Limping...laid an egg on the roost

[KatefromOz]

Update...so I checked her crop first up this morning and it felt full well I don't really know how it's meant to feel but it is sort of like a small tennis ball. She was doing the open mouth/stretch yawn a fair bit yesterday. I could massage it and she seems to like it. Her poop looks normal, not heaps of it but she hasn't really been eating heaps. it's quite stinky lol. No egg laying for a couple of days (very usual). she is still limping. She is sleepy, but apart from the limp, crop and no eggs she seems okay. Any ideas on what I could do? Or am I overthinking this?

 

[Cragg Klefor]

Update...so I checked her crop first up this morning and it felt full well I don't really know how it's meant to feel but it is sort of like a small tennis ball. She was doing the open mouth/stretch yawn a fair bit yesterday. I could massage it and she seems to like it. Her poop looks normal, not heaps of it but she hasn't really been eating heaps. it's quite stinky lol. No egg laying for a couple of days (very usual). she is still limping. She is sleepy, but apart from the limp, crop and no eggs she seems okay. Any ideas on what I could do? Or am I overthinking this?

It's really important that she drinks, especially when her crop was not empty this morning!
What did the 'tennis ball' feel like - hard/squishy/doughy/liquid/soft?
Make sure she is drinking, dip her beak in water to entice her if you need to!

 

[Cragg Klefor]

Also, did you get the calcium into her? Impacted crop is commonly just a symptom of something underlying, including reproductive issues which she has so calcium would be a good call. However if her crop is now impacted the calcium probably wouldn't get through.
This is a great article to read if you are dealing with crop issues, it really helped me out in successfully treating my first case of impacted crop:https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...d-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments.67194/

 

[KatefromOz]

Thank you so much for replying. I was giving her water yesterday via a syringe, she wasn't keen in the morning but seemed thirsty by the afternoon. She has has quite a lot of water herself this morning.
Her crop I would say is quite hard, I feel like her crop always sort of feels fairly hard because is usually quite a guts, but I've never really felt in first up in the morning. I wasn't able to buy calcium when I got the electrolytes but I gave her an egg yesterday with an entire shells crushed up in it. She ate it all up. Thats all I could think of. I'm wondering is it possible the limp is a secondary symptom to something else more serious?

It's really important that she drinks, especially when her crop was not empty this morning!
What did the 'tennis ball' feel like - hard/squishy/doughy/liquid/soft?
Make sure she is drinking, dip her beak in water to entice her if you need to!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Update...so I checked her crop first up this morning and it felt full well I don't really know how it's meant to feel but it is sort of like a small tennis ball. She was doing the open mouth/stretch yawn a fair bit yesterday. I could massage it and she seems to like it. Her poop looks normal, not heaps of it but she hasn't really been eating heaps. it's quite stinky lol. No egg laying for a couple of days (very usual). she is still limping. She is sleepy, but apart from the limp, crop and no eggs she seems okay. Any ideas on what I could do? Or am I overthinking this?

Thank you so much for replying. I was giving her water yesterday via a syringe, she wasn't keen in the morning but seemed thirsty by the afternoon. She has has quite a lot of water herself this morning.
Her crop I would say is quite hard, I feel like her crop always sort of feels fairly hard because is usually quite a guts, but I've never really felt in first up in the morning. I wasn't able to buy calcium when I got the electrolytes but I gave her an egg yesterday with an entire shells crushed up in it. She ate it all up. Thats all I could think of. I'm wondering is it possible the limp is a secondary symptom to something else more serious?[/QUOTE]

Crop issues are often a symptom of an underlying condition - reproductive problems, infection, worms, coccidiosis, etc.
I would work on the crop. She needs to be drinking, but I would not worry about food at this time.
Since it smells bad, she has sour crop. I would first start with offering 1 teaspoon of coconut oil and massage the crop. She can have water, but withhold food. (she probably doesn't really want to eat anyway). Massage the crop several times a day to see if you can get the crop moving.
She probably will need an anti-fungal as well, coconut oil can help, but if the crop is really yeasty then ask your vet for some Nystatin or you can use vaginal cream as instructed in the following links.

The only time I have ever had a crop issue, the hen also had a reproductive problem (underlying condition). Inflammation and/or infection elsewhere in the body can press upon internal organs, intestines and slow the digestive process. It is a very good idea that you re-feel of her for bloat/swelling or fluid in the abdomen. Egg matter, masses, internal laying, cancer, tumors, etc. can press upon nerves and cause limping - it's possible that's why she's limping instead of the Bumblefoot.
Keep watch on the Bumblefoot as well to see that the foot is healing well.

The only way to accurately check a crop function is to feel it first thing in the morning before the bird has has anything to eat/drink.
Keep us posted on her progress.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[KatefromOz]

I have another update with some good news, well I think it's good news. Little Pip has been quite chatty this morning so my husband and I thought we would put her up in the laying box and see if she wanted to lay. 15 mins later she was out of there and we had an egg. It did have a little blood on it (see pic) which usually wouldn't concern me if it happens once in a blue moon... which is does for her and my RIR.
Her crop, throat and head area don't smell at all, it was just that one poop which was pretty full on. She actually seems to have perked up a bit. She is back inside with us, as I still don't want her using her leg. Should I still try and treat her crop.
Can't thank you all enough for your help. I have been so worried and sad and it's so lovely having people out there who care

 

[Aunt Angus]

I have another update with some good news, well I think it's good news. Little Pip has been quite chatty this morning so my husband and I thought we would put her up in the laying box and see if she wanted to lay. 15 mins later she was out of there and we had an egg. It did have a little blood on it (see pic) which usually wouldn't concern me if it happens once in a blue moon... which is does for her and my RIR.
Her crop, throat and head area don't smell at all, it was just that one poop which was pretty full on. She actually seems to have perked up a bit. She is back inside with us, as I still don't want her using her leg. Should I still try and treat her crop.
Can't thank you all enough for your help. I have been so worried and sad and it's so lovely having people out there who care

Oh, that's great news! Look at that nice shell, too! Maybe it was just hard to pass that egg?

 

[Aunt Angus]

Perhaps it was a combination of bumblefoot and the passing of a soft shell egg. Her limp might be related to the bumble. Keep treating that foot. If she's doing better (eating, drinking, pooping normally and all that good chicken stuff), that may be all she needs.

 

[KatefromOz]

Thank you I hope you're right.
She is still doing the neck stretch/yawn which is my main concern...apart from the limp! I guess it's either a crop issue, gapeworm or maybe just something she does that I've never noticed.

Perhaps it was a combination of bumblefoot and the passing of a soft shell egg. Her limp might be related to the bumble. Keep treating that foot. If she's doing better (eating, drinking, pooping normally and all that good chicken stuff), that may be all she needs.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Thank you I hope you're right.
She is still doing the neck stretch/yawn which is my main concern...apart from the limp! I guess it's either a crop issue, gapeworm or maybe just something she does that I've never noticed.

How often does she yawn?