Sick Chicken! Diarrhea, squishy crop, no appetite, listless, puffy, bloated, skinny!

[Porch Chicken]

Well my beloved hen has been off for over a week now. Thought it was an internal laying problem, like her flockmate had had and decided to just let it take it's natural course, as the vet accidentally killed my last bird with this trouble. WELL, I'm sure I was wrong. She has had loose, watery bowels and increasing weakness for a week now. She was trying to run around with her friend, but she got tired out really easily. I kept expecting her to die, but nope! Past few days she's been sitting still most of the time, but then the other day she looked a lot better! But she wasn't eating, just drinking. She was trying to eat some greens, but the poor dear has an off track beak from a survive hawk attack, so I forced fed her three syringes full of chick food slurry. After that she was done, she sat still, eyes closed. When she drank, she'd have to swivel her head around a bunch to get it down, it was like her belly was too full. So it's been downhill since then, but the liquidy poop continues.

Today we went to the vet and she was really nice. Felt her crop and said it was full--- but she hadn't eaten in two days! She didn't empty it, but prescribed anti-fungals and anti-bioitics. I felt good about it at first, but now I wonder if both should be taken at the same time, and what the likelihood of the problem being bacterial is?

Her belly is gassy, her crop isn't emptying and she has loose liquid poo. What do y'all think it could be, and what is the proper course? I'm thinking it sounds like it's probably fungal, and if so, I'm worried about the antibiotics wiping out the good bacteria. I'm wondering if I should stick to the antifungal only, plus applesauce and probiotics, plus some oil and crop massaging. What do you all think? And should i take her back to get her crop emptied? I just wanna do right by my favorite little hen! She's so tired and weak, it was like the vet didn't want to risk the bird keeling over right there on the spot.

If I hold off on the antibiotics and it is a bacteria, then she'd die so I just don't know. She ate some yogurt today, I bet I could get her to keep it up. Advice, please!!!!

 

[Judy]

I'm wondering if this is sour crop.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/614951/help-me-with-sour-crop-please/0_20

 

[casportpony]

What drugs did the vet give you? Did you discuss tube feeding? Is she inside your house where it's warm?

 

[Porch Chicken]

She gave me an antibiotic and an antifungal. Tube feeding till her crop is full, but it's all squishy and water ballony all the time. Yeah, she's inside. I decided not to continue with the AB, because that can make fungus worse. I'm forcing her olive oil, yogurt, probiotic, and electrolyte in tiny amounts. She's skin and bones at this point. I'm afraid any crop emptying would do her in, especially if it's not the root cause.

 

[casportpony]

Which anitbiotic and antifungal did you get? Be very careful when giving oil, aspiration of one drop can result in death from lipoid pneumonia.

 

[Porch Chicken]

But do you think it has any benefit for a bird with her condition?

Twice now after crop massage she has stood up wide eyed and pooped. Still liquidy

 

[Porch Chicken]

After her first crop rub, she suddenly jerked to life and guzzled water. Then she jerked her neck around and opened and shut her beak a bunch like something was stuck in her throat. The last poo-splosion looked really painful, there was some kind of wheezing sound coming from somewhere on her, couldn't tell if mouth or toosh. She looks wiped. Whaddaya think? Healing crisis or crisis-crisis?

 

[casportpony]

Which anitbiotic and antifungal did you get?