year old Chocolate Orpington, lethargic, all fluffed up

[Eggcessive]

I would give her 1-2 tsp of chilled coconut oil cut into small pieces to peck, or some mineral or olive oil in a small spoonful of scrambled egg. Offer her water with electrolytes continuously and hold off on any food today. Massage her crop several times a day to break up the impaction. Check her crop first thing in the morning before she eats or drinks. If it is still full and firm, repeat what you did today. Do you have granite poultry grit available for them to take as they need it? Have you wormed them recently? What do you normally feed? Here is a good article to read on crops:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[Nancy H]

Thank you! Will do. I would never have thought of massaging the crop -- but if she's not eggbound and the other birds are all fine, it sure seems logical.

I haven't wormed them recently, and see no signs of worms. I feed them Scratch and Peck, a Northwest brand which includes grit, but also have oyster shell available, and they get dried grubs and the occasional freerange (coyotes abound here, so they have to be supervised when they're out). Never heard of granite poultry grit. We have lots of decomposed granite in the soil here, though.

 

[Eggcessive]

I always have put out poultry grit, but if there is grit in your soil, that can get it if they are out free ranging. Grit is available at most feed stores in 25 pound bags.

 

[Nancy H]

Well, I went out and massaged her crop. Interesting experience. It seemed to start out firm and then became much more malleable and squishy as we went on. Set her down and watched her for about 20 minutes. She seemed to burp or hiccup a couple of times. No poop resulted, but I'm hopeful. Thank you again!

 

[Eggcessive]

That sounds like a good result. Let us know how she gets along.

 

[Nancy H]

This morning she seemed about the same. Comb and wattles still red, not pale. Just now I went out and she had gone into the most inaccessible of the nesting areas (first time since she's been sick). She ate a little scrambled egg with olive oil. I think she went in there for safety, which is worrying. Will take her some water and possibly massage her crop again as advised.

 

[Nancy H]

I'm still massaging her crop and am convinced that the problem is an impacted crop -- because it seems just as full in the morning as it was the night before. Have tried the turning her upside down method and she was able to puke some out, but not much. I'll keep at it. Poor girl; it's very stressful for her but she seems okay -- comb and wattles their normal red. Will report progress.

 

[Eggcessive]

Making her vomit is risky and she could aspirate or choke.

 

[Nancy H]

I know. But I've been careful and have had no issues so far. The impaction seems so serious that if massage and this don't work or at least make progress tomorrow, I'll have to take her to the vet to have her crop cut open. That carries risks too.

 

[Nancy H]

I've taken her to the vet, who is levaging her crop (if it works it has to be better than surgery). I'll report back on the results.