I just found my 2 year old speckled sussex hen lethargic in the coop. I picked her up and immediately noticed her crop was huge and squishy, and it felt like a water balloon. I took her to the porch while I did some googling and figured it's probably sour crop. I held her on my lap for about 30 minutes and she vomited clear liquid probably 5 times. Her crop is much smaller but she's still very lethargic, panting and definitely not herself. I put her in the cool basement in a dog crate with water mixed with ACV.
My problem is that I'm going out of town this weekend and won't be home from Friday afternoon to Monday afternoon. I have a fully enclosed and predator proof coop and run, so I was not at all worried about leaving them for 2 days. I've done it many times in the past with no issues (although at a different house). Now, with her being sick, I'm not sure what to do. My one friend who also keeps chickens is going out of town, too. I really don't have any one else who could keep an eye on her. Would she be able to go back in the coop with the others for 2 days unsupervised? I'm worried she will get worse and they will injure her. Or, god forbid, she will die and be left outside in 100 degree weather for 2 days.
I could also leave her in the basement with food and water, either in the dog crate or I could set the brooder back up. I have a camera I can use to monitor her, and if she gets too bad, one friend said she would check on her (but doesn't want to have her at her house or anything). I'm worried about leaving her with free access to food in case this makes the problem worse.
I don't really like either option but canceling the trip isn't happening at this point. What would you do?
My problem is that I'm going out of town this weekend and won't be home from Friday afternoon to Monday afternoon. I have a fully enclosed and predator proof coop and run, so I was not at all worried about leaving them for 2 days. I've done it many times in the past with no issues (although at a different house). Now, with her being sick, I'm not sure what to do. My one friend who also keeps chickens is going out of town, too. I really don't have any one else who could keep an eye on her. Would she be able to go back in the coop with the others for 2 days unsupervised? I'm worried she will get worse and they will injure her. Or, god forbid, she will die and be left outside in 100 degree weather for 2 days.
I could also leave her in the basement with food and water, either in the dog crate or I could set the brooder back up. I have a camera I can use to monitor her, and if she gets too bad, one friend said she would check on her (but doesn't want to have her at her house or anything). I'm worried about leaving her with free access to food in case this makes the problem worse.
I don't really like either option but canceling the trip isn't happening at this point. What would you do?