Very sick chicken who’s lost weight, has a crop the size of a softball, and has thrown-up. Help!

[Chapmangc1]

My family and I went on a vacation for Three weeks and I had a church friend watching my chickens while I was gone. Before I left, one of my chickens was not acting 100% right, but there were no obvious symptoms other than mildly lethargic.

I got home today and she was not doing well. She has lost all of her weight-now is skin and bones, is very lethargic, threw up when I picked her up, and her crop is four times the normal size and feels heavy and full of some type of liquid. Here are more details of the symptom:


Throw-up: it was clear with the consistency of fish eggs or dog bile, but it did have some red through it.

Crop: the crop is so heavy that she is leaning downward due to the weight. When I massage it, it feels like a water balloon and the size of a softball.

I asked a friend, and she gave me a recipe for homemade electrolytes, which I gave her a teaspoon of and then I watered down some chicken feed pellets and she ate about 5 tablespoons of that.

If anyone know what this is and how to treat it, I would much appreciate it as if she doesn’t get better in a few days, I think I’m going to have to put her down so that she doesn’t suffer anymore. I am not able to take her to the vet though because of where I live.

Thank you!

 

[The Coop Crew]

Is her crop emptying like it should each night? Is she pooping?

 

[The Coop Crew]

@Eggcessive can you help?

 

[Chapmangc1]

Is her crop emptying like it should each night? Is she pooping?

I don’t know if it is emptying at night because I just got home today. I will check that in the morning.

She pooped once and it was like a very watery egg yolk color.

 

[The Coop Crew]

I don’t know if it is emptying at night because I just got home today. I will check that in the morning.

She pooped once and it was like a very watery egg yolk color.

Is she egg bound maybe? Is she a regular layer? Last time she laid?
Sorry I’m new to this as well but I’ve been reading on here a ton so just going off what I’ve learned! Also tagged someone else who has way my knowledge

 

[Chapmangc1]

Is she egg bound maybe? Is she a regular layer? Last time she laid?
Sorry I’m new to this as well but I’ve been reading on here a ton so just going off what I’ve learned! Also tagged someone else who has way my knowledge

Thank you!

Because I’ve been gone, I don’t know who has or hasn’t laid eggs, but of the five chickens, the person who watched them said he only got one egg a day. Normally she is a regular layer and is one of the more consistent layers of my flock of five.

 

[The Coop Crew]

Thank you!

Because I’ve been gone, I don’t know who has or hasn’t laid eggs, but of the five chickens, the person who watched them said he only got one egg a day. Normally she is a regular layer and is one of the more consistent layers of my flock of five.

Maybe check and see if you feel a lump between her legs? I know they say to soak the hen an epsom salt bath to try and help. Also taking her somewhere quiet and dark will help. I know they recommend a calcium supplement as well but I’m not sure on the dose
@azygous can help with that! Sorry I’m not more help!

 

[azygous]

This is what I recommend. One whole tablet right in the beak.

 

[The Coop Crew]

View attachment 3865348This is what I recommend. One whole tablet right in the beak.

Thank you! I tired to help the best I could but I’m new myself. Hopefully I offered a little help

 

[The Coop Crew]

Also if her crop doesn’t empty over night you could look into crop impaction.
I hope she pulls through