Hen won't eat 6 days

[cforeman]

I have a 2 year old Buff Orpington not eating for 6 days. I have forced her to eat small pieces of grapes that she loves. I have brought her in down the basement because she is losing weight and I am afraid she will freeze in sub freezing temps in St. Louis, MO area. She is losing lots of feathers. Don't know if from stress or from the warm basement temps (60 degrees). Her breast is almost bear - no feathers. She is limping some but gets up and walks some. She pecks at the food but is not eating it. I have a 1 year old Production Red that I brought in several weeks ago. She is not eating either but she seems to be blind and can't find the food. If I put food in front of her she eats. She started limping two weeks ago after I brought her in but I think she fell on to the concrete floor from a cardboard box I had her in. She stands on the one leg but seems to crawl on her wings. I have never had to cull one myself. Is this hopeless?

I wonder if the buff's crop is blocked. I held her upside down she only lost fluid. I can feel a half of a grape inside it.

 

[Lesa]

Sorry for your problems...Have you checked the bottom of their feet for bumble foot?

 

[chuckzoo]

It sound like she is molting. Was she loosing feathers before you brought her in?

I have just had two hens go through a molt and it has been hard on them. They both lost a good bit of weight, but they were still eating a bit. Try to offer her some cat food to get her to eat - they really like that.

 

[jbowyer01]

Try feeding yogurt and scrambled eggs, that will provide protein. Is her crop empty? or hard? Check her feet for bumble foot or maybe an infection? splinter or basically any injury. Hows their poop, is it runny or normal? Just somethings to think of looking at and if you can post pics that will help too. Good Luck.

 

[new chick 203]

I'm sorry.

Do you have a vet that knows chickens?

 

[cforeman]

Her crop is full of air. I massaged it last night and she like burped. This morning I can feel the 4 pieces of grape I fed her last night.

So I think it is blocked. Thoses pieces should not still be there. She doesn't want to eat even her favorite (watermelon and grapes). Her feces is watery and bright green.

Her feet are fine. I don't see mites. The first couple of days she walked around with her head down with her shoulders up. She kind of looked like a vulture. But now her head is up.

She hasn't laid an egg in about 10 days. They were getting small and were getting light in color. I only have 7 chickens the five outside look fine even it 7 degree weather.

The other one is eating if I hold her and put food in front of her. I don't know a chicken vet.

 

[chuckzoo]

Smell her breath to see if you think she may have soar crop.


You could try giving her some bread soaked in olive oil and about a hour later do crop massage on her. Do it gently and in a downward motion. Massage about every hour keeping it up for about 5 mins.

 

[Miss Lydia]

ACV in their water too helps with sour crop.

 

[cforeman]

What is ACV?

I fed her the bread with olive oil. She still has the grape in her. She drank a lot of water after the bread. An hour later the water was still in her crop. When I tried to massage her crop she brought up a lot of water.So even the water is not going through. It is going on 8 days how long can she live like that? This is so sad.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Is she getting any grit to help her digest the food? Sorry, I really don't have a clue. I hope you get some answers soon.

Edited to say that ACV is Apple Cider Vinegar. You can use the unpasturized kind, about 1 TB per gallon of water. I understand it helps to absorb vitamins...I don't know what other uses it has.