Swollen Crop and won't eat

[justinedavies]

My chicken has been really lethargic and won't come out of the coop. I bring her out and she just doesn't move she will just stand there with her eyes closed. She isn't interested in food or water and has lost a lot of weight. She hasn't laid an egg in about a month. When she does eat her crop becomes really swollen. Not sure what's wrong or what to do? I friend died about 3 weeks ago and she hasn't seemed her normal self since. Today I've given her some water with sugar and salt in and she has had a little mash potato (read on another thread I should give her this) it hasn't really help though, so I don't know what to do?

 

[gander007]

Alright

great to have you joining the BYC flock

BYC has a very useful learning center

I do not know where the salt in the water came from sugar yes salt in the water no as I would not drink saltwater even with sugar in it if you are going to add salt just the feed will do but a good test is a hard boiled egg as there is niacin, protein, and vitamin B-3 and the niacin will aid in you chicken cleaning out the exhaust system or exit ....

Rub on her crop to see if you can get it to empty out and feed her a hard boiled egg in the morning and again in the evening for a week and see how it works out for you .......




This is a good item to have for getting water into the crop
but really slow and this can be picked up at most any medical
supply store or larger feed store ...... about $ 7 dollars ...




Enjoy your poultry .......

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

Sorry about your hen. When they get to the point of not eating or drinking with a crop full, generally they are on their way out. Is the crop soft and squishy? You might try to vomit her to clear out her crop. Take her outside and hold her like a football in one arm, support her crop with the other hand. Lean forward, beak completely down, tail up. Gently squeeze and work the crop. The SECOND fluid starts to come up, count to 2 or 3 and stand back up and let her catch her breath. No longer or she can breath is in. You can repeat this a few times until you get most of it out.

If the crop is hard like a ball, this is requires a different treatment of water water and more water. No food for 24 hours, just water and a lot of it.

I would keep her confined away from the others and keep her warm at night. Feed her what ever she will eat, no matter what it is as long as it is soft foods. I would put some probiotics in her water or some apple cider vinegar. 3/4 teaspoon in a quart plastic waterer only. Change it and make new daily. Don't feed her anything but very soft easy to digest foods. No seeds, grains, foliage, etc... If she starts to get better, I would vomit her each morning. Once a day to clear out the gunk. No free ranging, watch what she eats and keep her warm with heat.

BUT...I would post this in our emergency section for more help with this..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures

Good luck and I hope she makes a complete recovery.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Sorry about your hen, you've gotten some good suggestions above.

 

[drumstick diva]

She might eat watermelon and it would help rehydrate her at the same time.
She also might like plain yogurt. Hope she will be okay

 

[roostersandhens]