Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[Jen&Rog]

Just got home from a funeral up north and two of the girls are looking terribly poorly. They both had green-white runny poos before I left, and obviously hasn't got any better. The older girl now isn't eating, grey shrivelled comb, very down in the dumps.

 

The other, younger girl is hunched, swollen with a full squishy crop. I'll look up crop disorders now, but any instant advice would be welcome. Her droppings tray is full of clear, runny nasty-smelling fluid, the nest likewise is wet and smelly. Poor girls. The two sick birds are in separate Eglu's and their respective room mates are both fine...

Edited October 16, 2008 by Guest

[Egluntyne]

Sounds as if they have some sort of infection.....it would be unlikely for them all to be affected with sour crop or similar at the same time.

 

Try to get water into them, syringing it into their beak if necessary, and if I were you I'd take them to the vet. Tonight if you can.

[Jen&Rog]

Unfortunately I haven't got a car at the moment to get them to the vet.. I'm really worried about them, at least they're both drinking water. The older one has an empty crop (I'm making her up some layers pellets porridge) but she looks dazed/confused, her comb all shrivelled and grey. The younger one has definitely a full squishy crop. I've put cider vinegar in the water and trying to get some bokashi bran down - will that help? I've ordered some Avipro too but probably wont arrive til Saturday.

[Egluntyne]

It sounds as if you are doing the right things.

 

Getting fluid into them would be my priority.

 

Have you tried massaging the squishy crop to see if it will empty a bit?

 

They might enjoy some sloppy pellet porridge with a dollop of probiotic yoghurt added whilst you wait for the Avipro to arrive.

 

I'd keep them warm too so that they don't expend valuable energy trying to maintain their body heat.

 

Good luck.

[Jen&Rog]

Well I'm booked in at the vet's tomorrow if need be (it'll be an expensive cab ride) but fingers crossed that a good night's sleep will do them both good.

 

Linda (the older girl) has eaten some sloppy layers mash porrige and bokashi, whilst Strawberry has been massaged all afternoon (she was not happy about that). The other two were of course loving the additional attention and unusual food, which they're helping to hoover up. I think they look marginally better than when I arrived home earlier, shame it's such a cold night tonight.

[Egluntyne]

Good luck.