Something stuck in her throat??? Please help!!!

[mama23]

Please don't forget the acidophilus tabs or she will really be in a rut with some yeast growing from the antibiotics! My vet (and I've seen others say this too) would tell me that for a short course it's not necessary but that isn't much comfort when I listened to him and lost one of my all time favorite hens to a horrible yeast infection of the crop.

BTW I am paying on a $340 bill right now for a combo of two hens. I feel your pain!

 

[dancesWchickens]

Oh yeah, I've been giving her yogurt, thanks for the reminder. It's hard to feed her because she just stares and gapes at food now.

My hen's still not doing well even after the $180 antibiotics, so there must be something else going on. She's looking skinnier and scruffier, not eating very much, and quite slow compared with her normal behavior. The vet now thinks she ate something that is not passing through her gut, and the sour crop is a secondary symptom of a slow digestive tract. My next option is an xray ($200) that would only show something large or metal. D8

Anyone know of a non-surgical way to clean her out??? I know her system's not stopped entirely; something's going through...she's pecking a bit in the garden, drinking, and pooping a bit (poo looks normal). If it were my kid, I'd give her a huge bowl of bran or a bunch of prunes, but I'm not sure that's the best idea for a chicken....

Thanks so much for your help, everyone...I really love my chicken and hope she doesn't die.

 

[dlhunicorn]

excuses for any confusion created here (I posted in wrong thread)
Diana

 

[dancesWchickens]

S'ok. I'm looking for any help I can get!!!

It's become clear that my vet is willing to treat chickens but has no experience with them (or chicken owners). Her next idea is a series of xrays (min $140), which is not guaranteed to show anything, followed by endoscopy or surgery (min $500). Holy dollar bills, Batman...I truly love my hen but cannot afford $640+!!! I'm really hoping my chicken passes whatever is stuck on her own...

I read a bunch of stories about home remedies for sour crop, and it seems like most chickens who are given meds and force fed end up dying despite the treatment (or because of it!). With the idea that less is more, last night I made a makeshift crop tube and flushed her out with warm saline. Pretty much the only thing that came out was mucus. Her urine was getting yellow yesterday afternoon so I wanted to give her fluids. I filled her crop with about 8 oz of warm water with a bit of salt and sugar in it. She seemed to like that (a lot) and is feeling a bit better this morning; her urine is back to normal now. But she is still not eating much and feeling poorly.

Here is a picture of her gaping:

Any further advice or words of wisdom?

Lisa

 

[Backyard Buddies]

I've been thinking about your girl and hoping she was beginning to pull through. I'm sorry she hasn't yet.

Several folks on this board have had email contact with a Vet who might be able to help, but since I don't recall his name, I'm giving this thread a bump in hopes that someone will step in and give you some recommendations.

 

[dancesWchickens]

Update: amazingly, my girl is still hanging on and doing a bit better. I think the ersatz flush-and-fluid treatment helped. Current theory: she's developed a taste for a toxic plant in my yard. She's generally eating more, gaping less, and poop looks much more normal. Now on a search-and-destroy mission to eliminate toxic plants in my yard. Thanks to everyone who has given us advice and good wishes. Hopefully this experience will help someone in a similar situation!

 

[Backyard Buddies]

I'm glad to hear she's doing a bit better! I hope you figure out what it is that has been causing her problems. Do you know the names of the plants you have growing back there?

 

[sammi]

the vet is Peter Brown at First State Vet Supply..
there is an email and I think a phone number on the site.
or contact dlhunicorn..


I'm thinking that your vet might be right..she could have swallowed something that is obstructing things.
could be anything..a piece of plastic, a staple, small nail..etc..

if this is the case..it will pass or not.
x-ray and possible surgery is the only option.
and if she is weak..she might not survive such stress.

I'd try and get her to eat oil soaked bread, yogurt, egg yolk, moistened feed or baby cereals..(made with water and yogurt).
possibly by crop tube if necessary..and do keep her hydrated.

fingers crossed for your hen.

maybe Peter Brown could give you other advice.

 

[dancesWchickens]

I've got a sort of jungle out there...could be any number of things that she's eating. A lot of my plants are succulents I started from cuttings given to me by neighbors, so I don't really know what they are...still researching. My first thought was rhubarb, but she along with the rest of the flock eats every last molecule of my poor rhubarb plants with no ill effects. Current suspicion is devil's backbone plant (Kalanchoe daigremontiana). All the chickens taste the little plantlets that form on the leaves, but I haven't seen any of them (including my sick one) actually eat them. I pulled up some African milk bush (Synadenium grantii) a few days ago. I did see her eat a bunch of celery leaves, which is weird - all my other chickens avoid celery like the plague. Lately the whole flock has been working hard to decimate my alstroemeria and strawberries.

At least my sick hen's eating now. Her crop is full at night; she's pooping like a champ; and gaining her weight back. My garden's starting to leaf out for spring now, so she will have more plants to choose from.

 

[sammi]

is she still gaping?

glad to hear she's eating and gaining weight..