My chicken is dying!!!

[HuntingChick14]

My speckled Sussex has had a large crop for probably 2 weeks, and with this being my first time with chickens, I thought she just liked to gorge herself on food. She kept doing the weird head/neck movements and I thought she was just trying to get her food to go down (I was wrong). So I finally realized there was a problem, so I isolated her and took away her feed and gave her water. She has become increasingly weak. I brought her to the vet yesterday and the guy didn't even tell me what was wrong with her. He sucked out her crop and told me that there was some grass in there that he couldn't get out. Here's the problem though. She's never been outside, so clearly it's not grass. She's about 11 weeks old and is living in the unfinished coop right now. I have noticed that right when I got her, she has been obsessed with eating any loose feathers that are floating around. So my theory is that this "grass ball" is really a "feather ball" and she can't pass it. She just started curling her toes in and sitting on her hocks last night and has a really hard time standing on her own. If I don't do something right now, I don't think she's gonna make it. Did she suddenly develop Marek's Disease? Please help!

 

[TattooedChicks]

If she's impacted her tract with feathers, it's going to be difficult to get them to pass. You could try treating her with olive oil to attempt to move them thru and supplement with vitamins and electrolytes. Solid food likely cannot pass so she could be starving to death. So sorry about your pullet, I really hope she pulls through.

 

[fluffykitty12]

When she vomits, is it liquid brown and yeasty/beer smelling? Sounds like sour/impacted crop to me. Basically, a yeast infection of the crop. Give her gatorade- no solid foods- for 24 hours.

You'll need to empty the crop, which is scary, but doable. IF THE CROP HAS SOLID IN IT, THIS WON'T WORK! IT ONLY WORKS IF THE CROP IS FULL OF LIQUID!

Turn her upsidedown and press on her swollen crop gently- it should feel like a waterballoon. She should vomit out a lot of gross liquid. Keep her upsidedown for thirty seconds, and make sure she's done vomiting before you put her upright so she doesn't aspirate. She should be a lot more comfortable then.

Also, go to the store and buy 3 days worth of monistat. The suppositories used for women with yeast infections. Cut the large, waxy suppositories into thirds and give 1/3 morning, noon, and night.

I'm not in your situation, but there's hope. I had a hen that was so weak she couldn't walk without falling get better on this regimen. Start slow with solids after 24 hours, and keep giving the monistat for a day or two.

 

[bobbi-j]

I'm going to be frank here. I think at this point, the kindest thing you can do for that chicken is put her out of her misery. Think about this. You're wanting to cut her open. Do you have any kind of anesthetic to numb her? Can you imagine how much pain she'll be in if you don't? As weak as she sounds, she's likely not to make it anyway. Why prolong that? Believe me, I know what it's like to want to save an animal. I've tried many times, and too often I've ended up just making them suffer longer for the sake of making myself feel better. Sometimes the best thing we can do for our animals is the hardest thing for us. We had to put our dog down 4 years ago. The night before, I sat with him and cried for hours. I'm an adult. Old enough that all my kids are grown up. It still hurts to lose a pet. But it had to be done because my dog didn't deserve to suffer - which he would have - if we hadn't made that decision.

 

[bobbi-j]

I've looked up topical anesthetcis that are safe for chickens and I cant find a single one. How would I even put her down? I'm crying just thinking about it. What if she could be saved by the surgery? What if I kill her before I even take that chance? I already feel really guilty

You are the only one that can decide what you want to do for her. You have nothing to feel guilty about, either way. (I know, I know, it's easy for me to say - it's not my chicken. But I have had to decide whether to treat or not many times over the years. It's never easy, whichever one decides.) You are doing the very best you can for your chicken and that says a lot. If you do the surgery, I give you credit for trying. If you decide to put her down, I give you credit for ending her suffering. However it turns out, please don't beat yourself up if she doesn't make it. You tried. Your dedication to your chicken is admirable. Wishing you the best. Please let us know what happens.

 

[sevenpines]

I am so sorry to hear about your chicken. I don’t know much about crop problems but ran across this explanation of difficulties in fixing impacted crops (strangely) just a minute before I read your post. Hope it’s okay to share on here.

http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/digestive-problems/index.aspx

Best of luck to you and hugs.

 

[TattooedChicks]

I would wait a bit on more oil, but more fluids in 30 min to an hour, watch for passing materials. The oil will slick the feathers and the water will help move them through the gut. Sounds like she's heading down the right road though.

 

[sbhkma]

You could try and give her vitamins/electrolites in water with a dropper, and possibly add some Corid, which is a strong antibiotic you can buy at the farm store (it's been years since I bought any, so I don't know if you can still get it without seeing a vet.)

I just had to correct this so someone doesn't go buy Corid thinking they're getting a strong antibiotic. Corid is for treating coccidiosis, it is not an antibiotic. And yes, you can still get it at feed stores, thankfully.
I do hope your hen makes it, Huntingchick. You're trying your best, and that means you're being a good caregiver to your bird.

 

[sbhkma]

I think most of us would agree that it's a really expensive option. At this point all you can do is keep trying to get fluids down her and follow the steps on the thread about sour crop, then hope for the best. That really IS expensive. I pay half that to get 3 horses sedated and dental floats done, plus rabies shots...and my vet comes HERE!

 

[Blooie]

I agree totally. As much as we'd like to, we just can't save them all. And crop issues can be among those that, even when treated successfully, come back. If the crop is cleared, the infection or yeast issue is gone, there can still be some lingering damage to the crop and esophagus, and the least thing can irritate it, so the cycle starts again. I'm not saying this always happens - folks have successfully treated crop issues and the chicken never had another problem. If her issue is feather eating, though, that's a tough one to break and you may well end up right back where you started once she's back in with the flock.

I'm so sorry - not what you wanted to hear, I know. But you've tried so hard, and I would hate for you to beat yourself up if the outcome isn't what you wanted after continuing.