Sick Bird

[CT11]

Hi Everyone. Looking for some advice/opinions on what’s going on and what to do about it.

For the last week or two I’ve been feeling like one my girls has been in decline. She’s a 10 month old Speckled Sussex. Recently it’s obvious. Below is a short video of her. She’s moving slowly, not socializing with the flock and making an odd motion with her head which you’ll see at the end of the video.

There’s also been an uptick in soft eggs. Not sure if related to this and if more than one bird.

Possibly unrelated is the bald spot on her saddle as it’s been there for quite some time but I show that in the video too.

and now I realize it won’t let me upload the video. Best way I can describe the head move is it’s like she wants to throw up. I have two still shots of her attached for whatever that’s


let me know your thoughts please.

thanks in advance

 

[azygous]

Please load your cideo to You Tube. Then copy the link and paste it here. Your video will automatically embed and we will then be able to watch it here.

 

[CT11]

Hopefully this works. I’m a bit of an internet idiot but my 11 year old helped. I’m starting to think it’s respiratory. I’ve heard molasses in the water? But then afraid that could cause diarrhea? Oy!

 

[azygous]

You are a cyber success!

It appears to me that your hen could have a crop issue. Feel her crop. Is it fuller than the other chickens? Is it soft and spongy like a water balloon? Or hard and lumpy? Has she had access to grit? Has she been eating hay or grass stems? Is there an odor?

Here's my crop disorder article to further instruct. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[Eggcessive]

It takes time to figure out what is going on sometimes. The bare spot on her back looks like feather picking by others. It is possible they know she feels bad and are picking on her, but also look for overcrowding, boredom, and too little protein in the diet.

Can you feel of her crop and tell us if it feels full and hard, doughy, puffy, or empty and flat? The crop should normally feel empty in morning and gradually fill up all day as she eats and drinks. The neck movements may be her adjusting her crop, but sometimes repeated movements can be neurological in origin. Is she eating and drinking? Does she have grit available to help her gizzard grind food? Is she also getting crushed oyster shell in a separate container for when she needs extra calcium?

 

[CT11]

It takes time to figure out what is going on sometimes. The bare spot on her back looks like feather picking by others. It is possible they know she feels bad and are picking on her, but also look for overcrowding, boredom, and too little protein in the diet.

Can you feel of her crop and tell us if it feels full and hard, doughy, puffy, or empty and flat? The crop should normally feel empty in morning and gradually fill up all day as she eats and drinks. The neck movements may be her adjusting her crop, but sometimes repeated movements can be neurological in origin. Is she eating and drinking? Does she have grit available to help her gizzard grind food? Is she also getting crushed oyster shell in a separate container for when she needs extra calcium?

Ok - crop is visibly swollen. I would say puffy the best description. Definitely not hard and not thick the way I would describe a lump of dough. So soft and puffy.

I do give them grit o occasion. and they also free range a bit. also their run is a dirt run so I’ve figured they get grit from that. It is possible I need to give more although the other birds are all fine.
Yes to the oyster shell as well as dried eggshells most days of the week.

 

[CT11]

Update: I couldn’t get her to swallow coconut oil (per the article) but decide to massage her crop anyway. Over 10 minutes a substantial amount of a tan, opaque fluid came out. I would massage a bit, then bend over so her face was pointed at the ground and another bunch of fluid would come out.
After about 10 minutes she clearly had enough. Her crop is significantly smaller. So I’m going to give her a break for a while and then check back in.
The fluid was stinky, but I feel like more “stomach contents” stinky rather than putrid.

 

[Eggcessive]

Don’t massage her crop again because they can choke to death. You can massage an impacted crop, but never a puffy or sour crop. Refrigerate a tsp of the coconut oil and then chop it into small pieces. Usually chickens will peck and eat them. Get some Monistat (miconazole) cream at your pharmacy or clotrimazole is also good. Give 1/2 inch twice a day.

 

[hayley3]

Don’t massage her crop again because they can choke to death. You can massage an impacted crop, but never a puffy or sour crop. Refrigerate a tsp of the coconut oil and then chop it into small pieces. Usually chickens will peck and eat them. Get some Monistat (miconazole) cream at your pharmacy or clotrimazole is also good. Give 1/2 inch twice a day.

Good to know about the massaging. I killed my chicken who had sour crop. I can't remember the specifics now it's been a few years but I held her upside down and she was vomiting. But then died right then and there. ☹☹

Edited to add: I just saw the link to the article in post #4 by azygous...so I guess she aspirated the liquid. I had watched a video of how to do it, except mine failed. Sharing this so other chicken moms don't do the same thing.

 

[CT11]

Update 2: I gave her some nutri-drench and then gave her a break from all the bother.
Yesterday she seemed much improved moving around more normally and showing interest in the scratch. She also got all into a tomato like it was a revelation so I figured we were on the mend.
This morning, although still showing interest in the food, she’s slowed down a bit and the crop is starting to swell back up.
I’ll have a go at coconut oil again although she doesn’t like it and it was all I could do to get her to take any when we tried Friday.
If anyone has any further input I’m open to it.No biggee if not, just felt the need to vent it all here. It’s frustrating to see her struggling and not be able to help.