How long blockage go through?

[pookieslw]

We brought one of our 8-9 month old Buff Orpington hens into the people house Thursday morning. She had been a little slow and not interested in food for a couple days (according to my chicken girl). When I examined her Thursday morning she had a golf ball sized lump in her crop. I massaged it good, maybe broke it up - bad smells from both ends (I could feel gurgling in her belly). We've been feeding her olive oil, vitamins in her water. She did not poop at all for a good couple of days. When she did finally poop, it was black in clear liquid and exceptionally foul smelling. Now it's just black, kinda runny, more normal smelling. We cannot interest her in food - we've tried a lot. Not sure if she is drinking. She has been a little peppier yesterday and today. No eggs. Can't feel any large lumps in the back end, or anywhere. We have her in a plastic dog crate. I had her out to walk around little this morning and she tried to fly up to a 4 foot knee wall, didn't make it, just mostly looked around.



Questions:

Wondering if we did loosen something up to get going through her, how long it would take to work through?

Is she not eating because she's all alone? We are having our first good cold snap this week (highs in mid 20's), so we don't want to shock her by bringing her back down to the unheated coop (with attached hoop house run) until it's a bit warmer. We also don't want to mess up anyone else by shocking their system by bringing them up for company. It's not a large dog crate - we have a bantam rooster, but it would be crowded.



Help? Please?

Thank you!

 

[gallusdomesticus]

If her poop is just watery, it may be that you broke up the impaction in her crop and it's now blocking her gizzard or possibly intestines. Food goes through their system fairly rapidly and she should have more solid droppings. I would advise taking her to an aviary vet.

 

[pookieslw]

Well, it's got solids in it, just sometimes water with it, or very loose.

Anyone else? There's not going to be a vet to take her to.....

 

[CMV]

I believe that food should completely pass and clear the system within 24-48 hours. When you butcher you withhold food that long to make for a clean butchering site.

Sorry I can't be more help. I hope your girl recovers.

 

[chickenzoo]

Is her crop back to normal? I'd put a little vinegar or Apple cider vinegar , if you can find it, in her water. Watch her crop. If it's not emptying and she's not eating then further action may be needed, such as crop surgery(can do a search on here how to). It could take a day or two for something to pass.....

 

[pookieslw]

Her crop is empty. She has at least pecked at a few things. She was a little more active last evening she was preening, and talking to us. We tried giving her ACV to help break up the stuff (per other reading) - she liked it. She is doing black liquid poops more frequently.

Does anyone know of anything else that might help break things up further down- we don't have wine or Coke in the house and it's a snowstorm....but we do have lots of stuff in the house to try if I knew what direction to go in.

I think she is improving - but don't they always do that right before they go.....

The dog is extremely concerned as well.....

 

[chickenzoo]

If she's doing ok now, and is pooing, I'd just leave her be and she if she continues to improve. Try this, if you have any coloring, like for baking or egg dying... etc... dye a few pieces of scrambled egg or what ever she'll eat a bright color (not red, you'll scare yourself) then see if it passes in her poo, then you know it is getting past.

 

[pookieslw]

Thank you for that idea. Will try that if we can get her eating. I hear her talking, so I'll go see......

 

[pookieslw]

Woo Hoo

Apparently she was talking because she had pooped out this:

Which after I dissected with the toothpicks was determined to be twine.

I'm thinking it was the vinegar which finally did it. She hasn't started eating yet, but she's definitely peppier. She can't go back down with her friends until after we have the 8 degree low tonight though (and she's eating something). I'm sure she'll appreciate being back with her friends.

It's always so nice when one pulls through....we had some problems early on when they were chicks - so I didn't have high hopes..

Thanks everyone for the advice.

 

[CMV]

Twine?!?! Holy cow! She's lucky you figured out what was going on and could fix it. Nice work! I hope she continues to mend.