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Topic: Swollen Crop, Floppy Comb, poorly Hen (Read 252 times) |
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FiggyPudding
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Swollen Crop, Floppy Comb, poorly Hen
« Thread started on: May 29th, 2009, 05:57am » |
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Hi, I am new on here & looks like the advice here is excellent, so am hoping you might be able to help my poorly chicken.
I have had her a month (from the local animal rescue) & she is an exbatt - I think she maybe about 3 yrs or maybe more.
She hasn't laid an egg for about 2 weeks & the eggs prior to this were soft shelled so I gave limstone flour. Then had 2 eggs & no more since.
Yesterday morning she was off colour but didn't think much about it. At teatime i thought she was defintely unwell so after googling etc I realised something is wrong with her crop. Had a go with the olive oil & managed to get her in to the vets.
She was sick some liquid, then the vet turned her upside down & lots more yellowy liquid plus some strands of grass & a very small piece of cauliflower came out.
he gave her 3 injections & she has an appointment for 6:30pm today.
This morning she is again looking very sad : - ( standing around looking pitiful. 
Would some live maggots help, or is she at the end of her little life ? I'm not sure there is going to be a happy ending here..
I've rung the vet to see if he can see her earlier, but am hoping someone on here might be able to offer some additional info please.
Thanks
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DL
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Re: Swollen Crop, Floppy Comb, poorly Hen
« Reply #1 on: Jun 2nd, 2009, 04:39am » |
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Just saw this and I hope your vet in the meantime has been able to help her? (by the way > if your vet is not an avian vet then I do suggest you find an AVIAN vet)
Turning the bird upsidedown is not a manoever I would suggest you repeat (a bird has no eppiglottis> that means the liquid or other such can go down the "wrong tube" > into the airways > once that happens there is no way to reverse it and any bacterial infection that follows can be life threatening and the chance of aspiration is also very real)
You state that it is an ex-bat from the animal rescue > I suspect the bird is in need of a full molt > commercial breeds often need "help" to initiate a molt (there is a non-starvation method to initiate molt > see here:
http://www.livestocktrail.uiuc.edu/poultrynet/paperDisplay.cfm?Type=currentTopic&ContentID=523
>basically this article describes several feeding alterations which replaces the traditional starvation method (many birds do not survive that) > be sure to severely cut back the light (you will need to keep in darkened place and severely limit the daylight hours she is exposed to).
Once the molt has begun you can start a good general poultry supplement to deal with any deficiencies.
In all likelihood I feel over production and no molt is what has initiated the problems you are facing now with this bird... consulting an avian vet who ideally is familiar with poultry should provide you with the proper advice and (should you need them) meds.
DL
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FiggyPudding
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Re: Swollen Crop, Floppy Comb, poorly Hen
« Reply #2 on: Jun 2nd, 2009, 08:17am » |
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Hi, thanks for your reply. Unfortunately she was put to sleep on Friday teatime. She had spent the whole day being throughly miserable & I feel she was perhaps too worn out. She was a very sociable & friendly hen. And I believe she had been looked after (very well) by her previous owner, of course I have no idea if she did the moult thing.
The vet is an avian vet & he tilted her, with her head up, my description wasn't quite right. When she was put to sleep, she brought up more liquid from her crop.
The vet said she should have picked up from the anti inflamatory/painkiler & antibiotic's she had. He also said they are hammered from being an exbatt. Sheonly laid about 4 eggs mainly, producing soft shelled eggs, although the limestone flour did help produce something more solid.
I will read the threads with interest as I am rescuing 2 more exbatts, directly from the farm this weekend. Fingers crossed for those.
Thanks - if there is anything else you think would be helpful to me, please could you let me know.
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