Odd neck movement. Comb injured.

[ddschicks]

So I've had some issues with my chickens recently. It's been a rough weekend. You can see the backstory here. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ted-with-pictures-help.1228108/#post-19701748
Anyway now I've seen several of them doing a weird neck thing when they eat.
https://youtu.be/tUa9FZEafmU
But surely they can't all have an impacted crop right? I have no clue what's going on or if I'm doing the right thing for them.
On top of all that, one hen got her head stuck in the fence. Tore part of her comb. I separated her and put some petroleum jelly on it after I squirted water on it. Is there anything else I should do? There's also a thunderstorm coming in so im not sure if I should bring her inside since the separate pen is flimsier. But would that stress her out too much? I'm afraid that with her being sick and stressed will kill her. Help!!!

 

[azygous]

The comb will heal. Put Blu-kote on it so the others won't peck at it.

The neck movements do signal crop issues. And yes, if these chickens are eating a lot of long-stemmed grass, it's possible for more than one to have impacted crops.

Just as it hurts nothing to treat for coccidiosis if you suspect it, it doesn't hurt either to treat for impacted crop if you suspect that. The treatment is two teaspoons of coconut oil for a standard chicken, then massage the crop until you feel the contents break up.

If this fails to break up the impaction after a couple of doses and massage, then you can give a stool softener, wait a half hour or so and do a massage. Here is my article on crop disorders for more information on how to recognize and treat the different disorders. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[ddschicks]

I wasn't sure where the crop was, and when I looked on the two chickens that were doing the weird movements, I couldn't seem to find it. Then, when I checked the chicken that was acting normal, I easily found a big squishy baseball-sized lump. I'm guessing that would be the normal crop. But, I guess that means that the two with odd necks aren't eating? What could be wrong? I still gave them all some coconut oil, and I tried to massage where I figured the crop should be before I realized that they didn't have an impacted crop.

 

[azygous]

Even if the crops are empty, the oil may reach an impacted gizzard and clear that out. Impacted gizzard will lead to starvation since it can't process food since it's full.

Did you read the article I linked to? You need to monitor these crops, and that means checking them all at night and again first thing in the morning.

 

[ddschicks]

I did read the article, but shouldn't they have at least something in their crop since its late afternoon?

 

[azygous]

If they aren't eating, no, the crops will be empty. If you are seeing them eat, they should have something in their crops. Feel just to the right side of the keel bone (breast bone) on the chicken's right side of the chest wall. Sometimes the bulge will be somewhere in the middle of the chest. Sometimes it hangs much lower, even below the chest wall. It's usually got stuff about the size of a golf ball in the crop.