Hen- standing still often, small hard crop- HELP.

[erinangele]

Hi,

I have a year old hen who I noticed is spending most of her time this evening standing around. When I went to investigate I noticed her crop feels like a ping pong ball. She was clucking to me and has bright eyes. She got up on the perch to sleep but just looks scrunched up and uncomfortable.

I am very concerned because a couple weeks ago I noticed one of our girls acting similar. I was away all day and unable to investigate so I’m not sure if she had the same crop issue, but the next morning we found her dead :-(

Both hens are blue egg layers and both stopped laying about a month ago. The one who passed was about 4 years old and had been laying sporadically for quite some time. She laid very thin shelled eggs that often brome in the nesting box. I thought she may have died from a reproductive issue.

The hen who is in need of help now lays very strong shelled eggs very regularly up until a month ago when she stopped laying.

I have a mixed flock and everyone else seems healthy at the moment. I have not added any new chickens for over a year.

I’m not sure if this is just coincidental, and totally unrelated. We have been so fortunate not to have any diseases in the 9 years we have been keeping chickens.

Please help.

 

[azygous]

Check her crop again first thing in the morning before you allow her to eat or drink anything. If you feel the same hard lump and it's the same size, she has impacted crop most likely. If her crop is flat and empty when you do this check, she hasn't got a crop issue, but we need to rule it out before going further.

If you feel the lump, the treatment is oil, about one teaspoon to begin with. I use coconut oil because it's easier to stuff small bits into the beak if it's been slightly chilled to make it hard. Be sure to get at least a teaspoon down her and then gently massage the oil into the lump as if kneading a small bit of bread dough.

If you don't feel the lump break up, repeat the process with more oil and massage. Wait an hour and if the lump is still there and hasn't broken apart, you will need to give her a stool softener, the entire capsule into her beak. Not a laxative! And the stool softener must not contain a stimulant.

 

[erinangele]

Check her crop again first thing in the morning before you allow her to eat or drink anything. If you feel the same hard lump and it's the same size, she has impacted crop most likely. If her crop is flat and empty when you do this check, she hasn't got a crop issue, but we need to rule it out before going further.

If you feel the lump, the treatment is oil, about one teaspoon to begin with. I use coconut oil because it's easier to stuff small bits into the beak if it's been slightly chilled to make it hard. Be sure to get at least a teaspoon down her and then gently massage the oil into the lump as if kneading a small bit of bread dough.

If you don't feel the lump break up, repeat the process with more oil and massage. Wait an hour and if the lump is still there and hasn't broken apart, you will need to give her a stool softener, the entire capsule into her beak. Not a laxative! And the stool softener must not contain a stimulant.

Thank you very much! I will go remove the food and water from the coop so I can be sure she hasn’t had any. Fingers crossed this is all it is.

 

[erinangele]

It is still hard this morning. I will start with the coconut oil and then massage. Thank you again.

 

[erinangele]

I just did the coconut oil treatment. It worked very well. I put her back in the yard. She is still acting uncomfortable. Does it take a bit for them to feel better? Here is a pic.

 

[azygous]

What is she doing that leads you to believe the hen is uncomfortable?

Usually after a crop issue, I feed hard boiled or soft boiled egg, yogurt, a little grated raw carrot to get the digestive system going again.

 

[erinangele]

What is she doing that leads you to believe the hen is uncomfortable?

Usually after a crop issue, I feed hard boiled or soft boiled egg, yogurt, a little grated raw carrot to get the digestive system going again.

She is just standing around do the most park. She did not run up when I went out there. Here is a picture of how she is standing.

 

[erinangele]

I fed them some hard boiled eggs and she did come to eat some. I soaked some small pieces of bread with coconut oil and a little calcium and fed them to her. I gently massaged her crop again, although it is soft now.

She seems like she is slowly perking up. I saw her poop and she is preening herself a little. Still not 100% but it’s improvement.

 

[azygous]

Can you get some water with electrolytes into her?

 

[erinangele]

Can you get some water with electrolytes into her?

Good idea. I will try that tomorrow.