Lethargic, downturned tail, droopy comb- any ideas what it could be?

[Hennypenny_10]

My hen started getting sick yesterday. She isn’t moving much. Sleeping a lot, downturned tail, droopy comb that is discoloured around the edges (darker). She’s drinking a little (I have put electrolytes in her water) eating a little bit but mostly just sleeping with her head tucked under her wing. Runny poop that looks a bit odd. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[happyplacehomesteaders]

Im so sorry your hen is feeling under the weather! It sounds a lot like when one of my chickens had impacted crop. Does her crop feel hard/firm?

 

[Hennypenny_10]

Im so sorry your hen is feeling under the weather! It sounds a lot like when one of my chickens had impacted crop. Does her crop feel hard/firm?

No it’s actually soft.. but last night when she was drinking there was a bit of a gurgling sound every time she drank..

 

[happyplacehomesteaders]

It sounds like sour crop-especially if a sour smell comes from her beak-which can be quite serious. There are several treatment options but I used apple cider vinegar mixed with just a bit of molasses and made my hen drink a little every couple hours when she had sour crop. It worked in that case. I hope you can help your hen get better!

 

[Hopulence]

Agree, you can even see the huge bulge where the crop is.

I couldn't tell if one of my hens had a sour or impacted crop, but what I did was feed her olive oil by a dropper a few times a day. Massage the crop. After a day or so, I would gently push on the crop while I held her laterally. She seemed to throw up some foul smelling liquid. A couple days of doing so, and she was back to normal.

I'm not sure if I got lucky or if my "care" was the difference but she's still with us today

 

[Hennypenny_10]

Agree, you can even see the huge bulge where the crop is.

I couldn't tell if one of my hens had a sour or impacted crop, but what I did was feed her olive oil by a dropper a few times a day. Massage the crop. After a day or so, I would gently push on the crop while I held her laterally. She seemed to throw up some foul smelling liquid. A couple days of doing so, and she was back to normal.

I'm not sure if I got lucky or if my "care" was the difference but she's still with us today

Thank you. I’ll try this!

 

[Hopulence]

Thank you. I’ll try this!

Did it work?