I can't figure out what's wrong with my Silkie?

[Mitzi&I]

Hello,

I was just wondering if any of you have an idea what might be wrong with my bird Mitzi?

Mitzi has never been very healthy, from the start she has had issues. Shes visually impaired and shes had an impacted crop twice before, and something that appeared to be a cold or virus. She also has frequent molts, every 3 months or so.

Anyway, about 3 weeks ago I had to change Mitzi's feed to pure egg layer as opposed to the half and half mix of chick grower and egg layer she is used to. It seemed to trigger a short molt that lasted about a week. As she typically does during a molt, she was acting sickly. not eating, lethargic, very quiet and stopped laying. However this time when the molt ended she never perked up. At first she just wouldn't eat, then a few days later she wouldn't drink either. At first she only pooped out pure water but then she started pooping lime green, very very small feces. However still, mostly just water.

The first few days of her not eating or drinking I fed her with syringes. One with Pedilite for electrolytes. And another with Plain Yogurt. It seems to have helped because she will now eat it on her own. However she refuses to eat solids and refuses to drink. So every day I fill a bowl with yogurt, mixed with her seed, pedilite and some rice to help create more solid feces. It seems to be keeping her going and her feces are slightly more solid but she certianly isn't healthy yet. Today she has started panting and making really wierd movements with her neck, jerking it around as if shes trying to get something out :S Also her crop is full, however instead of being hard like it usually is, it is very very squishy. I smelt her breath and it is odorless, maybe it's just from eating mushy food?


If she gets worse I will take her to a vet, however I live in the city and am very doubtful they will know what to do with a chicken.


Any ideas of what might be causing all of this?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Christina

*updated at post #6*

 

[Tommy12241]

It may be sour crop. Or maybe a very bad worm infestation.

 

[Mitzi&I]

Thank you for the response.

If it is worms would I be able to see any in her poop? or are they only internal?

 

[Tommy12241]

Sometimes not. My hens had worms and some of them had no visible sign of them in their poo. Try organice unfiltered apple cider vinager. I hear that works VERY well. It also helps them absorb calcium.

 

[Mitzi&I]

thank you for the advice, I will pick some up!

 

[Mitzi&I]

Mitzi seems a bit better now, she is eating and drinking, walking around and clucking once again, her crop is back to normal. however today when I gave her a bath I noticed there's a large hard lump, right before where her vent is. On either side, it feels like an egg however I don't think she is eggbound?

I decided to go in and see, I lubed up my finger and tried to feel what it was but I couldnt get in :S All i could feel was a huge round soft lump in my way. Very soft, I think something is swollen in there? Is that possible? Or is it normal to feel that inside her vent?

All that came out was a bunch of lime green poo..


Any ideas of what this may be?