Hen looks bloated and her crop feels like a golf ball.

[CrazyChickLady64]

Hello yesterday morning Sam seemed some what bloated and was moving slow she drank some water and but didn't eat much. I checked her over and she has mites I have treated her, flock and cleaned coop. Her crop felt empty and everything else looked ok. Except she pooped a huge poop like when a hen is broody does. Later she laid an egg and then was acting fine. Eating drinking didn't look bloated and moving around normal. When they went to bed she didn't get up on the roost she slept in a nesting box. This morning she looked the same as yesterday bloated walking slow hugh poop. But her crop feels like a golf ball. Also she apparently did not poop all night, no poop in the nesting box. She drank a little and ate a little this morning. Her diet nature wise crumbles starter/chick has oyster shells on the side. Twice a day I give some organic scratch mix with some cracked corn. Occasionally I give black oil sunflower seeds. Things like fresh corn or watermelon as treats a few times a week. Free range for 4-6 hours a day. Coop is 6 x 6 with 11 chickens total 1 is a roo. Run is 10 x 16. She is Ayam Cemani 5 months old started laying 3 weeks ago weight about 3 pounds. The picture of the two hens she is the one on your left she looks big compared to the other one that are the same breed same age and this was her poop this morning. I don't have a vet in the area that treats poultry. I hope to resolve this myself.

 

[azygous]

How hot is it there? Your hen could be dehydrated. Encourage her to drink some extra water, lukewarm with a spoonful of sugar and a pinch of salt and baking soda.

Also give her a calcium tablet in case she has an egg backed up. It will encourage contractions to push it out.

 

[CrazyChickLady64]

How hot is it there? Your hen could be dehydrated. Encourage her to drink some extra water, lukewarm with a spoonful of sugar and a pinch of salt and baking soda.

Also give her a calcium tablet in case she has an egg backed up. It will encourage contractions to push it out.

It's been in the mid to upper 90s
I have brought her in to monitor her poop to see if she is going through out the day right now she just has water no food she laid an egg yesterday but not yet today

 

[CrazyChickLady64]

Hello yesterday morning Sam seemed some what bloated and was moving slow she drank some water and but didn't eat much. I checked her over and she has mites I have treated her, flock and cleaned coop. Her crop felt empty and everything else looked ok. Except she pooped a huge poop like when a hen is broody does. Later she laid an egg and then was acting fine. Eating drinking didn't look bloated and moving around normal. When they went to bed she didn't get up on the roost she slept in a nesting box. This morning she looked the same as yesterday bloated walking slow hugh poop. But her crop feels like a golf ball. Also she apparently did not poop all night, no poop in the nesting box. She drank a little and ate a little this morning. Her diet nature wise crumbles starter/chick has oyster shells on the side. Twice a day I give some organic scratch mix with some cracked corn. Occasionally I give black oil sunflower seeds. Things like fresh corn or watermelon as treats a few times a week. Free range for 4-6 hours a day. Coop is 6 x 6 with 11 chickens total 1 is a roo. Run is 10 x 16. She is Ayam Cemani 5 months old started laying 3 weeks ago weight about 3 pounds. The picture of the two hens she is the one on your left she looks big compared to the other one that are the same breed same age and this was her poop this morning. I don't have a vet in the area that treats poultry. I hope to resolve this myself.

UPDATE I didn't feed her most of the day but gave her water. She laid and egg but did not poop the whole time except this morning one time. I brought her out this afternoon but kept her separated and checked her crop again it felt empty I gave her scrambled eggs with a good amount of olive oil on them she ate about half of it. Later I gave her some mash she ate some of that and her crop seemed normal. I put her back with her flock and she seems herself but still has not pooped. Also she has no feathers over her crop see Pic is this normal? What is going on with her?

 

[NatJ]

I wonder if she is going broody? Some hens act sort-of broody for a few days before they commit to it.

...she slept in a nesting box. This morning she looked the same as yesterday bloated walking slow hugh poop. But her crop feels like a golf ball. Also she apparently did not poop all night, no poop in the nesting box. She drank a little and ate a little this morning.

Sleeping in the nest, no poop in the nestbox, huge poop when she gets up in the morning, walking around with her feathers all fluffed up: sounds like broody symptoms to me.

Broodies will usually get off the nest and have a meal when you are not looking, so that might explain the crop too. I've seen some broodies that eat just a small amount, and others that eat quite a bit, so it seems to depend on the chicken.

 

[CrazyChickLady64]

I wonder if she is going broody? Some hens act sort-of broody for a few days before they commit to it.


Sleeping in the nest, no poop in the nestbox, huge poop when she gets up in the morning, walking around with her feathers all fluffed up: sounds like broody symptoms to me.

Broodies will usually get off the nest and have a meal when you are not looking, so that might explain the crop too. I've seen some broodies that eat just a small amount, and others that eat quite a bit, so it seems to depend on the chicken.

