Prize Chicken ate Ruby Earring!

[Jazbyre]

On Dec.23, I was cuddling my beautiful Rhode Island Red hen, Big Momma, when she suddenly spotted my ruby stud earring. She plucked it out of my ear, and I watched in horror as she turned it over in her beak, then swallowed it. She is a dear, dear girl, who raised two broods of 10 each this past season, completely free-range. I have put her in a cage and am checking her droppings. Is there any way to stimulate her gizzard to clear? I am certain that the earring is in there with all the gravel. The earrings were a wedding gift, and the pair is worth about $1000. I do butcher my own chickens, however Big Momma is the best chicken in our flock! Any ideas???!!!

 

[chickenannie]

Oh my goodness!!! Sorry to hear that.

 

[Wildsky]

Oh no!

Perhaps something like bread with olive oil.. look up posts for impacted crop and see what folks are advised to feed, I know thats not the problem here, but the stuff suggested to feed might help her pass all the goodies in her crop.

Good luck!

 

[Imp]

Egads!

I think you have a $500 chicken there. Sorry.

Imp

 

[gkeesling]

that ring will probably stay in her gizzard until it's no longer recognizable. I doubt if she will pass it without it sticking somewhere and killing her. Only one way I know to get your ear ring back and it still be usable. Hmm, chicken or the ear ring? sorry.

 

[Wildsky]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm Perhaps crop surgery? Just an idea.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Quote:
I thought about that or use the impacted crop procedure to see if you could move it out of her crop and up and out of her mouth. It will probably be time consuming, but its worth a try if you are attached to her.

 

[High Roost Ranch]

If you have a vet that handles poultry, have them get it out with a scope and extractor.

 

[LynneP]

You may get lucky and find it in droppings soon. So long as she is eating plenty (bread is good, especially with oil). I think you will find your earring.
It's a needle in a haystack kind of thing, but a real ruby can survive an alkaline gut...good luck!

 

[HLAC]

I think surgery or butchering is about the only way to get your earring back before it gets ground up in the crop.

(none of my chickens are worth $500.00 to me.... so I'd be boiling some water..) Sorry.