Losing weight and not laying for 1 month

[speckledhen]

Her crop feels "doughy." I compared it to the other girls, and her's is definitely different. I am just not sure if it's different because she is sooo skinny. I'm gonna keep crop massaging...just in case.

Possible crop stasis. I've lost three hens to that, all during hard molts-crops just quit working. The doughy stuff just won't pass through the proventriculus. Sometimes, they need surgery because they can literally starve to death if that's what's wrong.​

 

[eggfire]

Well, great....crop stasis. I am gonna have a whole new topic to research. I never thought I would be studying so much about chickens when I was a student!!! I'm gonna get busy....
Thanks, speckled hen.... Of course, your news is not good news....

I do enjoy the learning, though. And of course, I was happy to see her have a good day.

 

[speckledhen]

Sorry, I hate being a bucket of cold water and it may not be that at all, but that doughy feel is usually mushed up feed that just isn't moving out of the crop. Keep working it and hopefully, it will pass.

 

[eggfire]

Another good day today, though I'm cautiously optimistic! I am still crop massaging and doing garlic and cranberry capsules. She stinks, but doesn't seem to mind and maybe even likes the massaging.

Just to be sure, how often are you supposed to massage? I thought I read 3 times daily somewhere.....

 

[azhenhouse]

Quote:

 

[Resolution]

..and what is the cause of this condition? The fibres lining the gizzard are moulted periodically. Birds on an insufficient diet will often not moult these fibres and the result can impact their health. Treatment remains the same.

 

[eggfire]

Well, another good day.....I'm hesitant to say, she may be through the worst of it. I massaged her this morning and this afternoon, and I could swear that "doughy" mass is no longer there. Again, I could be wrong but it sure felt a lot better. I'm letting her be tonight because she seemed so content and happy hanging out with the others. I will check for the nasty lumpiness in the morning. Thanks again to everyone for their help. The stinky garlic girl thanks you too.

 

[eggfire]

Great day today! I cannot thank everyone enough for all your input. My hen is recovering, but has a long way to go to gain her weight back.

 

[seminolewind]

I've lost a few chickens in the past year to the exact same symptoms. I opened the last one up and she had an impacted gizzard (not crop). They have the same symptoms, but one can't be felt or fixed. They do pass runny green stool, but then no stool at all. Mine all starved to death, picking at the ground without eating, eating very little of the good food I offered. This probably went on for quite a while, since it takes a long time to find out that they're skinny.

 

[coyote826]

I am struggling with a very similar issue that you posted back in March. I just read your post regarding the recommendation to use cransure and garlic. How is she now? Did it seem to work? My hens are my pets I can't stand to see her wither away. She is a 1 year old barred rock, not molting, her crop seems empty, no evidence of mites, not laying, losing weight, lethargic, eats and poops very little, drinks a lot. I will note: this hen was traumatized at 6 weeks old by a chicken snake that constricted her to the point of Unconsciousness. Luckily I was with in hearing distance and heard the other hens alarm. I got to her just in time. It was horrible! She developed well and began laying eggs at about 6months old. Her eggs were very odd shaped, they are long and almost like a pill tablet shape ( like an 800mg motrin)LOL. I am in FL and we have a terrible time with snakes. I really tightened up their coupe and had not had trouble with a snake until recently when egg production went down I found one buried under the hay and full of eggs. Now this could be a coincidence however I can't help but think that this snake may have been in there for a while and could have possibly injured her. HELP!