I'm don't think that is it she moving very slow and not eating or drinking this morning had her crop feels like a hard knot again. And no poop this morning. She did lay an egg yesterday.

 

[CrazyChickLady64]

I wonder if she is going broody? Some hens act sort-of broody for a few days before they commit to it.


Sleeping in the nest, no poop in the nestbox, huge poop when she gets up in the morning, walking around with her feathers all fluffed up: sounds like broody symptoms to me.

Broodies will usually get off the nest and have a meal when you are not looking, so that might explain the crop too. I've seen some broodies that eat just a small amount, and others that eat quite a bit, so it seems to depend on the chicken.

I don't think that is it she has no access to food at night this morning she is not moving around much. I can tell she is not feeling well at all. Her crop feels like a hard knot again this morning.

 

[NatJ]

I'm don't think that is it she moving very slow and not eating or drinking this morning had her crop feels like a hard knot again. And no poop this morning. She did lay an egg yesterday.

In that case, I don't know what is going on. I agree that some of those symptoms are wrong for a broody hen.

I don't think that is it she has no access to food at night this morning she is not moving around much. I can tell she is not feeling well at all. Her crop feels like a hard knot again this morning.

That is interesting. I wonder whether she ate some of the bedding or something during the night? Or if she ate a lot of stuff the day before and digested all but certain parts by morning?

 

[cate1124]

Hello yesterday morning Sam seemed some what bloated and was moving slow she drank some water and but didn't eat much. I checked her over and she has mites I have treated her, flock and cleaned coop. Her crop felt empty and everything else looked ok. Except she pooped a huge poop like when a hen is broody does. Later she laid an egg and then was acting fine. Eating drinking didn't look bloated and moving around normal. When they went to bed she didn't get up on the roost she slept in a nesting box. This morning she looked the same as yesterday bloated walking slow hugh poop. But her crop feels like a golf ball. Also she apparently did not poop all night, no poop in the nesting box. She drank a little and ate a little this morning. Her diet nature wise crumbles starter/chick has oyster shells on the side. Twice a day I give some organic scratch mix with some cracked corn. Occasionally I give black oil sunflower seeds. Things like fresh corn or watermelon as treats a few times a week. Free range for 4-6 hours a day. Coop is 6 x 6 with 11 chickens total 1 is a roo. Run is 10 x 16. She is Ayam Cemani 5 months old started laying 3 weeks ago weight about 3 pounds. The picture of the two hens she is the one on your left she looks big compared to the other one that are the same breed same age and this was her poop this morning. I don't have a vet in the area that treats poultry. I hope to resolve this myself.

Some of this may be early production hiccups. That said, it's good to move actively laying hens to a layer ration (includes calcium). People have different opinions about feed, but my chicken-knowledgeable vet likes a 16 percent layer crumble for my flock, though about half are post-lay elders. Heat decreases calcium absorption, so having it available in ration as well as supplement (oyster shell) is a good idea.

Other thoughts: Keep them as cool as possible: ice cubes in fresh water, shade, fan if your coop has electric. (I use a swamp cooler to great effect, but I'm in semi-arid Colorado.) I'd also knock off the scratch and limit treats during heat, as they will eat less, and you want what they are eating to be balanced.

I hope your girl comes back and stays at normal.

 

[CrazyChickLady64]

Some of this may be early production hiccups. That said, it's good to move actively laying hens to a layer ration (includes calcium). People have different opinions about feed, but my chicken-knowledgeable vet likes a 16 percent layer crumble for my flock, though about half are post-lay elders. Heat decreases calcium absorption, so having it available in ration as well as supplement (oyster shell) is a good idea.

Other thoughts: Keep them as cool as possible: ice cubes in fresh water, shade, fan if your coop has electric. (I use a swamp cooler to great effect, but I'm in semi-arid Colorado.) I'd also knock off the scratch and limit treats during heat, as they will eat less, and you want what they are eating to be balanced.

I hope your girl comes back and stays at normal.

Thank you she seems to be worse her crop is not emptying completely. She has laid eggs every day since she got sick but didn't today she is pooping and it looks normal but only a few times a day. Now she is barely walking and shes stumbling a lot, her wings are almost touching the ground at times. I just lost a chicken about 2 weeks ago that had different symptoms but I think it was mold in the food at the time so I treated the entire flock with ebsom salt and molasses. I have been careful to check feed and change water daily they free range and have plenty of shade and cool water available. I have cut back on treats only giving a little scratch once a day. She is still eating and drinking but she is definitely getting worse. I'm afraid I'm going to lose her cause I just don't know what else to do. I have given Epsom salt baths nutra drench and probiotics. I did give her some scrambled eggs today as well.
The rest of my flock are all fine.