The Old Folks Home

[Cynthia12]

Sorry, I haven't a clue


Gee Cynthia, you have beautiful graduating granddaughters coming out your ears!

Thank you. 35 grandchildren, number 36 on the way. A few won't be for a while. 1 great. Hmm. I should show off our great. She's a doll. Thinking we won't be around for her graduation.

 

[Cynthia12]

Granddaughter and great granddaughter.

 

[Cynthia12]

@Cynthia12, you guys made yourselves a beautiful family! Congratulations to Grand daughter #3!

I need to pick you all's brains. The 8+week old cockerel that I mentioned being sick earlier today died. Naturally my first guess is well, d***** Marek's disease but this one acted different. Symptoms, lethargic. I describe it as he lost his sparkle. Last night he didn't roost with his broodmates and today he kept to himself. Not fluffed up, not eating a lot although I did get a teaspoon of scrambled eggs down him earlier and saw him pecking at food and drinking later in the day. Most of the day he stayed in one of the outside nesting boxes. Two of the older hens were sensing something was off and were pestering him and I saw one of the roosters try to mount him earlier but he was able to get away from all of them.

The only thing I noticed out of the ordinary with him was that his crop was a bit 'weird' No food in it this morning or last night but it felt 'watery' as if there was fluid in it but nothing else.

I was out about 2 hours ago and saw him out running around with the other birds and acting pretty normal. Went out a half hour ago and found him very dead. I couldn't find anything other than the crop out of the ordinary with him. No paralysis, no drainage from eyes or nose. No sneezing or coughing. I lost another 7 week old the same way last year and while I would like to blame Marek's I can't help but wonder if this wasn't something else.

Any ideas?

Squishy crop? It does sound like a compacted crop. Nothing can get through. Or, is there a difference between sour crop and compacted?

 

[chickadoodles]

Oh my goodness!! It's been years since I've had those. Where do you live?

We live in south west Alabama. Out side of Selma.

 

[chickadoodles]

Cynthia you are very blessed with such a beautiful family.

 

[microchick]

Squishy crop? It does sound like a compacted crop. Nothing can get through. Or, is there a difference between sour crop and compacted?

No, I don't think he was impacted. I've dealt with that before, also with sour. No nasty smell from his mouth. I have a SS hen with crop problems that will have you holding her at arms length and waving the air when she goes sour. Don't know how such a foul smell can come out of such a sweet little hen.

My husband asked if maybe he had ate something he shouldn't. They are in their run all day, digging around. Could have. No poisons around so not that. His crop felt for want of a better word...mealy. Not empty, not solid how it feels when they have just had a good meal. More like water with a little chick grit mixed in with it.

I probably should have opened him up but just not inclined to do that. Just curious. It's weird how they can be running around normal and the next day croak the way they do. I'd much rather loose them that way then have them have to be put down.

Cynthia, those girls are darling. One question though.....no grandson's?

On a brighter note. Saw one one of SDW cockerels dance for the pullets for the first time today. Evidently he's been watching the older roosters and isn't just going to be a slam bam thank-ya henny type of rooster.

 

[Cynthia12]

We live in south west Alabama. Out side of Selma.

Ahhh.. the south. I still miss some foods from the south. Haven't lived there for a while, but still.

 

[microchick]

Mom was born in a town called Fountain Run Kentucky down near the Tennessee border. Dad was from Pennsylvania. I had some crazy good ethnic food when I was growing up. Southern with German/Pennsylvania Duetch....not at the same time.

 

[chickadoodles]

This is driving me crazy! Between all the rain and my water garden the frogs are unbearable!

 

[drumstick diva]

I thought I used to hear hundreds of crickets in mid winter. Turned out I have tinnitus. I also get wind noises, buzzing, and sometimes messages from other planets (???)