Triple Emergencies!!! Help help help

[Lovem all]

Okay so i have 3 big problems rn.
So I went to collect the eggs and noticed my 10 year old barred rock chicken combs was in a weird position on the ground, looking very tired, breathing irregular, and the position she had was almost like she wanted to lay an egg. Her crop was empty so I took her to the food but she ran back to the coop. I figured I would check back later and went to get ms. Green. She gets fed every day at lunch and dinner, it's a special blend I make to help her because she has ascites (water belly) and it seems like the only thing that helps keep her alive most days because she doesn't eat on her own. So I'm feeding her, all is normal and then she starts making gurgle noises in her stomach. I didn't think much of it seeing she does noises like that sometimes before a bad poo. Also her crop felt really hardy already which is super unusual for her but I was happy. Next thing I know she's throwing up a yolk like liquid. i stop feeding her immediate, put her back and check on combs again. She's on the nest in pain and unable to lay an egg. My next move was to soak Combs in warm epson salt water. After a long while of that I let her go back in the coop. She gets on the nest and is still trying to lay an egg. She's in pain, I can tell. She's making lots of hurt noise and breathing heavy. While I grimice watching her like that in the egg box Ms. Green is under the egg box throwing up more yellow liquid till her crop is empty. I gave Ms. Green some olive oil.
I don't know what else to do for them. They are both really special chickens.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Hi. Sorry this is happening to your flock.

For your Barred Rock, she is still laying eggs at 10 years old? It sounds like she is egg bound (if she's still laying) or has an impacted crop (you mentioned a hard crop) or a combination of things, including water belly that you mentioned she has. Older chickens (especially yours that is 10 years old) can have all sorts of problems, including with their reproductive system or waste system. I'd give her a warm Epsom salt soak and some solid coconut oil pieces, the epsom salts will help soothe her vent (egg bound/etc.) and the coconut pieces will help with the impacted crop. I know you may not want to hear this but you also might wan to start mentally preparing yourself for supportive/end of life care (keeping her warm and comfortable). I just went through this with one of my hens and I know how awful it can be.

For Ms. Green, it sounds like she has an impacted or sour crop. Did you feel her crop first thing this morning before she ate? Crop should be empty. You can try to feed her solid coconut oil chunks and very, very gently massage the crop to get things moving. I'm not sure how old she is, but if she is older like your Barred Rock, I'd again start mentally preparing yourself for supportive/end of life care.

What are you feeding your flock? You mention a custom blend of foods, but are you also offering a good, quality chicken feed too?

I don't have ducks so I will tag @Isaac 0 and @Miss Lydia for some help.

Also tagging @azygous @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive for additional chicken help.

 

[azygous]

Your ten-year old hen does sound egg bound or worse, an egg collapsed inside. Either situation, the first thing I do is administer calcium in the form of an ordinary tablet, at least 500mg.

This will hopefully get the contractions going strong so she can expel what is inside her. After the first soak, I would install her on a moist warm towel, heating pad underneath the towel. This provides moist heat right under her vent to help keep tissues moist.

Putting her on a towel will also allow you to monitor her poop which can tell us how bad her obstruction is. Having the crop back up, sort of like household plumbing, you know there's a blockage somewhere. If the blockage is by an egg or broken egg, it can cut off the function of the cecum, which is where cecal poop comes from and where excess fluids are dispersed into the bodily tissues.

The danger of this is dehydration, so she needs access to fresh water as she will likely be losing fluids. If the towel becomes drenched by the end of the day, you have confirmed a blockage. By the end of today, if the blockage is not resolving, I usually administer a molasses drench. (One-fourth cup warm water with a teaspoon of molasses mixed in.) Often the hen will be thirsty enough to drink this on her own. It will stimulate her intestines to help propel the blockage down and out.

 

[spunky-chicken]

I'm no expert, but I've heard putting a egg-bound chicken in a separate space with a heat lamp and a shallow pan of water helps. The water is mainly for humidity.

