Sick Pullet!!

[Txchickens2014]

Hello,

I am new to chickens, we have five chickens. I noticed yesterday that my 15 week-old Cream Legbar pullet was acting tired. She wants to lay down, and went to her coop early before the other chickens. She has a full, grainy crop. We have given her olive oil and massaged her crop several times today. She seems better, would range with the other chickens. She then went into her coop to roost. Her crop still is grainy, less full. She has had yellow diarrhea this morning. She is the sweetest girl! I hate to see her sick.

Any ideas on what else I can do to help her, or what is going on?

Thank you!

 

[ChickenMack]

First, if you can isolate her, that will lessen the stress on her and her penmates. I rehab mine in a dog crate in the garage. Second, readminister the oil and massage the crop. It sounds like it's pretty stuck, this happens. It's pretty common among chicken maladies. Then feed her yogurt or any type of food that contains probiotics, such as buttermilk or kefir. I have read on other threads here that having healthy bacteria is not only good for their guts but good for their crops as well. Take her feed away from her for about 24 hours but provide the yogurt and plenty of water. You can with hold her feed for as long as you need to, but add some honey to the yogurt for extra calories. You might even want to scramble an egg for her when she's feeling better.

Hope that helps.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would not use oil because if she does have a crop problem, most people say it causes things to get gunky and make it worse. First of all be sure that she has an impacted crop, so check it first thing in the morning to see if it has gone down. Most chickens have full crops in the middle of the day. Is she new or have you added new chickens lately? Coccidiosis still could be a problem at her age, as well as worms. Symptoms of cocci are lethargy, puffing up or hunching, poor appetite, and diarrhea sometime but not always bloody. Corid or amprollium is the treatment. If her crop in the morning is full and hard, then here is some info on treating impacted crop and some info on coccidiosis:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/answers-from-chicken-vet-on-impacted.html
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/12/coccidiosis-what-backyard-chicken.html

 

[Txchickens2014]

Thank you both for your replies! She is not a new chicken, she is part of my original five that I started with.

She had a full crop for two days, however, the massaging seems to of helped. This morning her crop felt much smaller, and almost empty. She seems to be back to her normal activity level. I am hoping she is on the mend!

Thanks again for the assistance!