NEED HELP ASAP--hen w/impacted crop...HOW TO GET OLIVE OIL DOWN HER?

[waghmg]

Hi,

Thanks for checking on her.

It was suggested that maybe she was too cold being she is too thin. Using too many calories to keep warm and slows her crop down where she can't empty it as well. That made a huge difference in her. Her crop is completely empty every morning now. Yaay!! I also wormed her again yesterday with Valbazen, though at half dose of what I did the first time. Wondering now if she was so worm laden it was bringing her down gradually, leading to the crop issues, lost weight. Then when I wormed her and the burden/medicine brought her down further.

Now the issue is to get the weight on. She wants to go outside but it has been windy, wet and cold here but will be warming up to near 70 in a few days. I hate having to keep her in this crate all the time. Did get her out on Saturday for a while, but Sunday was too cold/wet.

She is still picky about what she eats and only wants her crumbles in powder form, although my daughters dug up some grubs Saturday and Sunday, about 20 each day, and she ate them like there was no tomorrow. May try and do that again today if I can.

She won't eat bread and she used to LOVE it until she got sick.

Any suggestions on what I might be able to feed her to get her gaining weight? Her crop seems to be working fine as long as she is warm.

 

[Jessie66]

So glad to hear she is doing well

 

[artsyrobin]

so good to hear! ok, i'd bump up her protein, scrambled eggs etc. when it is warm out, i'd put her out in a pen if you can, so she can visit with the other chickens, can you get her some mealie worms? or maybe canned catfood or dogfood?

 

[waghmg]

Thanks for the suggestions...all she will eat is powdered crumbles.

Haven't tried canned cat food but will give it a go, though I seriously doubt it. She does not seem to like 'wet' things. She just looks at them and shakes her head. No go on the eggs. Never has touched them. Won't eat yogurt. Won't eat dried mealy worms anymore; don't have access to live ones, just the grubs.

Seems she has regressed a little. I'm afraid her pickiness may be her demise.

Anxious for it to warm up. Maybe getting outside will cheer her up.

Any more thoughts anyone? This is getting to be a long arduous journey.....

 

[waghmg]

Oh...one more thing...

I REALLY don't know about this, but I did see chick starter (nonmedicated) was 20% protein. How does that compare to regular layer crumbles/pellets? She has not laid in a while so that's not a concern. Just trying to get her well....

Would that hurt to try to see if she would eat it to get her extra protein and maybe add some weight? Anyone think it would be worth a try?

If this is a stupid question, please pardon my ignorance.

 

[artsyrobin]

couple ideas- i use game bird feed with mine, in the winter- not on a long term basis- its 22%, the other idea is what about boiled eggs(the yolks would be powdery)? mash them up til they are the consistancy she likes and sprinkle it in her crumbles??

 

[waghmg]

Good ideas!! Especially w/ the boiled egg yoke. Maybe she wouldn't noticed too much if done that way. I'll get on it and try it...

As far as game bird feed...looked online at Tractor Supply, can't find. I'll check into it though...

Once again, thanks for the suggestions. I'm trying just about everything!

 

[waghmg]

UPDATE:

I lost my dear sweet girl Daisy tonight. We came home and she was gone. I've been treating her for well over 2 weeks for what I thought might be worms, impacted crop, etc. She had gotten very thin and had been going downhill a while and w/my inexperience just didn't have a clue on what/how to treat her for. Turns out either she was older than we thought or there was some other underlying issue.

I just wanted to say THANK YOU to all who tried to help me and Miss Daisy.

I'm really brokenhearted. Never realized a chicken could mean so much. I've also been her nursemaid day in/day out for over 2 weeks now. I think I got even closer than I had been to her. She was such a sweetie and loved people, I think more than chickens.

My husband and I were trying to decide earlier how to best end her life so she could have peace...but she decided for us tonight.

Thank you all again, and keep up the good work!

 

[zinia8]

sorry to read about Daisy.

 

[mkcolls]

I'm so sorry for your loss. You did everything in your power and fought the good fight. You are a great chicken mama, of course you love her and are brokenhearted.