Hen shaking her crop and acting weird. (Updated with recovery!)

[The Welch Chickens]

The crop walls are thin. You should be able to feel the texture of grass in the crop. If you are pretty sure she has impacted grass, then you should be treating with coconut oil to try to break up the crop material. that's the first thing I do when treating an impacted/sour crop. Go back and read my article. @Eggcessive posted in on #11. It tells exactly how to do it. It's time consumuming, so keep at it until the crop is down to a minimum of material.

I will do it now. Thank you.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

I just gave her the chilled coconut oil. She ate about a teaspoon and a half, I left the rest in the floor for her to pick at. She would eat some oil, then I would massage for about 45 seconds, then she would pull away from me and adjust her crop a few times, then eat more oil and we’d repeat the process. I got a good amount of massaging in.

Her poops are tiny balls, mostly made of grass. Is that good?

 

[azygous]

That's great! This process requires oil and massage at frequent intervals over the course of several hours. This is important to reduce the crop contents so there is only a minimum of material to ferment. That makes it easier and faster for the miconazole to work.

Also, you might want to suspend the use of ACV in the water until her crop is back to normal ph. The additional acid in ACV can work at cross purposes during crop treatment.

You may, however, give probiotics now and immediately following crop treatment.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

That's great! This process requires oil and massage at frequent intervals over the course of several hours. This is important to reduce the crop contents so there is only a minimum of material to ferment. That makes it easier and faster for the miconazole to work.

Also, you might want to suspend the use of ACV in the water until her crop is back to normal ph. The additional acid in ACV can work at cross purposes during crop treatment.

You may, however, give probiotics now and immediately following crop treatment.

Ok. I will stop the ACV water and offer plain. I am going out to buy some yogurt right now for her; plain greek, correct? When should I give her it?

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Also, I do have a packet of electrolytes. Should I put some in her water?

 

[azygous]

No need for electrolytes. Greek yogurt is fine. Let her eat it free choice as she feels the urge.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

I just gave her more coconut oil and a crop massage. She is throwing up a little bit; it has strings of grasses/hay in it. Her poops are still tiny and grassy.
I also took away the ACV water and gave her fresh water.

Is there anything else I should feed her besides the yogurt?

 

[azygous]

Until her crop empties, she isn't going to feel much like eating. Water is the most important thing for her to consume this morning. Keep up with the oil and massage. If by this afternoon, she still has a sizeable amount of amount of material in the crop, you will then administer a stool softener capsule. The goal is to get the crop as empty as possible by this evening.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Water is the most important thing for her to consume this morning

I haven't seen her drink yet. Is there anything I can do to make it... more appetizing to her?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Good advice as always from @azygous

Just tickled at the photo, her Sister Hen is a bit jealous over the coconut oil pieces.
Mine LOVE coconut oil, so if I'm treating a hen, I usually take a few little frozen pieces and let the others have some too. I know it's not necessary, but it won't hurt them and then they don't complain quite so much