When I went to check on her that evening, her crop was back to normal, and I found something in the nest box she had been sitting in earlier that could have been a squished shelless egg, but it seemed slightly different. It was more clumped together and firm than shelless eggs are when they get burst, and less transparent.Take a look at this article on crops and how to treat their ailments...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments
I sure hope you can get her back to good health soon!
I didn't get to spend as much time out there as usual so I don't know if she was acting that way just for a little while, or the whole day.
Take a look at this article on crops and how to treat their ailments...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments
I sure hope you can get her back to good health soon!
When I went to check on her that evening, her crop was back to normal, and I found something in the nest box she had been sitting in earlier that could have been a squished shelless egg, but it seemed slightly different. It was more clumped together and firm than shelless eggs are when they get burst, and less transparent.
This morning she seemed okay, just slightly less energetic. She was normal for most chickens, but she's usually very over energetic. That could have just been because there was snow on the ground this morning, though. And she seemed somehow less cheerful than usual, I think because she seemed to be making less noise than usual.
She's probably fine now though, and I'm just being paranoid.
Oh, that explains it! Thanks!Sometimes these eggs that are shelless or very thin can take for ever to move through and out the vent. So what happens is they block the opening to the intestinal tract and the crop doesn't empty. Many times this happens over night for some reason. I have an old hen that occasionally can't put a shell on her yolks, and the same thing will happen...her crop is still full in the morning.
If this becomes a habit with your hen, you can give her some human calcium. I use Caltrate. 1/2 pill a day. I break it up into small pieces and stuff them in raisins. The bird does't even know she is being medicated. She should then put a shell on. Use it as needed or even days at a time if she still has trouble.
But good to hear she is better!
