The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: manian on October 13, 2012, 12:08:15 pm

Title: Unwell chicken.... help
Post by: manian on October 13, 2012, 12:08:15 pm

ok
just gone to collect eggs and one of my black rocks looked all sad on the perch. shes about 2 1/2 years
not moulting at the mo ment
picked her up and her crop was full of water (clear liquid) that then poured out through nostrils beak etc
still with us
just put her under heat lamp as she feels cold
comb looks dark and she looks dehydrated
any ideas
 
 

Title: Re: Unwell chicken.... help
Post by: manian on October 13, 2012, 12:15:41 pm

meant to say i'm wondering if its sour crop....
just going to get some yoghurt and see if i can tempt her
in honesty i don't think thinks are looking good
Mx

Title: Re: Unwell chicken.... help
Post by: Mammyshaz on October 13, 2012, 02:06:28 pm

That doesn't sound very nice. I'm a novice with hens so cannot give much advice.  :fc: hope you are on the right track and she improves soon.

Title: Re: Unwell chicken.... help
Post by: doganjo on October 13, 2012, 03:31:24 pm

If it's also smelly it sounds like sour crop.  They don't often recover from that but she's not old, so the yoghurt might do it.

Title: Re: Unwell chicken.... help
Post by: jaykay on October 14, 2012, 12:18:31 am

Turn her upside down and massage out the liquid in the crop. You have to do this quite quickly so she doesn't gag and inhale the liquid into her lungs.

Keep her warm and quiet and withhold food. Put apple cider vinegar into her water. Try to put a bit of live yoghurt into her beak, it's important she swallows it, not inhales it. You're trying to acidify the crop contents so that the fungi that is fermenting food in there can't survive.

Do this for two days at most.

Then you need to start feeding her again, scrambled egg is best. Chick crumbs too if you can get them at this time of year.

You may need to keep on with the ACV in the water, live yoghurt and massaging the crop to empty it of excess liquid for two or three weeks, but they can recover.

Title: Re: Unwell chicken.... help
Post by: gillsta on October 14, 2012, 06:17:23 am

Totally agree with Jaykay. I had one do the same about a month ago and did virtually to the letter what Jaykay is saying. I use a tiny syringe to get the yoghurt in  carefully. My one did pull through but it took about four days. Hope your hen pulls through.

Title: Re: Unwell chicken.... help
Post by: manian on October 14, 2012, 06:56:25 pm

thanks for the help
managed to get live yoghurt and she had that along with ACV. she seemed a bit brighter this am but
unfortunately she didn't make it this pm..... :'( :'(
Mx

Title: Re: Unwell chicken.... help
Post by: jaykay on October 14, 2012, 07:08:31 pm

Oh, I'm sorry  :hug:

Title: Re: Unwell chicken.... help
Post by: Mammyshaz on October 14, 2012, 08:33:23 pm

Oh no, so sorry  :bouquet: you tried your best  :hug: