Pendulous crop?

[micstrachan]

Thanks, Melody. I had to leave before they were up this morning. I left out (in addition to their feed and fresh copper water) scrambled eggs with lots of olive oil (which they ate) and damp feed (which they ignored). They’ve been on the copper water for seven days, but Ruby would run over to to the neighbor’s water whenever they free ranged after work, so the course was not followed with fidelity.

It’s been a couple months since everyone was weighed. I might do it this weekend. Yes, all my birds feel skinny during molt. Ruby’s keel bone is pronounced, but it sort of always has been. I think I’ve mentioned in the past that she’s always been one of my leanest birds. The good news is that, aside from moments here and there of standing with her eyes closed, Ruby is still pretty active and has mostly good body language.

The puppy pads idea is brilliant! I just got some recently for collecting poop for fecal float (had a case when the 1 1-2 year olds were chicks and dog was a pup, but I’m pretty sure hubby got rid of them as had to get more. )

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Personally if it's been 7 days using the ACS, then I wouldn't give that anymore.

 

[micstrachan]

Yeah, I think they are not getting enough fluid because of it. It’s 8:00am and I’m just getting up, so I am going to have some upset birds!

 

[TwoCrows]

You say she is getting quite thin? Yeasts eat the birds food as do worms. Yeast infections are common with worms and Coccidiosis as they both upset the balance in the gut. So you might get her wormed if you haven't already. Both yeasts and worms will starve the bird to death.

Generally with impactions, IF the crop is shrinking, you will see what ever has impacted them in the poop...grass, root fibers, hay, etc... Unless of course they ate plastic, string or other foreign object which may never pass. So if the crop has improved somewhat, you are not seeing remanents in the poop of impacted material, chances are this is a yeast infection or some other internal issue causing the entire GI tract to become slow.

 

[micstrachan]

So Ruby had a firm crop when I let them out. She is in the grow out coop with puppy pads. The girls are PISSED that I’m not letting them free range this morning. Ruby is drinking regular water very well. There is also a raw egg in there for for quick energy while I make up a warm mash. Before I put her in there, she fluffed her butt feathers and there was a well-wormed turd behind her, but she was facing me., so I don’t know for sure if it was hers. I’ll she what she leaves on puppy pads. Everyone else is scratching on the side of the run that has rice hulls.

 

[micstrachan]

I just saw @TwoCrows post after I posted mine. Ruby is confined and drinking and drinking and drinking regular water. If I am going to continue treating for yeast, I’m going another route, as I believe she was getting dehydrated. What is the best over the counter method for yeast?
I've seen one poop (wet, but with actual soft poop in it). She likes the raw egg but is ignoring the wet feed. She's doing a lot of standing with her eyes closed, which makes me sad for her.

Leyla, did you see that Ruby had a negative fecal float a couple weeks ago? The sample wasn't super fresh, though.

~Michelle

(P.S.) I'm using a computer for a change... OMG, so much easier to post, and hopefully you all won't see a million thumb typos! LOL!

 

[micstrachan]

Sorry... I know I tend to get really obnoxious when I have a bird I'm worried about, but I forgot one thing...

You know how I recently finally got the last part of the run recovered in hardware cloth and new pitched tarp? (and removed the old chicken wire and tarp)

In doing so, I realized just how corroded the old tarp was... it was down to shreds, so there were lots of fibers everywhere. If Ruby ingested some, that is going to be a big problem. If I am unable to treat successfully for yeast and impaction, I may take her to a vet and ask them to perform crop surgery.

 

[TwoCrows]

I just saw @TwoCrows post after I posted mine. Ruby is confined and drinking and drinking and drinking regular water. If I am going to continue treating for yeast, I’m going another route, as I believe she was getting dehydrated. What is the best over the counter method for yeast?
I've seen one poop (wet, but with actual soft poop in it). She likes the raw egg but is ignoring the wet feed. She's doing a lot of standing with her eyes closed, which makes me sad for her.

Leyla, did you see that Ruby had a negative fecal float a couple weeks ago? The sample wasn't super fresh, though.

~Michelle

(P.S.) I'm using a computer for a change... OMG, so much easier to post, and hopefully you all won't see a million thumb typos! LOL!

Great on the fecal test! Well then its either some sort of yeast or blockage. Crop issues can be a such a mystery untill they play themselves out. Hence I throw everything at them till something works.

Over the counter stuff wont be as effective as Copper, but it never hurts to pile it on. Vaginal creams, particularly Gyne-Lomotrin works really well. (1/2 - 1 ml 3 times a day orally) Spices like Ginger, Cinnamon, Cayanne bust yeast. (1/16th teaspoon each, 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice and sryringe under the tongue 3 times daily) I've heard wine is a wonderful yeast buster. But I'm not sure of the dosage...1 ml 3 times daily? Yeast busting foods...greens of any kind, avoid layer feed for a while, substitute with cooked chicken and vitamins.

 

[TwoCrows]

Oh and ACV can help. 1 tablespoon ACV per 1 gallon of water. Change daily.

Plain no sugar yogurt, a teaspoon once daily.

 

[micstrachan]

Great on the fecal test! Well then its either some sort of yeast or blockage. Crop issues can be a such a mystery untill they play themselves out. Hence I throw everything at them till something works.

Over the counter stuff wont be as effective as Copper, but it never hurts to pile it on. Vaginal creams, particularly Gyne-Lomotrin works really well. (1/2 - 1 ml 3 times a day orally) Spices like Ginger, Cinnamon, Cayanne bust yeast. (1/16th teaspoon each, 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice and sryringe under the tongue 3 times daily) I've heard wine is a wonderful yeast buster. But I'm not sure of the dosage...1 ml 3 times daily? Yeast busting foods...greens of any kind, avoid layer feed for a while, substitute with cooked chicken and vitamins.

If she is impacted, are the greens still OK? She does enjoy them! (though I left the kale in my work fridge and will need to go out for more ) Since I don't know whether it's blockage or yeast (or both?) I don't want to make either scenario worse. If it were yeast, wouldn't she have responded a bit by now even though the copper treatment wasn't perfect?

She's ignoring the wet feed (which is mixed layer and grower), so I'll remove it. The other girls might like it, though they ignored it yesterday.

Finally, Ruby hasn't laid in months. HOWEVER... I think she may have had a mini molt earlier and is in the full molt now. Since this is only my third year of keeping chickens, I'm still learning the molt patterns (or lack thereof!) I think I am mentioning the laying because deep down I am aware the crop may be a symptom of something else... hoping I can help her clear it...