Sick chicken that just won't eat

[georgeg78]

I have a rescue chicken that has on and off been ill with an impacted crop for the past 5 months. Most times we can cure it (massaging) and she goes back to full bouncy health. Recent bout has not been successful and she ended up having a crop cut into and impact moved. She recovered well from it but has barely eaten anything since. As a result she is very thin and weaker by the day. I have tried EVERYTHING - mash, eltrolytes, favourite foods (she won't touch) and she is currently on antibiotics in case it is something else. She looks for food and pecks around but doesn't consume it. I think we may have come to the end for her as don't want her suffering anymore (and I am not keen on tube feeding her as i just don't think it would be fair on her as we aren't experts) but if anyone has ANY suggestions to get her eating please do let me know as she is a beloved and much loved member of the family. Thank you! (ps we are good at syringing medicine and water into her mouth which i have been doing).

 

[Poultry mum]

I have a rescue chicken that has on and off been ill with an impacted crop for the past 5 months. Most times we can cure it (massaging) and she goes back to full bouncy health. Recent bout has not been successful and she ended up having a crop cut into and impact moved. She recovered well from it but has barely eaten anything since. As a result she is very thin and weaker by the day. I have tried EVERYTHING - mash, eltrolytes, favourite foods (she won't touch) and she is currently on antibiotics in case it is something else. She looks for food and pecks around but doesn't consume it. I think we may have come to the end for her as don't want her suffering anymore (and I am not keen on tube feeding her as i just don't think it would be fair on her as we aren't experts) but if anyone has ANY suggestions to get her eating please do let me know as she is a beloved and much loved member of the family. Thank you! (ps we are good at syringing medicine and water into her mouth which i have been doing).

This may be a long shot but have you tried some runny egg?? I know the golden rule is not to feed hens raw eggs as it encourages egg eating but surely if it’s running enough it would be easier for her to eat and slowly over time you can add some chick crumbles and then eventually just take the egg out of it and swap the crumble for normal seed/pellets.. or maybe try some cat food … mine love the tinned tuna …

 

[georgeg78]

This may be a long shot but have you tried some runny egg?? I know the golden rule is not to feed hens raw eggs as it encourages egg eating but surely if it’s running enough it would be easier for her to eat and slowly over time you can add some chick crumbles and then eventually just take the egg out of it and swap the crumble for normal seed/pellets.. or maybe try some cat food … mine love the tinned tuna …

Thank you! I’ve tried that and she usually loves it but not now. She’ll peck at it. It’s so frustrating as I’m watching her now scratch away but then shell just stop and gaze away for ages.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have dealt with a couple of older hens who had crop issues, and stopped eating, later dying after weeks of trying to treat them. Most of them would at least take some scrambled egg bits. I usually do a necropsy on any that die, just to see if I can find a cause of their problem. Reproductive disorders can result in crop problems. A necropsy may be done by your state vet to get a diagnosis if she dies. Look for gizzard or intestinal problems, but I have never been successful treating chickens with repeated crop issues.