Hen very sick - sour crop and milky white poop

[StinkyAcres]

Wonder if the crop is just that uncomfortable.

Any chance she's suffered some type of neck or head trauma, got her head hung in a fence or been pecked?

I'd see if she continues with the behavior, it may be worth taking note. Not sure what it means though.

I do have a hen who mounts the others hens like a rooster and sometimes falls forward off of their necks/heads.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I had one that did that when I lost their rooster. She stopped when I got another rooster LOL
You may want to take a look at her neck to see if she might have a small injury, that can happen as well from being mounted.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I had one that did that when I lost their rooster. She stopped when I got another rooster LOL
You may want to take a look at her neck to see if she might have a small injury, that can happen as well from being mounted.

Okay, will do.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Her crop is filling up again and she is not interested in food, even scrambled egg and yogurt. I couldn't see any wounds on her head. Here are some photos I got today.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Pretty girl!

When was her last egg?

 

[StinkyAcres]

Pretty girl!

When was her last egg?

No clue. I was not able to tell which egg belonged to which hen. But I have six light brown egg layers (one is up there in age) and I have been getting a maximum of only four eggs in the last few weeks. I have seen hens in the nest boxes and she has not been one of them for a while.

 

[StinkyAcres]

The darkening of the comb means the heart and/or lungs are struggling, right? I think it's probably ascites.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'd consider giving her calcium too just in case she's having some troubles expelling an egg.

Ah, I see you've added you think she may have Ascites. Do you feel bloat/fluid in her abdomen below the vent between her legs? Is the abdomen tight like a drum?

Ascites can be due to reproductive problems and/or organ failure.
The excess fluid can cause the digestive system (crop/intestines) to slow due to inflammation and pressure.

Some folks drain the excess fluid to give some relief, that's up to you. A lot of times a hen can live for a long time afterward, it really depends on what's causing the symptom. Sometimes unfortunately, draining is not all that helpful.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I'd consider giving her calcium too just in case she's having some troubles expelling an egg.

Ah, I see you've added you think she may have Ascites. Do you feel bloat/fluid in her abdomen below the vent between her legs? Is the abdomen tight like a drum?

Ascites can be due to reproductive problems and/or organ failure.
The excess fluid can cause the digestive system (crop/intestines) to slow due to inflammation and pressure.

Some folks drain the excess fluid to give some relief, that's up to you. A lot of times a hen can live for a long time afterward, it really depends on what's causing the symptom. Sometimes unfortunately, draining is not all that helpful.

I'm not sure if her abdomen feels unusual or not. I'll have to bring in a healthy chicken to compare. It doesn't feel very tight to me, but maybe is a little distended.

I have dealt with ascites before and done the draining and to me it wasn't worth it.

I can certainly try to give her some calcium for a few days. But with the crop not working would it even get absorbed?

I can also try the antibiotics I have - it's LA-200.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The Calcium might be absorbed, hard to know.

LA-200 (Oxytretracycline) might be worth a try.