Long distance crop problems- what would you do?

[tickens33]

One of our chickens is having a problem with a backed up (I guess possibly impacted, but I haven’t felt any solid mass) crop.

Our chickens are on a property about 40 minutes away from where we live; my partner and I are starting a farm out there with plans to build a house within the next few years. We camp out there most weekends.

We noticed her doing the head-bobbing-trying-to-swallow thing on Sunday before we left. Sunday evening, we put her in a dog crate with her own water to stop her from eating. I went back on Monday and did crop massages and coconut oil all day. By the end of the day Monday she seemed fine and like her crop had emptied, and she pooped a ton, so I let her back out. We went out there again yesterday (Tuesday) in the evening and the size of her crop seemed fine compared to all her sisters, we gave her some more coconut oil just in case.

We weren’t planning on going back out there until we camp this weekend (today is Wednesday and we were going to go back out on Friday). However I was just watching the chicken camera and saw this same hen doing the head-bobbing thing again over and over, way worse than on Sunday even.

With my work schedule, my options are-

-leave the situation entirely until Friday and don’t go back until then, and hope it doesn’t get worse before we can spend another day treating it
-go there this afternoon and crate the chicken without food until I can visit again tomorrow evening- I don’t feel comfortable doing this because last time she spilled the waterer before I got there- this also involves spending more on gas money for 2 trips there and back, when we’ve already gone more than usual this week
-go there this afternoon and bring the chicken home with me?? to continue coconut oil and crop massages, and then bring her back when we go camp on Friday

If I brought the chicken home, then she would have to ride with me by herself over bumpy roads and the highway. So I’m not sure if that stress would be worse for her…and then would there be a problem with re-integrating her to the flock?

I am not a fan of having birds in the house, but I’d do it if I knew it would help. We’re actually in the middle of moving to a place closer to the property where the chickens are, so our place is full of boxes and stuff. It would be tough to find space to keep her here.

So far the remote chicken keeping was going really well until now… They’ve had injuries and stuff that we were able to treat and monitor long-distance without a problem, and I thought we had a good system. But now we are having this crop problem and a grain mite (not poultry mite, thankfully) infestation in the same week. I’m feeling really discouraged and worried. What would you do if this was your chicken?

 

[Debbie292d]

If it were me, I'd get some Hydro-Hen or other powdered probiotic and put that in their water so they all get in on it. That would help if there are issues in her digestive tract, but it seems like it's stuck to her crop area. Nevertheless, probiotics can work wonders sometimes.

Then, here are two of the best crop articles on BYC and they will give you more ideas to narrow the problem down, plus other ideas of what to try.

I honestly don't think a crop issue can go days in between treating or at least monitoring to know something's working. As tough as it may be, I'd want her with me.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

 

[tickens33]

If it were me, I'd get some Hydro-Hen or other powdered probiotic and put that in their water so they all get in on it. That would help if there are issues in her digestive tract, but it seems like it's stuck to her crop area. Nevertheless, probiotics can work wonders sometimes.

Then, here are two of the best crop articles on BYC and they will give you more ideas to narrow the problem down, plus other ideas of what to try.

I honestly don't think a crop issue can go days in between treating or at least monitoring to know something's working. As tough as it may be, I'd want her with me.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

Thank you so much for the thoughtful advice. And yeah, I’ve been using info from those articles In your opinion, is the stress she might experience with transport and being away from the other chickens worth it to be able to monitor her? I’m so concerned the flock could reject her when we try to bring her back

 

[Debbie292d]

Thank you so much for the thoughtful advice. And yeah, I’ve been using info from those articles In your opinion, is the stress she might experience with transport and being away from the other chickens worth it to be able to monitor her? I’m so concerned the flock could reject her when we try to bring her back

How many do you have? You could try just putting her back and see how that goes, and if there is a particular one that picks on her, pull that one or ones out. You'd probably want to let them back out next time you're out there, but maybe a few days would be enough to reset the pecking order. A week or two is usually better.

For water in a small pen, I used an icecream pail and wired the handle to the side of it so they couldn't tip it. Otherwise, these all know how to use nipple bottles.

As for transport, she may enjoy the ride, but if you think she won't, I'd put her in a small cage or laundry basket and cover her so she can't see and perhaps will sleep during the trip.

 

[tickens33]

How many do you have? You could try just putting her back and see how that goes, and if there is a particular one that picks on her, pull that one or ones out. You'd probably want to let them back out next time you're out there, but maybe a few days would be enough to reset the pecking order. A week or two is usually better.

For water in a small pen, I used an icecream pail and wired the handle to the side of it so they couldn't tip it. Otherwise, these all know how to use nipple bottles.

We have 7 chickens including the one who’s having problems.

When she was penned up earlier this week, we used a hanging chick waterer from tractor supply and the bottom fell off of it while it was hanging :/

I’m 50/50 right now between going there and trying to crate her tonight and then going back again tomorrow, vs. just bringing her home with us to keep a really close watch on her. We live in an apartment with upstairs neighbors, and we did brood these chickens at home, but they were a lot quieter when they were little… There’s a back vestibule we could put her in but I don’t know how far the noises would carry. We would not be able to keep a close eye on multiple days of reintegration, either…

I’m just kind of rambling my thoughts out. Thank you again for your help