sick hen

[Acre4Me]

 

[azygous]

When I have impacted crop and sour crop at the same time, I first treat the impaction, then I treat the yeast after the crop is cleared of the impacted material.

It usually takes me the better part of one day to get the impacted contents broken up and moved out. I treat with coconut oil and massage three successive times over several hours, then I use a stool softener if the contents haven't budged. That usually gets the contents to move down and out.

Then I immediately begin treating the yeast infection. It takes a full seven days to completely get rid of the yeast. Massage is only necessary at this stage if the patient is uncomfortable. Massage helps move the contents out and can be done anytime you see a chicken, including baby chicks, extending their neck and gaping their beak.

 

[micstrachan]

Thank you so much for the thorough explanation. As a relatively new chicken keeper (coming up on two years! Woohoo!) I have yet to deal with a crop issue. There is some overgrown grass here and there throughout the yard and I had to shoo my Light Brahma, Buttercup (named by hubby... so cute), away from it today, and I’ll be on close watch. I need to get out there with a weed wacker or sheers or something tomorrow.
On a side note, California has a whole host of different issues than cold parts of the country. Our dog ingested a toxin this week (fungus... maybe mold , maybe mushroom) and the symptoms were downright scary! Not sure a chicken would survive what she went through.

 

[azygous]

Thank you so much for the thorough explanation. As a relatively new chicken keeper (coming up on two years! Woohoo!) I have yet to deal with a crop issue. There is some overgrown grass here and there throughout the yard and I had to shoo my Light Brahma, Buttercup (named by hubby... so cute), away from it today, and I’ll be on close watch. I need to get out there with a weed wacker or sheers or something tomorrow.
On a side note, California has a whole host of different issues than cold parts of the country. Our dog ingested a toxin this week (fungus... maybe mold , maybe mushroom) and the symptoms were downright scary! Not sure a chicken would survive what she went through.

Grass is fine for chickens to eat, but the tough stems are what can get them into trouble. It's usually not a problem as long as there is an abundance of tender grass blades.

I lived in Santa Cruz back in the 70s and again in the 80s, worked in the mountains at the reservoir for several years. So I know how mushrooms can be very abundant there. I have lots of them here, too, when we get a rainy season, like last year.

I wouldn't let the chickens out until I made a sweep of their range area for mushrooms, picking every one I could find. You are correct. Chickens will get very sick from a poisonous one. There is an antidote, though. You should keep some activated charcoal on hand and some milk of magnesia. Given immediately, it can neutralize the toxin. You'll know if a chicken ate one by their lack of balance.

 

[micstrachan]

Grass is fine for chickens to eat, but the tough stems are what can get them into trouble. It's usually not a problem as long as there is an abundance of tender grass blades.

I lived in Santa Cruz back in the 70s and again in the 80s, worked in the mountains at the reservoir for several years. So I know how mushrooms can be very abundant there. I have lots of them here, too, when we get a rainy season, like last year.

I wouldn't let the chickens out until I made a sweep of their range area for mushrooms, picking every one I could find. You are correct. Chickens will get very sick from a poisonous one. There is an antidote, though. You should keep some activated charcoal on hand and some milk of magnesia. Given immediately, it can neutralize the toxin. You'll know if a chicken ate one by their lack of balance.

Really? Small world! I live near Lexington (off Idylwild, in case you remember where that is).
Ordered some activated charcoal after the dog incident this week (border collie named Lexi... partly for Lexington) and it arrived today. I think I can get milk of magnesia at the pharmacy. Thanks for the tip!

 

[joan brooks]

My guess would be that she is backed up with waste, possibly due to being egg bound or some other reproductive issue. I would give her a soak in a warm Epsom Salts bath and clean her back end up thoroughly and then insert a gloved lubricated finger into her vent and see if you can feel anything (an egg or other mass) She may poop during after you have done this, which will be a good sign as it will help to relieve the blockage if that is the problem. Make sure to dry her thoroughly with a towel and then hair dryer afterwards. It will help to grease the skin below her vent with Vaseline or coconut oil to prevent further poop sticking and sooth the skin. Watch her vent afterwards to see if she is straining or pulsing? If you feel an egg, she may benefit from being given a half a Tums tablet as the calcium will help with contractions and keep her in a warm dark place to help her relax and hopefully push it out. Sometimes soft shelled eggs are particularly difficult for them to pass, so even if you don't feel an egg, that may still be the problem.
She may also benefit from a gentle crop massage., but my guess is that it is a lower gut constriction which is causing her to spew up. I would say that she is in danger of dying, so if your funds run to veterinary treatment, you would be best to make an urgent appointment.

