Hen has separated herself from flock

[RIR7jn]

We have an almost 2 yr old hen who I noticed yesterday was staying away from the rest of the hens. She wouldn't even come when I called them for scratch. She didn't seem interested at all. She ate from my hand a few hours later, but then last night we saw her "throw up" some white stuff. Her comb is a nice red color, she's not molting, and her poop looks normal. We have separated her from the other hens but I'm not sure what to do for her. She doesn't seem distressed, but I don't know if she's laying. Since we separated her, she can't get into the nesting boxes, although we did make her a nesting place where she's at. She didn't lay today, but it doesn't surprise me since she's used to laying in the boxes, so I don't know if she's egg bound or not. And I'm not sure how to tell either. Please help if you can

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. First thing in the morning before she has eaten, feel of her crop to see if it is empty. If it is not, check to see if it is full, soft, hard, or puffy. Take a disposable glove and insert a finger into her vent 2 inches, where it should only feel soft, to check for a stuck egg. Look at her droppings. Encourage her to drink fluids with electrolytes and vitamins, such as SaveAChick or other brands. Take a small bowl of chicken feed, and add a lot of water to make a slurry to get her to eat. Offer some chopped egg. If her crop is puffy and full, just feed her fluids, and massage her crop. Check her skin around the vent and elsewhere for lice or mites, by parting her feathers.

 

[RIR7jn]

We checked her crop and it was empty. We also checked to see if she was egg bound and we didn't feel one. She is acting completely normal and her color is bright red where it should be. I'm watching the hens more closely and she seems to be fine with them. We do have one hen who is becoming more "dominant" and chasing off other hens when eating. And it's tremendously hot so I've been having to find several of the hens when I call them in the middle of the day -- they seem to be staying in their shady spots until they come out for water. Thank you for the info. We do use the SaveAChick once a month and ACV when we refill their water. Is there an easy way to tell if they have a viral or bacterial infection in their crop?

 

[Eggcessive]

Crop problems are not my specialty, and there is a lot of conflicting advice on how to treat them. I never saw an impacted or sour crop for the first five years. Then I had 2 hens with crop impactions suddenly go sick, and die within 2 weeks of one another. If I had a hen with a crop problem in the future, I would see a vet if possible. Sour crop is sometimes a bacterial infection from rotted food or grass stuck in the crop, but many times it is a fungal infection similar to a yeast infection that all people can get, especially after taking antibiotics. If it is very hot where you live, I would have water available in various locations in the shade in the yard, run and coop. During hot summer weather I change my water in the late afternoons to give them cool water, and throw ice cubes in. I also will use electrolytes on the hottest days in the upper 90's. Here is a good article on crop problems if you would like to read it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

 

[RIR7jn]

Thanks for the link; I already have that page up and read through about half of it before the weekend; it's pretty lengthy . We do have at least 3 containers of water, all in the shade for them, one with their food in the coop. And I change them out in the late afternoon. But I never thought of putting ice cubs in them. I will start doing that during the daytime. Thanks again for all of the helpful information!