 

[Isaac 0]

Oh yeah, the third issue. Sorry. I have rescued mallard baby ducks, they are a getting bigger and have their pretty blues in their wings and quack. One of them seems to have an impacted or sour crop. It's going on 3 days. She's also holding her one wing lower as she becomes weaker.

I'm going to predict this thread is going to become quite confusing since there will be a discussion on three birds in one place. Would you mind posting a thread on the duck forum regarding the duckling, and start off by answering these questions?

How does their crop feel? What are they being fed? Could you post a few pictures or video of the duckling? Is she producing frequent bowel movements, if yes, could you post a few pictures? Has she been fed any treats?

 

[Lovem all]

Ms. Green is the one with ascites. It's been an on going struggle with her and now the throwing up makes me wonder if it would be more humane if I let my father come take care of her if you know what I mean. She gets her special food around 11 and then again at 5 everyday but her crop had a lot in it at lunch, till she barfed it all out. If I don't give her the food she doesn't eat. Also I think Ms green is 3.
Combs is still struggling. She is my favorite chicken. She lays 2-3 eggs a week just like my other 10 year old. Their eggs are always really large.
They all eat layers crumble.
Ms. greens blend is the normal feed cinimon, ginger, oil of aragono, apple cider viniger, water.
I'm sorry I should have made this info clear to begin with.
Also I am really appreciating all answers.

 

[Lovem all]

yes I can, thank you. Sorry

 

[NatJ]

Guys, does anyone have advice for M. Green. She really has been struggling along for months and i've been the only reason she's even okay right now. I know if I didn't give her her special treatment she'd just die. She's a good girl. One of my favorites (and that's saying something). I know how amazing and sassy and sweet and loving she is. She's so smart and beautiful. I love her to bits but I'm worried that now she's just suffering. I don't know what to do. If anything someone please keep her in your thoughts.

Given how much she means to you, I do not know what the right advice is.

She obviously needs extra care, but you seem willing to keep doing the extra care as long as she is not suffering too much. And she has clearly had a long, good life with you.

Because you are the one there to actually see her, I think you are the one who can best judge how much she is suffering and how much she still seems to enjoy life.

All I can suggest is that you watch her and think about what her life is like at the present time, and see if that helps you decide.

Sorry, that's probably not very helpful

 

[Kiki]

Okay so i have 3 big problems rn.
So I went to collect the eggs and noticed my 10 year old barred rock chicken combs was in a weird position on the ground, looking very tired, breathing irregular, and the position she had was almost like she wanted to lay an egg. Her crop was empty so I took her to the food but she ran back to the coop. I figured I would check back later and went to get ms. Green. She gets fed every day at lunch and dinner, it's a special blend I make to help her because she has ascites (water belly) and it seems like the only thing that helps keep her alive most days because she doesn't eat on her own. So I'm feeding her, all is normal and then she starts making gurgle noises in her stomach. I didn't think much of it seeing she does noises like that sometimes before a bad poo. Also her crop felt really hardy already which is super unusual for her but I was happy. Next thing I know she's throwing up a yolk like liquid. i stop feeding her immediate, put her back and check on combs again. She's on the nest in pain and unable to lay an egg. My next move was to soak Combs in warm epson salt water. After a long while of that I let her go back in the coop. She gets on the nest and is still trying to lay an egg. She's in pain, I can tell. She's making lots of hurt noise and breathing heavy. While I grimice watching her like that in the egg box Ms. Green is under the egg box throwing up more yellow liquid till her crop is empty. I gave Ms. Green some olive oil.
I don't know what else to do for them. They are both really special chickens.

Poor thing sound like it's really suffering.
You should end her suffering.

 

[Lovem all]

Ms. Green is her usual self, which isn't normal for any other chicken but she's not acting like she's about to die. She's slow, tiny, and probably won't eat until I feed her, but it seems like she's having one of her good days.