Swollen craw area in hen...

[TW1Kell]

...for about 2 weeks, now. Her craw looks as if it goes all the way across her chest. She waddles around and eats. She doesn't seem to be in distress. But, I'm getting worried about one of my favorite EE hens. She's almost a year old, and has been laying for a few months, now. Is this a "stuck craw", maybe? I can't smell any foul breath (no pun intended), and she isn't puking, or anything. She just has a really swollen chest/throat area. How can one tell, and how fdo you treat it, if that's what it is? I can always take a pic to post, if it'd help.

Thanks in advance for any attempts at help.

 

[gritsar]

Is it hard or squishy? Does she have free access to grit? Any other symptoms - wheezing (pick her up and put your ear to her back to determine this) or coughing?

By the way, though we pronounce it as "craw" in the South, it's correctly spelled and pronounced crop; so even though I knew right away what you were referring to, folks from other parts of the country may not.

 

[TW1Kell]

Thanks, I had heard it called Craw, Crop, Croop, didn't know what it really was called.


It's kinda squishy, and yes, I have oyster shell in the yard. Also, she doesn't seem to be in any distress. She walks and runs around must like always. Eats, acts like a normal chicken. This is the start of about the 3rd week, I believe, and she seems fine. It just looks odd.

 

[nknkdvt]

Hi, I wanted to check on your chicken. One of my pullets has the same problem and I'm not sure what to do. Her crop area is huge and seems to be full of fluid, like a water balloon.

 

[nknkdvt]

Chicken was vomiting when i'd pick her up so I did the upside down vomit the chicken thing, carefully, so she wouldn't aspirate. Called vet the next day and he said to add 15ml vinegar per qt of water. She's fine now.

 

[TW1Kell]

Of my 3 Ameracauna Hens, 2 of them developed the same symptom. The first of them to do it, died this past Friday. I "assume" that it was something to do with this problem. I don't know, tho, as none of the vets in my area profess any knowledge of chickens. The receptionists all say, "We can send a dead bird to Miss. State, and they can autopsy them..." All for around $250. Not much help for the poor girl suffering from whatever it is. I dunno...

 

[nknkdvt]

Sad to lose a chicken.

Try the Vinegar. I asked if apple cider vinegar would work. Our vet said no, It has to be straight vinegar.

What happened to some chickens is that they get a yeast infection in their craw and the vinegar gets the yeast (normally present to help digestion) back under control.

I really don't like to be told to wait until they die and then have them autopsied- better to find a solution.

 

[TW1Kell]

No joke! Wait til they die? What good is that for the chicken with the problem? Oh well. Thanks, I'll try to give the other one some vinegar.

 

[lori stetson]

Same problem in one of my 2 month olds here in VA. She was looking a little droopy yesterday am so i pulled her out and felt this soft squishy mass on the right side of her chest where tthe neck joins body. Palpating doesnt seem to bother her. I cannot get my fingers behind it so its not an encapsulated mass. Seems to be attached on entire backside. Will try the vinegar on ecveryone n keep you posted. Lori

 

[Kelsakat]

I have been having this problem with one of my new pullets. I have tried the vinegar, but have not seen any change. How long does it take or what do I do if it doesn't work? The pullet is acting fine except the large mass sticking out of its front, you can't even tell she's sick.