The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[SternRose]

Mine are squishy all the time. We don't feed them orstershell

 

[Leahs Mom]

What does her bottom look like? Anything on the fluffy feathers?

As far as the crop being squishy... before I say any thing about that, go out and grab another one of your hens that looks good and is acting normal.

Compare what her crop feels like to what you are feeling on this girl. Is it different?

 

[LoveChickens123]

What does her bottom look like? Anything on the fluffy feathers?

As far as the crop being squishy... before I say any thing about that, go out and grab another one of your hens that looks good and is acting normal.

Compare what her crop feels like to what you are feeling on this girl. Is it different?

The other girls are different they are a little harder.

there is nothing on her fluffy feathers

 

[Leahs Mom]

It's "possible" that she has sour crop. Are you able to smell anything on her breath at all?

Do you have a place that you could isolate her and watch her for awhile? If you do, you can separate her and observe.

Here is some info from Nifty Chicken's book:

Quote:
If it is sour crop it is a "yeast" (candida) infection and there is an imbalance in the system somewhere. It can also manifest as vent gleet.

I will tell you what I would do if she were mine. You will have to weigh this for yourself. This is how I would treat if it IS sour crop.

I'd isolate in a pen by herself...or maybe send her with a friend.
Clean, fresh water only for a day - no additives.
Granite grit available.

After the first day:
Check the crop and the bird. See if there any changes. Has it come down? Is she acting any different? If is has reduced some, I would:
-Add probiotic powder to the water. I only recommend Avi-Culture. It's the only avian probiotic grown on non-gmo substrate out there. Small container lasts a LONG time. it ships pretty fast. (I recommend folks have this on hand. If stored in fridge shelf life is 5 years. I add some to the feed every now and then and if you ferment it's a great starter culture or just added to the ff anytime.) http://www.avi-culture-2.com/shop.html

-Try giving her a little raw meat (liver/ground beef) or some raw egg to eat. Observe how the crop does. [Avoid grains or grain-based feed at this point.]

 

[Leahs Mom]

Also thought I'd send a link so Susan Burek's Sour Crop remedy. I've never tried it but her items come highly recommended and work WITH the body for healing and restoring health.

http://www.moonlightmileherbs.com/poultryherbcart2014.html

 

[LoveChickens123]

It's "possible" that she has sour crop. Are you able to smell anything on her breath at all?

Do you have a place that you could isolate her and watch her for awhile? If you do, you can separate her and observe.

Here is some info from Nifty Chicken's book:


If it is sour crop it is a "yeast" (candida) infection and there is an imbalance in the system somewhere. It can also manifest as vent gleet.

I will tell you what I would do if she were mine. You will have to weigh this for yourself. This is how I would treat if it IS sour crop.

I'd isolate in a pen by herself...or maybe send her with a friend.
Clean, fresh water only for a day - no additives.
Granite grit available.

After the first day:
Check the crop and the bird. See if there any changes. Has it come down? Is she acting any different? If is has reduced some, I would:
-Add probiotic powder to the water. I only recommend Avi-Culture. It's the only avian probiotic grown on non-gmo substrate out there. Small container lasts a LONG time. it ships pretty fast. (I recommend folks have this on hand. If stored in fridge shelf life is 5 years. I add some to the feed every now and then and if you ferment it's a great starter culture or just added to the ff anytime.) http://www.avi-culture-2.com/shop.html

-Try giving her a little raw meat (liver/ground beef) or some raw egg to eat. Observe how the crop does. [Avoid grains or grain-based feed at this point.]

We gave her some cider vinegar in the water. she is in the nursery in the house. I gave her water and mash with corn i will give her a raw egg in a minute

 

[Leahs Mom]

If it is sour crop, Nothing to eat for 24 (or at least until tomorrow evening) hours except plain water. That way you can observe and see if the crop is emptying out.

If you get up in the morning and it appears to be normal, instead of waiting until evening you could try some egg. But I would not give any grains for at least 24 hours.

 

[LoveChickens123]

No...if it is sour crop, Nothing to eat for 24 hours except plain water.

Okay i am getting lost what do i giver her???
Her chest is really squishy, and isn't moving around a lot?

Feed her or not

 

[beccasev]

Ok has anyone ever seen this before?

I've never seen a hens feathers change colors before. She is not molting. Could it be something with her feed? Maybe the fish meal?

My PRs feathers get lighter by the end of summer before their fall molt but I figure its bleaching from the sun. Stella's is not from the sun since we haven't seen much of it yet.

Ideas?

I know your girls are fenced, but mine are not, so this may not help. My BRs turn a little brown right on their back between their wings. Same with my white Jersey giant. But, they also like to lay under my hubby's leaky truck. I've always figured it is just oil from his truck. It seems to come and go. Any possibility of that?

I WISH I could differentiate between my layers. Unfortunately, they all lay brown. I know the jersey giant because hers is much larger than the others. I have one that lays speckles on her eggs, but I don't know who. Otherwise, they all look almost exactly the same. I really want to get some white layers and maybe a blue layer, but not an ee. (I think they are ugly personally. )
Edited for autocorrect being dumb.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Sent a message...and edited the post just above to hopefully make more clear.