I did give her a warm bath and she seemed to really like it. her comb is laying down and you can see by her eyes she is not well. yesterday she wouldn't let me catch her so maybe she is feeling better. she still comes out with the others but lays down instead of walking around with them. there are no vets around here that work on chickens only cows and dogs. I hate to see her feel bad. will see how she is acting today. gave them all some boiled eggs and some yougert with soft warm chicken food. maybe will help?

 

[rebrascora]

I'm pleased that she enjoyed her bath but she is clearly not well and we will need further information to help you help her. She is also going to need supportive care. If she is struggling to eat, she will not be able to keep herself warm and will benefit from being given a heat source..... this is often why giving them a warm bath revives them a bit as it brings up their temperature and enables them to relax. If you can, put her in a crate or box and bring her in the house with a heating pad. If she is difficult to catch, just pick her off the roost or nest at night. That will make it easier to monitor her food intake and poop and assess her condition.
How does her breast bone feel? Is it sharp, under the skin or reasonably well padded?
How does her crop feel? Large, small, soft and squishy or hard?
What does her vent look like? Is it swollen or pulsing? If her vent is pulsing, she may be egg bound which will kill her very soon, if you cannot help her to pass it.... waste from the digestive tract builds up behind it and the toxins poison her. Did you manage to do an internal examination into her vent with a gloved finger, when you bathed her? If so what did you feel? It might be a large regular egg or a soft shelled egg which are particularly difficult to pass.
Is her abdomen (between her legs) swollen?..... feel with a cupped hand and compare to healthy chickens on the roost. If it is swollen and perhaps hot, she may be suffering from a reproductive issue.
If you can check the above and get back to us, we will try to help you to help her or advise if it may be best to euthanize her. At 5 years old, a reproductive disorder would be more likely or an impacted sour crop, or both as the former can cause the latter.
Warmth is one of the first things that will make a sick chicken more comfortable though, particularly in winter, so make that a priority.

 

[joan brooks]

Massage can be utilized for both sour crop and impacted crop. It's a mechanism to help the crop to empty, thus making the patient more comfortable.

By the way, it accomplishes the same thing as "vomiting" does, only without the danger of aspiration into the lungs of wayward liquid.

does the chicken need to be upright or upside down when I am massaging her crop

 

[azygous]

Upright! Upside down, and everything will come out all over the place! Catastrophe!

 

[joan brooks]

I'm pleased that she enjoyed her bath but she is clearly not well and we will need further information to help you help her. She is also going to need supportive care. If she is struggling to eat, she will not be able to keep herself warm and will benefit from being given a heat source..... this is often why giving them a warm bath revives them a bit as it brings up their temperature and enables them to relax. If you can, put her in a crate or box and bring her in the house with a heating pad. If she is difficult to catch, just pick her off the roost or nest at night. That will make it easier to monitor her food intake and poop and assess her condition.
How does her breast bone feel? Is it sharp, under the skin or reasonably well padded?
How does her crop feel? Large, small, soft and squishy or hard?
What does her vent look like? Is it swollen or pulsing? If her vent is pulsing, she may be egg bound which will kill her very soon, if you cannot help her to pass it.... waste from the digestive tract builds up behind it and the toxins poison her. Did you manage to do an internal examination into her vent with a gloved finger, when you bathed her? If so what did you feel? It might be a large regular egg or a soft shelled egg which are particularly difficult to pass.
Is her abdomen (between her legs) swollen?..... feel with a cupped hand and compare to healthy chickens on the roost. If it is swollen and perhaps hot, she may be suffering from a reproductive issue.
If you can check the above and get back to us, we will try to help you to help her or advise if it may be best to euthanize her. At 5 years old, a reproductive disorder would be more likely or an impacted sour crop, or both as the former can cause the latter.
Warmth is one of the first things that will make a sick chicken more comfortable though, particularly in winter, so make that a priority.

no swelling in her abdomen, her breast bone is sharp as she is not eating well. vent does not look unusual. have given her liquid nutrients and olive oil soaked bread along with boiled eggs. she looks same this am. I think she may be on her last leg and I feel so helpless for her.