Sick hen.

[Purple House]

I've lost two hens this week and one more looks sick. A necropsy was done today and the initial report is crop stasis and impaction. The only good news is that something contagious isn't going around my flock.

I'm hoping they will tell me what the impaction was, I'm guessing the grass hay I throw in the run to soak up all the mud after it rains. Which it did this week.

My questions, how can I help the one hen who is showing similar symptoms and what do you all use in your runs to keep them from being muddy messes?

Thanks for you advice and help.

 

[WVduckchick]

* original post was deleted, my comment below was before it was put back. *

So sorry. Sometimes it just takes awhile for the right members to see it.

 

[The Angry Hen]

So sorry. Sometimes it just takes awhile for the right members to see it.

I agree with you. Sorry if non of us had helped you, some questions asked may be a bit difficult for us to answer. We try the best we can to help though!

 

[artsyrobin]

i agree, we aren't all on all the time, so do leave it so we can figure it out?

 

[Sunshine Flock]

I remember your post and was going to comment, but I had to pick my husband up from work and didn't have time.

I remember what you wrote. They didn't yet tell you the contents of the crop from the necropsy, is that right? But you were thinking the wet grass you threw in the coop or run could be the culprit, since an impacted crop was determined to be the cause of death.

It's just odd that some of the others are exhibiting similar symptoms. Have you felt their crops? If it's not too late and you see this, you could feel their crops right now while they're roosting, and then compare that with how the crops feel first thing in the morning.

Surely they've had that grass before, though?

Could you please tells us the symptoms again? I think people here would like to help. You mentioned you're having lots of rain. We had one bout of rain since spring. But last spring and throughout winter we had tons of rain. I'm worried about what to do for the chickens when it rains like that again.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

 

[micstrachan]

Please repost so people here can help you. I am on PST, have two kids, and work full time, so often don’t get on until late. There is so much knowledge and experience here. I’m at the less experienced end of the spectrum, but would try to help. There are others much more knowledgable than I who will help, too.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I've lost two hens this week and one more looks sick. A necropsy was done today and the initial report is crop stasis and impaction. The only good news is that something contagious isn't going around my flock.

I'm hoping they will tell me what the impaction was, I'm guessing the grass hay I throw in the run to soak up all the mud after it rains. Which it did this week.

My questions, how can I help the one hen who is showing similar symptoms and what do you all use in your runs to keep them from being muddy messes?

Thanks for you advice and help.

@Purple House
I'm so sorry to hear about your losses
How is your hen?
Can you give us more information about the symptoms that she has?
Crop issues can be hard to treat.
If you suspect she has an impacted crop due to long grasses - isolate her so you can monitor her more closely. Provide her with plenty of water and a source of poultry grit (crushed granite). A stool softener like Ducolax may be helpful in breaking what's in there. You can find good directions in this article https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...d-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments.67194/

Hopefully you will get more information from the necropsy. If they have not completed all their testing, ask them to run a fecal to check for worms and coccidiosis as well.
Crop issues can be a symptom of underlying conditions (reproductive disorders, worms, coccidiosis, infection, impacted gizzard, etc.) so it's good to know if there is something else going on besides ingesting long grasses/foreign objects. Since you have had a couple that died and another that is sick - it's most likely eating the grass.

Grass, hay, straw, leaves/pine needles are commonly used to add to wet runs to help dry them up and to give stable footing to chickens. Some chickens will eat some of these things. I always recommend to have purchased poultry grit available free choice, just toss some in the run or secure a little cup to a post - they will pick out what they want. Chickens will usually find most of their grit in the soil, but I like to have it for them - a bag of grit will last for years (literally).

If you are unable to clear the impacted crop and your hen is declining and on her way out - you can try crop surgery to remove the long grass. It is best to seek vet care for this. I have never done it, but a few here on BYC have successfully performed surgery to save their girls. At home surgery is only done when all other treatment efforts have been exhausted and the hen is going to die anyway and they really have nothing to lose.

I'm very sorry - I wish I had better answers for you.
Keep us posted.

 

[Purple House]

Thank you all.

Wyorp Rock and CarolinaSunshineFlock I do have her separated now, it's been almost 2 days and I've only given her chick grit and water with ACV in it. I've massaged her crop a few times and I bought the larger grit for layers. I never knew I had to provide grit when they're outside plus they have sand with small rocks in it, in their coop.

I should have the full report from the necropsy next week. This is what they test:
Clinical Pathology Fecal Examination( Flotation)
Serology Avian Influenza( ELISA)
Serology Salmonella pullorum-Typhoid( AG)
Serology Mycoplasma synoviae( ELISA)
Bacteriology Culture-Aerobic( Culture)
Serology Mycoplasma gallisepticum( ELISA)
Mineral Panel - Liver

I'm going to see how she looks tomorrow and might put her back in with the others. Her crop doesn't feel enlarged to me. Her symptoms were she held her head close to her body and I didn't see her eating.

I've been using grass hay in their run for over a year with no problems until now. But I do want to ask what was impacting the crop.

Just feeling sad since I lost two hens and not sure I can help this one.

 

[micstrachan]

I have heard olive oil can help an impacted crop, but don’t know the details. Anyone else?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Her symptoms were she held her head close to her body and I didn't see her eating.

It's good that they are doing a fecal float, hopefully that includes checking for Coccidiosis overload, as well as worm.

Pulling the head into the body could be a crop issue or something else. Was the 2 that died doing that to?

Feel the crop first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks, it should be empty/flat.

If you have them, add some poultry vitamins to her water for a couple of days - even if you put her back with the others, you can let your other girls drink the vitamin water.
You mentioned you had a lot of rain and your run was muddy, so check the hay just to make sure it hasn't molded. If you've had some warm weather recently with all the rain, that's a possibility too.

I hope that she is doing better in the morning, please keep us posted.

@micstrachan Some people do use oil to try to help break down what's in the crop. Crop issues can be very hard to treat. There are various methods used to treat different crop problems - these can include attempting flushing the crop, giving oil or stool softeners to using anti-fungal medication or surgery.