Sick chicken- reading a lot about crop problems. Advice appreciated!

[ShelleyHar]

How old is she? I am here to tell you that mine was so lethargic and sick, I thought she would be my first casualty. Once her crop cleared, she was great 2 days later. I seriously thought she was doomed. She wouldn't stand up and the first night we realized she was Ill , she was hunkered under the coop outside alone. Hang in there!

 

[MFChickens]

All of my chickens are around 17 months old.
Was your hen so thin that her breast bone was very noticeable?
I hope you are right

 

[ShelleyHar]

Mine was very bomey. She was the same size as her sexlink sisters before she got sick and now she's noticeably smaller. I still massage her crop at least once a day and she has not started laying again as far as I can tell.

 

[ShelleyHar]

Well I am still battling her swollen crop. I have quaranteened her again and had to make her vomit. She seems to gorge herself out in the coop. She is fine for days and then I see it coming back. The other day I walked out there and her crop was so big I could see it from a mile away! But she's still spunky and at the top of her pecking order so I will not give up on her.

She is young so I hope she outgrows it and starts laying again. We got into the chicken hobby knowing we would not be the type to take a sick chicken to the vet, not keep feeding a chicken that doesn't lay. But I also knew I'd likely become attached, and I have. So here's to hoping for a happy ending for Ginger the chicken! I will update you. Hopefully this helps someone out there going thru the same thing.

 

[MFChickens]

I am the same way. Wish I had an answer for you. Mine sick one just passed last Sunday.

 

[ShelleyHar]

Sorry to hear that. I have been wondering. For as hearty as chickens seem, some are just born fragile.

 

[Aronia]

I am very sorry! I hope it gets better!

 

[rbaker0345]

Well I am still battling her swollen crop. I have quaranteened her again and had to make her vomit. She seems to gorge herself out in the coop. She is fine for days and then I see it coming back. The other day I walked out there and her crop was so big I could see it from a mile away! But she's still spunky and at the top of her pecking order so I will not give up on her.

She is young so I hope she outgrows it and starts laying again. We got into the chicken hobby knowing we would not be the type to take a sick chicken to the vet, not keep feeding a chicken that doesn't lay. But I also knew I'd likely become attached, and I have. So here's to hoping for a happy ending for Ginger the chicken! I will update you. Hopefully this helps someone out there going thru the same thing.

Try deworming her with fenbendazole (horse paste works well- just a pea sized dose once a day for three days). It sounds like she's having some tummy troubles. Sometimes when chickens are not feeling well they will drink excessively. De-worming is cheap and easy and parasites are likely this time of year.

Also, be very careful when giving your chicken liquids by mouth. Gavage tubing is very easy and will bypass the danger of aspirating your birds on yogurt or kombucha. Brag apple cider vinegar is also a good source of probiotics. Chickens love it and it can be added to the water very easily. If you're not confident about gavage tubing, check my tutorial in my sig or get in touch with Castorpony- she's a whiz.

 

[ShelleyHar]

Thank you! I did a quick search and looked like that wormer is cheap and in my chicken budget! I will definitely get some for my chicken kit. Thanks for your suggestion!

 

[ShelleyHar]

Well the unfortunate end to this story is that we walked out this morning and she had passed away in the coop. She was moving a little slow again yesterday, so I massaged her and she seemed to be doing better last night. But her problems got the best of her overnight. We tried. It's too bad. I was fond of that chicken! Thanks again for the help. I learned to watch for stuff like this way earlier than I did the first time.