Jonalisa, I have been treating a hen with a similar crop problem with vomiting her, and tube feeding water with electrolytes/vitamins and a small amount of yogurt. I also had given Nystatin, an antifungal (prescription only.) several times her crop had this hard bony thing that I realized was her trachea which is lined with bony spines.
Your hen sounds like she may be suffering from either liver disease from the yellow urates or egg yolk peritonitis. I have had several older hens recently with this, and crop problems can complicate those and other illnesses. There is probably not much you can do for her except keep her comfortable. I would do a necropsy on her if she dies, and look for a lot of amber colored fluid when the abdomen is opened, plus large amounts of fat, or a discolored liver. With EYP there may be masses of egg material. Sorry that she is so ill.
Yes, I feel the bony spines.
She has been on 2.5mg prednisone and 400 units vitamin E with Nutridrench - all twice a day.This morning I gave her tuna and wet feed and a couple of blueberries.
She was happy to see the blueberries, but I am surprised that the noise she makes is very guttural chirping, similar to a pidgeon. I've never heard that with a chicken.
She is not laying - or at least, did not start again after the winter hiatus.
I looked up EYP symptoms:
- Pale comb/wattle (yes)
- Eyes are dull, may be partially/fully closed (sometimes)
- She’s not as keen as the rest to eat and drink (yes)
- May be keeping herself away from the rest of the flock, usually tucked up in a nest-box/coop (Stands in one corner of the run, but walks around if outside)
- Tail may be lowered (no)
- Difficulty/reluctance to move about (slowly)
- Reluctant to walk around and scratch; lack of interest in surroundings (slowly)
- Any evidence of discharge from the eyes, nose or mouth (No but she had a dark red 'abrasion' (looked like) on side of face, where beak meets face.)
- Going off lay (hasn't laid since the fall)
- Loss of condition – can be assessed by feeling over the keel (breast) bone muscle mass: in chronically ill birds they often lose the majority of this muscle mass (Keel bone is prominent with almost no muscle. Very underweight)
- Faecal matter stuck around vent (Yes)
- Look in poor feather condition (not preening) (No preening that I witness, but looks ok)
- Any obvious injury (wound, limping, falling over) (No)
So she has most of these symptoms.
I looked to see what I have for meds:
Duramycin 72-200, Tetroxy HCA-280 and enrofloxin 10% (expired)
The site on EYP ends with:
"The earlier a case of Egg Yolk Peritonitis is diagnosed, the better the probable outcome. If a bird is to be treated, antibiotics and good, attentive nursing care are essential."
So it sounds pretty fatal (at least w/o a veterinary surgeon). What would you do? Is there anything I can get to give her a chance (or even in the event I'm wrong?).
A few questions, if you don't mind Eggcessive:
-Should I continue to treat with prednisone and vitamins?
-Is there an antibiotic that might be helpful in some sense? Or foods?
-Should I continue to put her with the others during the day and in the house at night?
(I do this so she won't be jumping up on a roost or eating something I'm not aware of)
Thanks so much for your help and your knowledge!
jonalisa
