Something is wrong with bell

Aemckee

In the Brooder
Apr 23, 2023
6
27
39
I have a 5 year old chicken that is always pretty strong and healthy. She is usually a healtheater and is the first one to the gate to see if i got treats. Just the other day I noticed she was limping. And when I let them on this walk about she just asked to the middle of the yard and I had to pick her up and move her back the the chicken yard. She walked under the house and stood ther the rest of the day. I took her and put her in a separate cage because that's just not bell.when I picked her up liquid came out her mouth and I noticed her comb was leaning, she just leaned her head on me. Her crop was full. It looks smaller today but she is still a little off. I picked her up to check her and more liquid came out. What could this be?
 
It sounds like she might have a slow or sour crop. How does her breath smell when the crop contents come out? I would keep checking her crop to see that it is empty by morning. Reproductive disorders can be a cause of a slow crop. Those are common in hens over 3 years. Worms may also do that. Does she normally still lay eggs? Is there any enlargement of her lower abdomen between the legs? Is her tail up or down? Is she walking more slowly or with her legs more apart? What do her droppings look like? Pictures of her and her droppings are welcome. Here is some reading about crop issues:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/
 
So I her breath didn't smell like anything. She hasn't layer eggs for 4 days, she dosent have an enlargement, her tail is up, she dosent want to walk, she has only pooped a bit but not really. Hope this helps. And her crop does have a little ball in the morning it soft and when I press it to message it she leaks liquid from her mouth.
 

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I would start some early treatment for a sour or impacted crop. It takes time to become sour or stinky. The article I linked in post 2 is good. Crops should be empty in early morning. If not, something is wrong. A spoonful of chilled coconut oil can be chopped into small peckable pieces once or twice a day. That might help move the blockage through her GI tract. Worming with Valbazen or SafeGuard may help if it has not been done recently. I would also check to see if there is an egg stuck inside her vent.
 
Very interesting what people come up with on this forum. This time of the year when egg laying should begin it is a strong possibility of egg yolk peritonitis. Have had many Tractor Supply Birds with this issue. Sometimes it reveals itself as a large crop. Sometimes it reveals itself as a distended belly. In either case it progresses to lethargy and diarrhea or odd poop. And a drooped comb. Very sad. First suggestion is to empty her crop. You basically tip her over like a teapot for 3 Seconds at a time while squeezing her crop so it will empty. In between teapot tips you give her a minute break. Videos on internet how to do this. Beyond that make sure she has clean water and egg laying pellets only to eat from now on. Most of this has to heal on its own. It is an oviduct issue. Could always take her to a vet as I have done before but expect a $400 bill. All of what I typed here is providing you're not seeing any blood or worms in poop and no laying.

Also, her crop liquid will not stink unless sour crop occurs. A distended crop does not mean sour crop. Many chickens get a distended crop because of digestive issues or laying issues or infection (from peritonitis or salpingitis) . Its the bodies way of stopping any more movement of food until things get fixed. There is a smaller possibility of the an egg being stuck but my hunch is she hasn't been feeling goood for at least a few days and you are just noticing it now. If it were a stuck egg i doubtthere would be a distended crop that quickly. Certainly possibly but I am doubtful at her age. SO basically right now you have a chicken likely with an infection. All of this to say I'm not 100% but these are my best guesses with a few years experience and a few vet visits and much reading.
 
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