my hen is sick getting worse.... please help

[Chickiemom1012]

My chickens are about 2.5months old. All are well except one, she now won't come out of the coop into the run and stay under the light all of the time. She keeps doing this weird sweeping motion with her neck, like she has something in her throat or is dizzy, her head slants to the side everytime she does it..... she is still alert but I am afraid something is wrong!!!!!!! I want to help her before she gets worse

The others are far more active then her, running out of the coop right away and even free ranging in the yard.

now the hen is constantly streching her neck and shakes her head and is spitting up (barfing) not sure some is clear liquid some is food colored. It seems like something is stuck in her throat but she still eats a little????

 

[jemagsy]

Try massaging her crop and seeing if perhaps it is impacted. Also sniff near her face and see if it smells sour.

Also can you give us more details. Has she pooed at all lately? What was the color and consistency like if she has? How long has she been having the symptoms you mentioned?

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Check her crop. Sounds like it may be "sour crop". The crop is located below the and above two breast bones.

Some chickens have a very large crop and very hard, but in the morning the crop is soft and small.

A sour crop man or may not be hard, but the crop is either infected or has a material that the bird is having a problem with.

Barfing is a decent sign that this is the problem. You can massage the crop and try a small amount of olive oil given orally.

Hope someone else chimes in here. This is only a suggestion and a possible cause of your babies problem.

 

[dlhunicorn]

how old is this bird? If a chick needing warmth then separate her to a place where what she needs is provided without her having to do much for it...
... a sick bird or a bird feeling poorly will often stop drinking and eating... does not have the energy to get its share within a circle of other more healthy birds (and birds will pick up on weakness and bully them away from feed and drink).
The dizzy movement could well be a sign of dehydration so separate the bird and provide water with electrolytes in it for a few days within easy reach.

 

[Chickiemom1012]

she pooped yesterday and it was clearish and watery. She has been like this for three days now. She is still up and moving but not OK.

If the crop feels impacted what is my next step? Does the massaging and olive oil help, our neighbor is a vet and he gave me som amoxacillin to give her orally in case there was infection

 

[Judy]

Go to index then FAQ, then scroll down to links to threads about sour and impacted crop.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

The poop is a concern. This means there is NO food going through her digestive system.

You need to read up and do a search on impacted crop. You vet neighbor may have some input on this. Most vets will not touch a chicken as they do not know a lot about avian diseases.

What ever you do, be absolute sure she is drinking.

 

[Chickiemom1012]

OK, I massaged her crop and it forced some slimey clraeish liquid out her mouth along with a few blades of grass. I gave her some olive oil and some of the amoxicillin just in case it is an infection, the crop did not feel had but almost blown up like air was trapped in there.

after the slimey stuff came up it seemed softer and I could feel some of the grit in there when I massaged but nothing hard or stuck.

Should I repeat this procedure until she is better??? She is drinking water

 

[dlhunicorn]

sour crop will often also be complicated by what is commony called "thrush"(candida) and antibiotics will make that worse (so stop the amoxcillin) see here:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/27/candidiasis-moniliasis-thrush
(see if that nice vet can get you the nystatin

)

... many things might be causing the stasis (stasis means the crop isn't "moving" and the feed is remaining in the crop instead of being moved through) >try not to massage in such a way that the gunk comes UP out through the beak (mght go down into the airways via the tube in back of throat and that will make things soooo much worse) but feel if there seems a mass and massage that loose so it will go through.
Here are some informative articles on crop issues:
http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=emergencies&action=display&num=1161893898