Just rescued some more Battery Hens *pics*

[Johnn]

Just had Ruby to the vets. They reckon she has an infection in her abdomen but think she may have crop problems too. They don't think its a sour crop because it doesn't smell but I kept pointing out that she keeps moving her neck around which suggests she has something wrong down there. They have give me some anti biotics and have said that if she does inporve in a few days to bring her back for xrays. When the xray subject came up and she was saying about how much it would cost me, mam decided to pipe up (I didnt even want her to come, I told her to wait in the car) saying its just a chicken to me and I was like "I don't care, its my money not yours". It will cost me around £140 for it, but I don't care. They are my responsibility, so I want to look after them properly. Dont know what the hell mam was doing banging on to me saying "it's only a chicken", don't think she has quite clicked on that I was telling the truth when I said they mean more to me then most of our family.

Think she has an infection and crop problems. Not looking good for her
You can see in this pic how downhill shes went

 

[Suzierd]

Very sorry She's not getting better yet. I'm hoping and praying the medicine works and she starts turning around. I know what you mean no one in my family understands why I care about my chickens so much. It's good to have people that do one this forum. Come on Ruby your a fighter!

 

[Johnn]

Very sorry She's not getting better yet. I'm hoping and praying the medicine works and she starts turning around. I know what you mean no one in my family understands why I care about my chickens so much. It's good to have people that do one this forum. Come on Ruby your a fighter!

Thanks. I'm so gutted, she is such a beautiful hen.

 

[Johnn]

For those of you who have Facebook, check out the latest rescue girls at the rescue where Ruby came from!
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.754914227854925.1073741874.311860965493589&type=1

 

[Johnn]

Ruby is showing signs of being highly irritated by her crop, so I decided not to trust the vets and I decided to empty her crop. It smelled, so I think she has sour crop. But what if they are right about the infection? Then I could be making her crop worse by treating it. Maybes they made the infection up because they didnt know what they were doing with hens

 

[roostersandhens]

Ruby is showing signs of being highly irritated by her crop, so I decided not to trust the vets and I decided to empty her crop. It smelled, so I think she has sour crop. But what if they are right about the infection? Then I could be making her crop worse by treating it. Maybes they made the infection up because they didnt know what they were doing with hens

Aww. Poor girl, I hope she recovers. I wouldn't trust everything a vet says about chickens, because there is so little known about chicken medicine. If she has sour crop I would just treat it. Have you posted in the Emergencies section of BYC?

 

[Johnn]

Aww. Poor girl, I hope she recovers. I wouldn't trust everything a vet says about chickens, because there is so little known about chicken medicine. If she has sour crop I would just treat it. Have you posted in the Emergencies section of BYC?

I'm part of a good page on Facebook that help me with any illness problems. And thanks!

 

[Johnn]

WIll give yous the posts I have put on Facebook
This morning her crop has liquid in (I don't know how), so I emptied it before going to college. I will give her water at about 6 tonight and then give her just yoghurt along with some olive oil incase there is a blockage. Was going to give her layers pellets (soaked) but might not be a good idea when it wont have been 24hrs since emptying

Just got back from college and her crop has liquid in again. Not alot but a fair amount. Can someone explain this considering she has had no food or water all day?

Actually don't think it does have liquid in! Tried to get it up but it give her great discomfort as she started flapping and screaming! Have give her some Darkatin now. Will give more in a few hours then hopefully tonight mam will come back with the Nystatin which is stronger!

 

[Bogtown Chick]

John: I'm just so inspired by your good work with these chickens. Saving them from a dreadful life and outcome. Your photos of the English Countryside are like out of storybooks. Gorgeous photography with our favorite subjects, chickens. It's glorious to see them out there on pasture.

I'm sorry of your troubles with Ruby. I think you probably know best what is going on with her and the impacted/sour crop issue going on. I have not had issues myself but followed closely a friend who is also from the UK a hen with Sour Crop. She tried a myriad of things...but basically it came down to vomiting the hen each day if her crop bloated then, Antifungals (nystatin)--this will work better on an empty cleaned out crop, antibiotics (baytril) like you are doing and keeping the pH less acidic in the crop. So she did not give the yogurt/Apple cider vinegar remedies until after her Hen was in better shape to repopulate her gut with good bacteria. She did employ baking soda rinses to help with pH and get up yeast lining the crop. Also after extensive veterinarian exam it was found that her crop had distended itself beyond contracting back so sour crop would recur and the solution was to physically push that crop back to the chest with an apparatus made with a square of canvas and some stretchy ACE bandaging wrap tied around the hen. (Crop Bra)

This I am quite certain--as gaudy as it sounds on your sweet beautiful Ruby out there in the beautiful green that is your pasture...could be her salvation. You might have to keep it on her for a few months until her crop reshapes. You're doing well to give her food/pellet softened with water or watery--easier to digest and scrambled egg...to keep her nutritionally sound.

I don't know if this solution fits your husbandry practices with your hen. But my friend still has her hen producing well over a year and half later. So to me there is hope with a little adjustment holding her crop back and softening her food a bit.

 

[Johnn]

John: I'm just so inspired by your good work with these chickens. Saving them from a dreadful life and outcome. Your photos of the English Countryside are like out of storybooks. Gorgeous photography with our favorite subjects, chickens. It's glorious to see them out there on pasture.

I'm sorry of your troubles with Ruby. I think you probably know best what is going on with her and the impacted/sour crop issue going on. I have not had issues myself but followed closely a friend who is also from the UK a hen with Sour Crop. She tried a myriad of things...but basically it came down to vomiting the hen each day if her crop bloated then, Antifungals (nystatin)--this will work better on an empty cleaned out crop, antibiotics (baytril) like you are doing and keeping the pH less acidic in the crop. So she did not give the yogurt/Apple cider vinegar remedies until after her Hen was in better shape to repopulate her gut with good bacteria. She did employ baking soda rinses to help with pH and get up yeast lining the crop. Also after extensive veterinarian exam it was found that her crop had distended itself beyond contracting back so sour crop would recur and the solution was to physically push that crop back to the chest with an apparatus made with a square of canvas and some stretchy ACE bandaging wrap tied around the hen. (Crop Bra)

This I am quite certain--as gaudy as it sounds on your sweet beautiful Ruby out there in the beautiful green that is your pasture...could be her salvation. You might have to keep it on her for a few months until her crop reshapes. You're doing well to give her food/pellet softened with water or watery--easier to digest and scrambled egg...to keep her nutritionally sound.

I don't know if this solution fits your husbandry practices with your hen. But my friend still has her hen producing well over a year and half later. So to me there is hope with a little adjustment holding her crop back and softening her food a bit.

Thanks! . I don't use Baytril as it kills all bacteria. I am giving her an anti fungal anti biotic along with Darkatin and will soon hopefully be Nystatin.