HELP NEEDED! one poorly hen

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I wonder if anyone can help me. I am looking after my father-in-law's girls (=chickens) at the moment as he is on holiday. While feeding them this morning I noticed that one of them has got a swollen neck (the front) and is dragging her wings and seems to have lost her appetite. She was just sitting there while the other ones were having their breakfast.

Could anyone please let me know what to do? Any suggestion, regarding food or medication is appreciated.

thank you.
Nicole
 
Hi, can you put her somewhere on her own? Inside perhaps? Try to keep her warm, is she eating anything or drinking? When you say her neck- are there any marks on it? has she been bitten by something? any blood, cuts? Or does it seem like a blockage in her neck? Any information would help, regards, David
 
Hello David,

thanks for your reply. No, I am sure she has not been bitten, there are no marks or blood on her.
It does look like a blockage, her neck is quite puffy, but just on the front. Yes, I could put her somewhere inside away from the others.

Nicole
 
Hi, try to feel if there are any lumps or something stuck, if you can catch her and examine her that will rule out a bite or cut etc- try to keep here warm and see if she drinks and eats but give her an examination first to try to find he cause, good luck, David :)
 
Hello Ros,

just been to see her....... she's died :-(
I did feel her neck and there seems to be an abcess.
What does 'crop bound' mean?

thanks,
Nicole
 
Hi Nicole,I am so sorry :( .When hens eat,the food goes to their crop fist,a sort of internal bag at the base of their neck.from there,the digestion starts,if it becomes blocked,the food cannot pass through to their stomach.So it stays in their crop,sort of fermenting and swelling.It does need attention very quickly,it could feel like an abscess,sort of squishly,although a compacted crop(i think)is hard to feel.
 
Hello Lydia, thanks for your kind email. Is there anything one can do when the food becomes crop bound? I would like to know just in case it happens again to another girl.
Nicole
 
Hi Nicole,
I might have emailed you,but I don't remember doing it,so it was maybe Ros,or Sue,or Snifter or anyone else on the forum,we all try to help.
Yes,there are things you can try,firstly,if you suspect it(best way to know for sure)is to pick the bird up and feel their crop in the morning.It should be full when they got to bed,and empty in the morning where they've digested the food overnight.
If it is still full,you can give them some olive oil that you would use for cooking.Use a syringe or dropper,place some drops into it's open beak.Don't put it too far into/down their beak,some will run out,but when you see them swallow,you know some is going down correctly.
I find the easiest way for me to do this,is to sit on my sofa,holding the bird with my legs,so it isn't on my lap,it is sat on the sofa but I can keep it fairly still.This way I have a hand free to open beak,one to administer olive oil.
They do seem to like olive oil,will sometimes drink it themselves from a teaspoon,then massage the crop.This will often sort the problem.
If it doesn't,you need to tip the bird upside down,so it's beak is facing downwards and massage the crop(after another dose of the oil)so you sort of make it sick,only it isn't sick,'cos it hasn't come from the stomach.It will be some grass,or straw that has been eaten,in the crop sort of coiled round blocking the exit hole.Causing pellets and other food stuffs to not be able to pass through.
The tipping upside down,is daunting if you've never done it,it is better to be shown by someone.I haven't needed to do that yet myself.
It would be a good idea,when they've gone to bed to pick one up,and feel a full crop,then in the morning feel again to feel an empty chook.This will show you how they feel,and help you in future,if you ever have a crop problem.
If need be,contact a vet,a poultry vet will be able to treat the bird,and,show you how to administer oil or medicine,and the tipping/turning upside down.
 
Hello Lydia, thanks for all the very useful advise. I shall do what you recommended.
(You did email me on saturday afternoon)
best regards, Nicole
 
oops,sorry,I did think of you,it's such a horrid thing to happen to you.Saturday feels like ages away,I'd completely forgotten :oops: ....mind you,I can't remember what I did this am......saturday was ages ago :D .Sometimes I'm not quite as blonde............sometimes I'm worse.
 
The way Lydia has described emptying a crop is kind of right but is missing a few key points. I feel I should add them here as I have posted about it elsewhere. This really is not to be tried unless you are familiar with chickens and how to handle them and have some help if its your first attempt. If you get it wrong you run the risk of causing more stress and discomfort to your chook.

1) When syringing down the olive oil you need to take care. It is best to syringed direct down their throat, thus needing to hold their beak open and get the syringe back onto the back of the tongue to administer it. However, if you do this you need to have knowledge of anatomy of chooks as getting it down the wrong pipe can cause you to kill or make your chook even more ill. If the oil gets into the lungs you are in trouble.

2) When massaging the crop you need to ensure you have enough oil/liquid in there and massage from the bottom to the top.

3) When turning the chook upside down you will probably need someones help with massaging the crop. You must, must, extend the neck of the bird fully before you attempt any kind of massage once the bird is upside down. This is done by firmly holding the sides of the birds beak and pulling it gently but firmly downwards. If you don't do this you won't be leaving the bird any passage with which to expel any contents. The neck must be straight as possible. This can mean one person holds the bird and the beak and keeps the neck straight and the other then massages it from BOTTOM to TOP of the crop (even when upside down).

4) Do not do this for extended periods as your bird will need to breath. At the first sign of them failing you must turn them upright and allow them a breather.

5) It can take more than a few attempts to get the contents to start emptying. Once it does, do not stop if the bird is actually emptying the contents via their mouth. Doing so can cause problems. Make sure they have stopped throwing it up before turning back up the right way.

There is more but tbh I really only suggest people attempt this if they a) have good knowledge of chickens and b) are used to handling them and c) have a second pair of hands to help.
 
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