rescue birds with gigantic croups, probbable anemia?

[aggiemae]

I got four hens and a rooster (purchased as "Easter chicks") that were being kept in a "less than desirable" situation from a neighbor yesterday. They had no food or water when I took them out of the dog crate they were housed in and they were crazy thirsty and hungry yesterday. Today when i was bathing them i noticed that three of them have huge (palm size) mushy croups. I don't know how long they went hungry but they are undersized and scary bony. About half the weight of my (very small) 6 month old Americanas!

I wonder if I caused this croup problem by free feeding them after they were underfed? They are not as active as the rest of the flock but other than unformed but not watery poop they don't seem sick. They now access to grit. Is there anything else I should/could do for them?

Also they are laying but have very pale combs. Yesterday I put a squirt of polyvisol with iron in their water and all the chickens, including the new ones got pumpkin, hot pepper seeds and yogurt to reduce their parasite load. Unfortunately, I didn't think to take poop samples first but i don't think these skinny girls are up for a worming yet anyway.

Any thought, advice or support would be welcome.


Today I bathed them to kill all the critters so hopefully their combs will get more blood flow.

 

[andreanar]

I would do the whole check over for bugs, checks poop for worms. Start them on something like nutria drench or rooster booster to give them a little support.

 

[Kiki]

You should not be giving them poly with IRON.
Pumpkins and hot peppers WILL NOT get rid of worms..that is a myth.

Can you collect some fresh poop and have it tested by a vet for worm loads?
They are probably full of worms.

I would put them on a grower feed to help them gain weight.

 

[andreanar]

You should not be giving them poly with IRON.
Pumpkins and hot peppers WILL NOT get rid of worms..that is a myth.

Can you collect some fresh poop and have it tested by a vet for worm loads?
They are probably full of worms.

I would put them on a grower feed to help them gain weight.

NIce catch on the poly, I didn't even see that I'm so used to it saying without iron.

 

[Kiki]

NIce catch on the poly, I didn't even see that I'm so used to it saying without iron.

MIGHT have been a typo.
Hopefully.

 

[aggiemae]

Opps... Not on my usual device and I am typing without glasses! Should have said WITHOUT iron.

Actually pumpkin (Cucurbitacin) does reduce the gut parasite load in birds.

I microscopically check their poops and can't remember the last time I had to chemically worn the flock. I don't know how I spaced out checking the for worms immediately consider the why they were being treated. I d agree these hens will need to be wormed since we free ranging I will have to do the whole flock.

Do they need to put on some weight first? They are about 6 months old and the biggest one weights a little over a pound!

Is the mushy croup something to be concerned about? or maybe it just feels so large because the chickens are so thin?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Checking during the day is not a good indicator of crop function - so feel the crops when they go to bed, then first thing in the morning before they eat/drink. If the crops have not emptied overnight, then there would be need for some concern. http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

I agree getting fecal sample checked for worms is a good idea, so you don't treat needlessly.

If they are really thin, you may want to offer chick starter or an all flock/flock raiser type feed that has a protein content of 18-20%. Alternatively you can give them what you would normally feed, but give some chopped egg or tuna for a boost. It may not be a bad idea to offer poultry grit free choice as well - they may not have had access to grit at their previous home and may not be processing foods properly.

At 6months - do any of them lay eggs?

 

[sfgwife]

You said all the birds including ones you had already had the vit water... does that mean you didnt quarantine the new ones separately? That would be done right now for two weeks so that my birds i already have dont get anything from these new ones. Esp since you are givin baths for nasties. ;(.