internally and externally. I have no idea what else to do, a vet cost too much, I am on a fixed income. So any thoughts??????

Terri

 

[TerriL188]

Perfect thats what I did was a pill into a gallon jug. I would imagine I should change it daily. Thank you for your help I will let you know how she does. Terri

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you Wyorp Rock, they haven't show any interest in her so she should be OK to go back with them. Her crop has not had anything in it for days. She may be drinking a little but I think she is just picking at food.

Poor thing. I'm sure you've tried to entice her with everything you can think of.
Do you have any Poultry Nutri-Drench or similar? I would try to direct dose her at 1cc per 3 pounds of weight. Try to get her drinking. The direct vitamins my give her a kick start, but I've found if they stop eating, are hunched up, tail dragging, then time is ending quickly.
I'm so sorry.

 

[TerriL188]

I thought I should write. My Chicken is still alive, still eating some, still nothing in her crop. She runs around with the other three chickens and at night goes into her cage. So I guess at some point she will die but not today. I will just continue to make her comfortable and unless something else happens I guess thats all I can do. Thank you all for your well wishes. Terri

 

[Eggcessive]

Wyorp Rock suggested vitamins in post 11. She suggested Poultry NutriDrench which is 1 ml per each 3 pounds daily. You also could use 1/2 human vitamin B complex daily crush into food or a whole tablet dissolved in her water.

 

[Cragg Klefor]

Aw Terri I am so sorry!! It is just so difficult to watch their decline - I am in the same situation myself right now will a lovely little girl. I would not be surprised to find her lifeless in the morning. It still amazes me how long they can sometimes hang on, and even bounce back for periods of time. But those darn reproductive disorders destroys them
Your little girl has been hanging on for a while now obviously not feeling good. I just hope one way or the other she goes in as little pain as possible. I am sorry

 

[Eggcessive]

Does she have any swelling or enlargement of her lower belly when you cup your hand between her legs? Does her belly feel spongy or tight? It is possible that she might have ascites or fluid in her belly, or internal laying that might cause difficulty breathing. Sorry for your loss. Of course, if you should lose her, be sure to refrigerate the body and get a necropsy by your state vet. Here is a link for state vets:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi, I went out early and she does not have any fluid on her belly she is flat as can be. Still hasn't eaten, I have half a notion to let her back with her buddies and let her be a chicken until she dies. I have never treated a sick chicken and had them live. I know often enough it is because I don't notice they are sick until too late. My guess is even if it is a reproductive disorder there is nothing I can do is there? Cragg I will try and get a picture. Thank you so much Terri

Was her crop empty this morning before she ate/drank?
Can you take a fecal sample to your vet to check for worms?

I agree, it could be a reproductive problem and yes, sadly, not much can be done if this is what's going on with your girl.

I very much agree with putting her back in the flock if she is not being picked on or bullied. I leave mine with the flock until I determine that they need to be put down. I feel it's less stress on them and hopefully they are "happier".

 

[TerriL188]

Well the report today is she ate a little hard boiled egg and some water soaked feed. I let her back with her flock. Later in the day she went into the chicken house so I thought she might be cold so I put her in her cage with the heat lamp and left the door open. I told her if she wanted to she could get out. She ate a few bites of her chicken feed spit out most of it and took a nap. I noticed that her poop is watery and has black solid stuff in it. Don't know if that is meaningful or not. Well I will keep you posted, probably can't afford a necropsy I am not Social Security and just the shipping would not be cheap. I figure you all are right it is a reproductive problem. Thanks Terri

 

[Cragg Klefor]

Yes, night time just before she roosts/settles for the night is a good time to find her crop- that's when she'll have filled it to get her through the night.
It's really useful to become familiar with feeling their crops. All of them! It's so often a chicken becomes sick due to crop issues, in my experience, or other times a crop issue will just be the part of the problem that we can see, and work on.
Great to hear she is eating! They can sometimes get along for months having good periods for maybe weeks at a time, then really struggling at times too. Again though, this is assuming it is a reproductive disorder.
Let's hope this is a really long good spell for her