Mother hen weak, distended crop - it is sour crop??

[verlaj]

No, not lice. They are on the comb and wattles only, and they are skin lesions. Like the way it would look after a scab came off. But very small.

Just came in from looking over the rest of the flock. Maybe one other (the other Barnie!) had a few of these white spots on her comb. Looked under the roosts for mites - no mites, but many gnats - many blood filled. Going back out to spray for insects - the whole flock is shaking their heads, with bugs hovering around them.

Mother hen's crop is less fluid now - more soft mush. I massaged it. Saw her poop - green squirts! What does that mean?? Cleaned that out of the bedding. The chicks' poop looks normal. Mother hen does not have white spots on her comb.

Put ACV in the water for the other hens in case of yeast infection. Sprayed the waterer with the chicks and hen with Oxine. Don't know whether it is safe to put ACV in the water that the chicks will be drinking, too. I would hate to separate the hen from the chicks - would like to avoid that.

 

[verlaj]

I put Oxine in the waterer for the chicks and mother hen. Massaged the crop again - can feel some small bits of solid matter in there - could it be that she ate some of the hay bedding? Could that cause weakness, no weight gain, and green squirts?

 

[babsbag]

You might feel grit in her crop. I know I do in mine, even when the crop is "empty".

I hope your hen is ok.

 

[emys]

Then perhaps they are scabs from gnat bites. I think the gnats are eating your hens alive. The weak ones could be suffering from low red blood count. Get them away from all gnats and feed vitamins and a little beef liver.

Check out other threads on gnats - luckily we don't have this pest up here, but I have seen posts about it.

Here is a recent one. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=174452&p=1

 

[verlaj]

Thanks, emys. I sprayed last night with an organic spray I have for my horses that works really well on gnats (It's "Toad" something - maybe "Toad Mist.") Sprayed under the roosts where I saw all the gnats, and then a mist over the roosting birds. When I rechecked before I left, there were no gnats under the roosts.

The mother hen seems a bit better this a.m. Her crop was full and firm - a normal feeling crop. She did have "green squirts" when I let her out of the broody pen to stretch her legs and have a dust bath. The green poop doesn't smell bad at all. She pecked around the coop - getting little pebbles it seemed like. Later I fed her some scrambled egg and yogurt. She ate a little, but again her crop was full.

The hen with the white specks on the comb and wattles is about the same, except there is swelling now on one side of her face. She did have a nice, big, normal looking poop this morning.

 

[verlaj]

UPDATE -

Hardly know what to do for the mother hen. Her crop is distended and liquidy again this evening. She's alert - and she acts like she wants to eat, but doesn't. I gave her some scrambled egg with plain yogurt this morning, and she took a couple of bites, but I don't think she swallowed more than a bite. It was all still there when I got home from work. I took her out this evening - massaged the crop, gave her 3 ccs of NutriDrench. Then gave her about 15 ccs of water with ACV in it in case there is a yeast infection in her crop. I don't get a bad smell from her, but can hear gurgling sometimes when I massaged her crop.

The hen with the bumblefoot is looking good - still haven't done anything more than long soaks in Epsom salts followed by chlorhexidine - making sure the wound stays open.

The hen with the white specks all over her comb and wattles, with swelling, now maybe is looking a little brighter and she ate a good bit of scratch today.

There's a lot of open-mouthed breathing going on, but it is hot as blue blazes outside. I heard one hen do a few squeaky coughs - will keep an eye on that and see if that is real - or maybe a bug went down the wrong way. Going to set up a box fan in the coop for the heat and the nighttime gnats.

Mostly worried about the mother hen. The chicks look fine, but what to do about this crop thing???

 

[emys]

Weird - I don't have any ideas other than maybe in an effort to cool down she is drinking non stop until she is full???

Anyone else what to take a crack at this one??

 

[emys]

Hen with swelling on one side of her face could be serious infection starting. I'd treat with antibiotics and keep a close eye on her too.

?Maybe gnat bite related? or dead one/s up her nostril? I'm out of my element here, but I feel your frustration. Sorry I'm not much more help.

 

[Chickengal505]

For the liqud feeling crop (i have this offten) hold her up side down by her legs untill she vomits this will clean the crop and make her feel better. Dont attemp inside or if you are quesy!Have someone else do it if you have are quesy but it MUST be done! Limit water to enough to keep her happy not as mutch as she wan't though.

 

[verlaj]

Thanks, you guys, for the input. I just came in from the coop - now there aren't gnats, but swarms of mosquitoes!! Thought I had a box fan to hang in the coop to keep the insects down, but no. Will have to get one tomorrow. The hens are all restless from the insects. Sprayed over all and under roosts again with the organic repellent. Then fogged all over the hens with Oxine. Checked the crop on the momma- pretty big and soft. Will have to leave the vomiting procedure until tomorrow. Bumblefoot has been soaked again, reopened, packed with neosporin. The one with the white spots and swelling of her face seems a bit stronger. Ate cut up strawberry. Didn't hear any wheezing or coughing in the coop - just restless stamping, from the mosquitoes! Poor things. To top it off, a coyote snagged one of my old Buff Orpingtons this evening!! (Why won't the blasted coyotes ever take roosters?) We had not seen a coyote for a while - back to the stake out with a rifle. Thinking I should bring my chicks and momma hen inside to protect them from the insects, at least. Thinking I have too many chickens. Really would like halo's Ameraucana pullets that she is selling - but obviously this is NOT a good time to add to the flock..