SICK 8 mo Hen-Lethargic-Blue Comb-Plucking Feathers-Crop Issues? HELP!

[tulie13]

Quote:
A pendulous crop is one that hangs lower than it should, causing the food in the crop to have to go "up" in order to go "down". The crop is on the chickens right breast side. Check your other chickens. They should all have one, and it should feel somewhat firm when they have been eating, softer when they have been drinking, etc. At night, the crop should empty into the rest of the digestive tract (they stuff it before they go to bed, greedy little pigs!!!). In the morning, the crop should be pretty much FLAT.

If you have her isolated, and the crop is NOT going down overnight, it may be impacted or sour or both. Impaction is when something is blocking the path (wad of hay) and sour is when stuff starts to "rot" in the crop, causing a bad odor and usually a fungal infection (yeast). If it doesn't go down overnight and it feels full like it has a wad of something in it, or you can feel the hay, some olive oil might help you massage it down. If you massage it and she burps, it's probably sour, too. Put Apple Cider Vinegar in her water, 2 Tablespoons per gallon is the normal for maintenance drinking, but with a sour crop I'd give her 1/4 t. mixed in with a little water and just squirt directly down her throat.

BE CAREFUL squirting anything down a bird's throat - their breathing hole is under their tongue! You need to get something skinny enough to squirt way back in the throat, behind the tongue.

Let us know what you see with her crop overnight - good luck!

 

[Judy]

Quote:
You can also just drop liquids along the side of the beak and let the bird manipulate it into her mouth.

 

[tulie13]

Quote:
You can also just drop liquids along the side of the beak and let the bird manipulate it into her mouth.

True, but it's slower and my silly birds like to just fling it on me instead of taking it in...

 

[Trendy Chicks]

I will look into worming.

I tried the oil a couple of times today and she'll "lick" off 5 or 6 drops. I did another massage this morning - kneading, pinching, and lifting as someone suggested and I think it was more productive. I felt 2 hard lumps about 3/4 of an inch each and was able to knead them out - alternating with oil drips. The rest of the crop seemed soft - is that usually how it is - is normal full but soft after they have eaten? I did another massage the same way this afternoon and it was big but all soft - no hard spots.

Her plucked area is exactly over the crop - which makes me suspect is/was her problem. She comb is still a little blue on the last couple of tips, and still flopped over a little - although it seems to have improved a bit. She is making more noise and a little more active. Today I have given her a 1/2 of an apple and grain, along with water. Does this sound appropriate?

I think I will keep her inside one more night and do a couple of more massages and let her out tomorrow - I don't want her to get too used to the warmth!

Does this sound like a good plan? Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

 

[tulie13]

Quote:
Sounds good except for the "grain" - I would give her only soft food, apple is good and some layer crumbles/pellets moistened will turn into mush, but grain can add to your clogging problems if she's still got something down there. Also, I'd add some Apple Cider Vinegar to your plan - if she's had stuff sitting in her crop for a few days, she could have a fungal overgrowth. Make sure her water has the ACV in it 2 T. per gal, and see if you can get about 1/4 teaspoon down her directly, dilute with a little water and get it all in - if her crop is big/soft/squishy without anything really in it, it could be air/gas caused by fermentation. You need to nip that in the bud!

Good luck, and keep us updated.

 

[Trendy Chicks]

Tonight she is back in the coop with her friends.

Her crop seems to have gone down. Her comb is almost back to normal. Hopefully she will be running around the yard in no time!

Thanks for all your input!