My eco solution to rat problems

[E4eggs]

Feeling quite low as I have a poorly chicken. She has been quite lethargic and drinking and eating less than usual but I have seen her drinking and eating a little so this is a comfort.

 

She seems to have lost weight and her crop is a little squishy.

 

I have tried some yoghurt but she is not too interested, just has a little taster. Have bought some maggots, as have read (on this marvellous forum) that they chomp through crop blockage ... she pecks at them (which probably kills them! therefore any she eats are completely useless!), she turns away from the maggots after a while tho' so I've given them to the other three girls who go mad for them, still have some in fridge so will try again. I've tried some olive oil and massaging the crop.

 

Today we took the cat (with a gammy eye) and Matilda the chicken to the vet. He said he loved looking at chickens, as they don't see many. Heart sank! Really I was prompting him as to what it may have been, but he gave her a thorough investigation and said her crop was a little big, not huge but sort of "gritty". He was lovely though and tried his best. Gave her a couple of injections - anti-inflammatory, and something else (what with the cat as well I'm all vetted out!). He suggested that I look on the internet to see if there is any sour crop medication. Have seen that Nystatin is recommended, but presumably only from vets.

 

The bill was huge and unfortunately my OH pays all bills and is not always terribly supportive of my little menagerie.

 

Any advice/suggestions appreciated.

 

Many thanks.

[Egluntyne]

I've never used this myself, but I have been reading recently that **Daktarin Gel**, an oral anti fungal agent has been used successfully to treat sour crop in hens.

 

The dose seems to be a blob squirted into the hens mouth twice daily for a week. Encourage the hen to swallow.