Sick chicken not ready to die: need help

[Mouthwash]

I've had a sick chicken for over 5 weeks. She started with diarrhea and then shorly after I noticed an impacted crop. She's been on deaths doorstep and back several times with poo ranging from milky white to green to brown. Her crop got the smallest when she was seperated for a week on pureed tomato as a diet and eventually she refused to eat any soft food. She was looking horrible and weak and I made the decision to put her back with the others if she was going to pass as to not die alone. The first night she didn't even make it into the coop and she was sleeping on the ground and I thought she was a goner but she is persevering and really goes crazy for lettuce and grass but is picky of even her regular crumble and her crop will not empty. It's full every morning any by night it's fully liquid feeling, so I will give a little small amount of lettuce because she seems like she wants to eat so bad but is being insanely picky. She's drinking water, not laying eggs, and at this moment has brown diarrhea and a full crop every morning. I'm wondering if there's anjtnkng I can do. It's like her crop is emptying 30% as quick as it should.

 

[Debbie292d]

So sorry to hear your hen isn't well.

If this were me, I would put some chicken crumbles in a dish and wet it to make a mash. That is like a treat around here and to many. Scrambled eggs is another healthy "treat" for them she'd probably eat.

The other thing is probiotics. Sugar-free Greek yogurt, powders in water, fermented grain/feed, etc. are all great sources, and probiotics may help her crop issues.

Here's a great article on crop ailments by @azygous
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[Mouthwash]

So sorry to hear your hen isn't well.

If this were me, I would put some chicken crumbles in a dish and wet it to make a mash. That is like a treat around here and to many. Scrambled eggs is another healthy "treat" for them she'd probably eat.

The other thing is probiotics. Sugar-free Greek yogurt, powders in water, fermented grain/feed, etc. are all great sources, and probiotics may help her crop issues.

Here's a great article on crop ailments by @azygous
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

I've been doing the mash for a couple days and I can feel her crop was the mash in it this morning. I am also doing vitamin powder, and I was giving yogurt but like I said she really won't eat it.

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is she? Does she every lay eggs anymore? Have you wormed her recently? Worms and reproductive problems can cause crop problems. Valbazen and SafeGuard are good wormers to use. Do you provide granite poultry grit inna separate container from their feed? What do you feed, including treats? I have treated a few hens over the years with chronic crop disorders, and eventually every one of them died. During home necropsies, I did find other problems inside that may have caused the problem. Cancer, water belly, and reproductive problems were some possible causes. Have you read this article about crop treatments:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[Debbie292d]

I've been doing the mash for a couple days and I can feel her crop was the mash in it this morning. I am also doing vitamin powder, and I was giving yogurt but like I said she really won't eat it.

Be sure to read the article I linked.

Mix a little of her favorite fruit in the yogurt or use the stuff that is mixed in the water, such as Hydro-Hen which we have, but there are dozens. Then take away all other sources of water for a day, and use that to make her mash too. I hope she starts improving!

 

[Matilda84]

Oh no poor girl!

You could always try a chicken 'crop bra' as these can help food to empty quicker, however it seems to me like she may be past a stage where this would help. As someone has already mentioned crop problems, especially long-term or recurring problems are almost always a sign of some other problem going on internally. Keep doing what you can. You could massage her crop if it feels hard and give her olive oil with a syringe into the side of her beak, to help encourage the movement of food from the crop to the proventriculus. Apple cider vinegar is also a good thing to give her as it is a natural antifungal. You could try 'Beryl's friendly bacteria' which could help if she has an infection causing these problems, or could just help to promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria.

If possible for your situation/location etc., you could take her to a vet, who from my experience, depending on how severe they think it is would either recommend euthanasia or would prescribe antibiotics if they think it could be a bacterial infection, and/or a painkiller such as 'metacam' which would not make her better but would hopefully make her remaining time more comfortable and could encourage her to eat.

How is she behaving? If she is pecking and scratching at things during the day that is good. If she is just standing round with her tail down, hunched over, feathers puffed out etc., then she is likely in pain and the kindest thing may be to have her humanely put down, preferably by a vet to ensure this is done safely and painlessly, unless you are experienced doing it yourself.

I am very sorry to hear your chicken is sick and wish you all the best.

 

[Mouthwash]

Oh no poor girl!

You could always try a chicken 'crop bra' as these can help food to empty quicker, however it seems to me like she may be past a stage where this would help. As someone has already mentioned crop problems, especially long-term or recurring problems are almost always a sign of some other problem going on internally. Keep doing what you can. You could massage her crop if it feels hard and give her olive oil with a syringe into the side of her beak, to help encourage the movement of food from the crop to the proventriculus. Apple cider vinegar is also a good thing to give her as it is a natural antifungal. You could try 'Beryl's friendly bacteria' which could help if she has an infection causing these problems, or could just help to promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria.

If possible for your situation/location etc., you could take her to a vet, who from my experience, depending on how severe they think it is would either recommend euthanasia or would prescribe antibiotics if they think it could be a bacterial infection, and/or a painkiller such as 'metacam' which would not make her better but would hopefully make her remaining time more comfortable and could encourage her to eat.

How is she behaving? If she is pecking and scratching at things during the day that is good. If she is just standing round with her tail down, hunched over, feathers puffed out etc., then she is likely in pain and the kindest thing may be to have her humanely put down, preferably by a vet to ensure this is done safely and painlessly, unless you are experienced doing it yourself.

I am very sorry to hear your chicken is sick and wish you all the best.

She was tial down staring hours on end the day before I decided to put her back with the other girls but as soon as I put her back she was scratching. I was very close to ending her but I'm glad I didn't. The last 2 mornings her crop has been empty and she's eating her regular food mixed with water. I'm not entirely hopeful because it was blocked for at least 5 weeks but there's some improvement. Sure acting 70% normal again for now.

 

[Eggcessive]

Let us know how she gets along, and if she is eating and drinking.

 

[Mouthwash]

Let us know how she gets along, and if she is eating and drinking.

She is eating and drinking. But she's being picky about her food. She doesn't want dry crumbles but will eat wet crumbles, and won't eat other soft food like yogurt but will eat grass, lettuce, etc. Her crop has been empty every morning again. She seems to be doing better still. I'm still taking it day by day but work full time so can only check on her a couple times a day and don't know what her poop is like now and what she does all day. But when I let her out of the run she will fly across the yard and run around scratching etc.

 

[Eggcessive]

Good to hear that she is back outside and that her crop is emptying overnight. Thank you for the update.