This is me. Hours upon hours of research and even more clueless than before. I had a very sweet hen pass away last week after taking care of her inside for four days. I know she had sour crop but not sure if that's why she passed or what may have caused it. Now... I have another sick chicken. Slightly different symptoms, but I'm afriad whatever it is, is contagious. One of things I found after noticing my first hen was sick was a terribly dirty bum. It wasn't super watery, it just looked like when she pooped it went all over her tail feathers instead of the ground. NONE of my chickens have ever had dirty bottoms before. So after she passed I went out inspecting all my other hens and found one other with dirty tail feathers. I watched her for a couple days and it seemed to be getting worse so I seperated her today.
She is eating and drinking and very active, whereas my other was not. However, this one is wheezing a little and stretching her neck out some. She's not shaking her head back and forth, absolutely NO sneezing or nasal drainage, no idea when she layed her last egg (however I already tried a warm epsom salt bath just incase and she wouldnt hardly tolerate it), and I can barely feel her crop at all so no idea if she has sour crop. I'm at such a loss and am stressing to the max. I've had chickens for 2 years and this is my first experience with sickness and I'm failing at treating it. I really don't want to lose my whole flock.
