How long can I safely fast my hen?

[Jenessa_096]

I agree, long stuff can get stuck in chickens crops.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

She's young; that's good.

I'm not an expert, but I really believe that the grass/weed is what's causing your hen to get an impacted crop. Thick grass/weed can become like a ball of twine in their crop that becomes a single twisted mass of mush. Nothing can drop down into the digestive tract because it's all bound together. Worse, nothing else can pass through either, even the amount of water she really needs to be healthy.

I believe this is why she drinks so much too, because water is not making it to her body, where she needs it most. She drinks and drinks, but only fills the portion of the crop above the mass. It mixes with some of the mush at the top of the crop, then she spits it up because it can't pass the grass mass and into her body. It even "spills" out because there is so much water on top of the grass.

If I were you, I'd cut out the grass/weed completely, and stick with just feed and treats that are easily digested. Get her through this Impacted Crop, cut out the grass/weed, and I believe you'll see her improve and not even need the crop bra...

Really?! Do you think that this has always been the case? Her crop was often way too squishy, and what I felt with her large crop last night isn't like anything I've felt before. It'd awesome if my Jewels could actually be cured!

 

[Swbertrand1]

Really?! Do you think that this has always been the case? Her crop was often way too squishy, and what I felt with her large crop last night isn't like anything I've felt before. It'd awesome if my Jewels could actually be cured!

I don't know, and I'm no expert, but I've looked into the plant you mentioned. The leafy part doesn't look so bad, but the long, tall, thick shoots look like trouble to me.

Try taking her "off" that grass altogether, and stick to adult chicken feed (we use layer pellets for our adult hens and rooster), give her treats like tomatoes, watermelon, mealworms, and/or scratch grains, and see if she doesn't improve.

Like Jenessa said above, long stuff can get stuck in crops, and that plant has a very thick, long shoot that grows from it. It can't hurt, and what's going on now is not working. Give it a try.

What did her crop feel like tonight when she went up, still full??

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I don't know, and I'm no expert, but I've looked into the plant you mentioned. The leafy part doesn't look so bad, but the long, tall, thick shoots look like trouble to me.

Try taking her "off" that grass altogether, and stick to adult chicken feed (we use layer pellets for our adult hens and rooster), give her treats like tomatoes, watermelon, mealworms, and/or scratch grains, and see if she doesn't improve.

Like Jenessa said above, long stuff can get stuck in crops, and that plant has a very thick, long shoot that grows from it. It can't hurt, and what's going on now is not working. Give it a try.

What did her crop feel like tonight when she went up, still full??

Ok. And I'll have to tell my whole family not to feed any of that to any of the chickens. It's fun to feed my birds the plantain, and because we have so much of it, it's always available. My SS hen, the one we're talking about with crop issues, is always the first to come, and gets most of what is being fed. If this is the problem, I'll probably won't be able to free range her anymore because that's the first thing the whole flock goes after as soon as they get out.

Her crop felt better tonight. Squishy, but not hard. She puked a lot a couple of the times I massaged her crop today, so I think that helped empty it out. She's wearing the crop bra rn, and I put her back with her flock.

Question, if what you're saying is the case, will that contribute to her always going either diarrhea, or poop that is sorta like water? Today, she had a couple of poops that looked sorta normal, but almost broody sized, and she's not broody at all. Also, I've been meaning to take a picture, but keep forgetting to, is often when she lays an egg, liquid comes out at the same time. The shavings around the egg will be wet. And sometimes, there's these tiny black specks in the wetness. Would this have to do with anything?

Thanks again for your help!