Sour crop and molting hen

[Fluffyhenkeeper]

She’s not moving anymore, her beak is touching the cloth on the cage floor and won’t open her eyes. She was looking better this morning and now she looks awful again. Is she just resting from all the morning excitement or is she passing away?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Oh the poor girl!

She's in a state of decline.
Has she improved at all since your last post?

 

[Fluffyhenkeeper]

Oh the poor girl!

She's in a state of decline.
Has she improved at all since your last post?

No she hasn’t improved at all her breathing is very shallow and she’s laying on her side now. I’m so broken hearted about her. I think she will likely pass peacefully in the night. She’s in a warm quiet room. I’ve had chickens for two years now and I’ve lost one other (she had a severe crossbeak), it’s so hard to loose them, they are part of the family. I’d like to know what I did wrong so I can prevent this from happening again or maybe she had some other internal genetic things going on that I couldn’t see.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

No she hasn’t improved at all her breathing is very shallow and she’s laying on her side now. I’m so broken hearted about her. I think she will likely pass peacefully in the night. She’s in a warm quiet room. I’ve had chickens for two years now and I’ve lost one other (she had a severe crossbeak), it’s so hard to loose them, they are part of the family. I’d like to know what I did wrong so I can prevent this from happening again or maybe she had some other internal genetic things going on that I couldn’t see.

I'm so sorry. It is hard to lose a hen like this.

I don't think you have done anything wrong!
Hens can be very good at hiding illness, so she may have had some type of reproductive problem going on or organ dysfunction. It would be really hard to know unless you get a necropsy if she dies. You can go through your state lab, they will give you a report on their findings. Some of us do our own informal investigation. Certainly not as thorough as a Pathologist, but sometimes we may see something that gives a clue.

 

[Fluffyhenkeeper]

I'm so sorry. It is hard to lose a hen like this.

I don't think you have done anything wrong!
Hens can be very good at hiding illness, so she may have had some type of reproductive problem going on or organ dysfunction. It would be really hard to know unless you get a necropsy if she dies. You can go through your state lab, they will give you a report on their findings. Some of us do our own informal investigation. Certainly not as thorough as a Pathologist, but sometimes we may see something that gives a clue.

Thank you for your kind words. I have so much empathy for animals and I get very attached to them. You are right they are very good at hiding illnesses. Loosing them is so hard it makes me not want to add anymore, but then I think of all the joy and delight they have brought me and it makes it so worth it. I spend every morning with them and periodically throughout the day. I always say “thanks for the eggs ladies” everyday They’ve been especially therapeutic for me these last couple years with loosing close family and friends.

I shared a picture penny (she’s the sick hen) and the other girls enjoying watermelon on a hot day last summer. Love them all so much.

 

[Fluffyhenkeeper]

I purchased some dewormer “safe guard”, I was thinking since we lost our hen last night it might be prudent to treat the remaining hens for worms just in case that is what our other hen had. I do have one hen going through a molt, she’s lost a lot of feathers (she does not have a bare back like penny did) and doesn’t look as fluffy as the others do (everyone else already molted). So my question is should I worm while she is molting, I read mixed reports on this. Is it possible to do a fecal float at home? Also is safe guard applied to their water? It’s getting delivered tomorrow so I don’t have the label to read yet. I just want to make sure I do everything right so I don’t loose another hen. This is what I ordered:

Merck Animal Health Mfg-Safeguard .5% Multi-Species Wormer 1 Lb https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GC9SGH6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_W79V15F08GS5FCYCQ7BR

Thank you!

 

[Tookie]

I'm sorry you lost your hen!

 

[Fluffyhenkeeper]

I'm sorry you lost your hen!

Thank you! it’s so sad…. We buried her under the apple tree. Thought that was a beautiful spot for her

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I purchased some dewormer “safe guard”, I was thinking since we lost our hen last night it might be prudent to treat the remaining hens for worms just in case that is what our other hen had. I do have one hen going through a molt, she’s lost a lot of feathers (she does not have a bare back like penny did) and doesn’t look as fluffy as the others do (everyone else already molted). So my question is should I worm while she is molting, I read mixed reports on this. Is it possible to do a fecal float at home? Also is safe guard applied to their water? It’s getting delivered tomorrow so I don’t have the label to read yet. I just want to make sure I do everything right so I don’t loose another hen. This is what I ordered:

Merck Animal Health Mfg-Safeguard .5% Multi-Species Wormer 1 Lb https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GC9SGH6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_W79V15F08GS5FCYCQ7BR

Thank you!

I would not use Fenbendazole during molt, it is known to cause issues with feather quality in molting birds.

The product you bought, I've never used that one. You'll have to research how it's given, I think that's like a pellet that goes in feed, but not sure.

Fenbendazole (Safeguard Liquid Goat Dewormer or Equine Paste) is what I use and what is normally recommended to use. Dose is by weight and given orally.

Valbazen is a dewormer that can be given during molt.

 

[Tookie]

Thank you! it’s so sad…. We buried her under the apple tree. Thought that was a beautiful spot for her

We bury our chickens too!