Pendulous crop?

[micstrachan]

You can give probiotcs now but definitely offer them up after and for a few weeks. Yeast infections thrive in environments that lack good bacteria. These meds kill off good digestive yeasts and no doubt there is lingering bad yeasts hanging around throughout her entire digestive tract. Bad Yeasts have a way of going dormant in the intestines, waiting to pounce on a weak immune system. So pump it up for a few weeks to get her health back.

Understood. Thanks very much.

 

[micstrachan]

Ruby update:
Ruby has been responding well to the Clotrimazole cream. However, the past two mornings she was off the roost before I let them out and had something in her crop. Pretty sure it’s from eating feathers , since Bridge decided to head into a hard core molt right after I changed out all the bedding to get rid of all the other feathers. Her crop was empty three mornings in a row when I let them out before she got off the roost.

All I am doing right now (besides the Clotrimazole) is fresh water, regular feed, and kale. I take out the kale stem and pulse it in the Cuisinart so it’s chopped. Then I throw a bunch of it around the run like confetti and leave the remainder in a dish. They don’t leave a speck of it untouched. Since it’s a three day weekend and I can tend to them well, she will also getting little crop massaged here and there. I’d love to give them a scrambled egg treat with olive oil, but there is little egg laying happening right now. Only three are laying and one of them has a faded comb and wasn’t feeling well yesterday, so I suspect her molt is about to start.

Edited to add:
Probiotics, too. I’ll be starting those back up today. Possible the rooster booster brand with both vitamins AND probiotics, since a little boost might help them deal with the poor air quality.

 

[TwoCrows]

I HATE when they eat feathers. And of course this makes them a lot more susceptible to slow crops and yeast infections. Sounds like you are doing all you can, she should heal up well over time. I've noticed it's about a month later that the poop looks perfect again and the bird seems in better health. Chickens hide things so well, they are sicker than they appear. It's only after recovering a month later that you can see how sick they really were.

 

[micstrachan]

Today is the first day I’ve been hit able to hang out with the chicken since Monday. When I first let them out, all nine of them seemed happy and well... eating, drinking, enjoying themselves. When I let them out to run around, I noticed Ruby was just hanging out under a tree, but she had a couple friends with her, so I didn’t think too much of it. However, after a while, she went back into the run. Now she is hanging out in the nesting box with her face in the corner. She has seemed fine every morning, but I don’t know if she’s been having this behavior mid day during this week. She is molting somewhat have a Lee, so I’m not gonna freak out just yet. However, wondered if there’s anything in particular I should be looking for since she’s recovering from a doughy crop. I’m pretty sure her crop is emptying overnight every day at this point. All of us humans feel a little bit lousy because of the air quality, and maybe that’s affecting her, too. I’m really hoping this behavior is a one day thing.

 

[micstrachan]

She came out of the box, but here is Ruby right now while all her friends are free ranging. I hope she is just feeling vulnerable from her molt.

 

[TwoCrows]

She came out of the box, but here is Ruby right now while all her friends are free ranging. I hope she is just feeling vulnerable from her molt.
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Aww...I hope she is ok! Sometimes they do get shy and nervous during molts, but keep an eye in her, when they hang back it can mean illness.

 

[micstrachan]

Aww...I hope she is ok! Sometimes they do get shy and nervous during molts, but keep an eye in her, when they hang back it can mean illness.

Yes, that is what I am concerned about, especially after the crop issue. Both Bridgey and Roxy did this within the last month... feeling lousy for a day and then recovering on their own, but I’m definitely keeping close tabs on the Rubester.

 

[TwoCrows]

Yes, that is what I am concerned about, especially after the crop issue. Both Bridgey and Roxy did this within the last month... feeling lousy for a day and then recovering on their own, but I’m definitely keeping close tabs on the Rubester.

Just as having an empty crop in the morning, they need to have food in the crop at roosting time as well. With the exception of molting, (many of my birds go on an eating strike during a molt and go to bed empty) they should go to roost with a full or half full crop. Checking crops at bedtime can clue you in to whether or not they are getting enough to eat. An empty crop on a non molting bird can sometimes signify a health issue.

Yes, birds can have off days, especially during weather changes, feed changes, other times as well, but if they don't bounce back in the next day or two, its time to intervene.

 

[azygous]

I have had three hens turn neurotic, paranoid and withdrawn during this season's molt. I'm not anthropomorphizing, either. Normally they are outgoing and calm, but during the first very hard days of molt, they feel picked on and frightened by the least little thing. They run from me screeching. They were hiding in the coop to avoid the flock and potential bullies, and since they were acting like they were victims, some of the bullies obliged them.

The problem was they were not getting enough to eat, and losing strength. That sets them up for opportunistic infection. So I would take them off the perch in the morning and let them spend a few days in the "jail" pen so they could feel safe from bullying and get enough to eat.

All three needed only a couple of days of this special treatment to get their strength and mojo back, and all began to stand up to the bullies and they quit trying to isolate themselves.

Ruby has an "iffy" history so I wouldn't just assume she's okay. She may require a "tune-up" of TLC.

 

[TwoCrows]

They sure can get freaky during a hard molt. Molting can be incredibly stressful and bring on all kinds of ailments, mental and physical!