Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[cmcardle]

I'm pretty new to chicken keeping. I've got 2 bantams and I used to have 3 pekins. They are all teenagers (in weeks that is, not years), the pekins are younger than the bantams. I thought a bale of straw would be fun for the hens to sit on and jump off. I put a fairly loosely tied up bundle of straw in their run. They, of course, thought it would be far more fun to pull the bale to pieces and within a day it was evenly distributed around their run.

A week or so later, I noticed Millie had a swollen chest. The information on the forum was really helpful and I guessed it was a blocked crop. I gave her some olive oil and massaged her crop. It was soft but large. The following day she was off colour and her crop was still big even with no extra food. I took her to the vet who surgically removed the contents of the crop. Unfortunately, she did not really come round from the anaesthetic. She died at the vet's yesterday.

I'm sad. She was my favourite hen. At least I'd only had her for a few weeks and hadn't got really attached to her. I'd be coping a lot worse if that were the case.

Anyway, my husband spoke to the vet nurse this morning (Sunday). She confessed that she couldn't speak with any authority, but that there seemed to be an awful lot of straw in Millie's crop and she was very thin. She said I could ring the vet on Monday to get more information.

Of course I'm wondering if she ate loads of straw and that's what blocked her crop. I'm feeling like, if I had known more, been aware of that risk and not put the straw in the run, Millie would be fine.

Any thoughts anyone?

Thank-you

[Guest]

I know other people on the forum put straw bales in their runs for their chooks and I've seen hens in barn systems on the TV that have straw bales etc If it was that dangerous then I'm sure I'd have heard or read something about it.

 

I know long grass and hay can cause blocked crops but then they probably tastes nice! I'd wonder why a chicken was eating something that didn't taste nice???

 

Even if it does turn out to be the straw that caused a blockage, you put the straw in there to keep them occupied (our of concern for your girls) and so do many other people. Although extremely sad, I don't think you should feel guilty.

 

There's loads of web sites that advise the use of straw, here's just one of many http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080412092813AAPmVyU

 

don't feel bad xxx

[cmcardle]

Thanks. That makes me feel hugely better. It's really lovely to be able to get advice and support from other people, rather than turning it over and over in my mind.

Thank-you

[Egluntyne]

Not wanting to add to your upset, but straw, hay and long grass can all cause impaction in the crop.

 

It can ball up and form an impenetrable plug, as can string etc.

 

Most hens don't seem to bother eating straw and many owners use it in the nest box, and as you have done, as a boredom buster, but the occasional hen seems to have a taste for it.

 

I mention it only so that you can decide whether you want to change your set up.

[The Dogmother]

I had to stop using shredded paper in my nest box some years ago Egluntine for just that reason - it didn't taste nice, but the hens semed to have formed a compulsion to eat it

 

Please don't worry about 'fault' cmcardle; put it down to experience and enjoy your hens.

[cmcardle]

Thanks to everyone.

I raked out all the straw this weekend just in case. I was thinking about using shredded paper in the nesting bowl/box but I won't now. What is safe? Could you leave it without anything in it?

I missed the vet today, but I'll ring back tomorrow and hopefully find out what happened.

[badgerbluebadger]

My Ella has taken to eating straw and getting it stuck in her mouth. This morning when I open them up she came running out to me with straw stuck in her mouth I held the end of it and she walked backwards and hey presto the straw was removed - mm I hope she has learnt her lesson as Sam loves sitting in straw.

 

Ps - I am the same as cmcardle - unsure what else I could use?

[Egluntyne]

I would suggest Aubiose or Hemcore.

[The Dogmother]

That would be my suggestion too.

[pistachio]

Poor you I'm really sorry to hear about that. I was advised by the Eglu man to use straw in the nest area (not hay because it is likely to go mouldy) so obviously it's not a crazy thing to have done - to put straw around for your chicken. You were trying to keep them entertained. You weren't to know one of your chucks would take a shine to eating it. Obviously different hens like different things and someone will find that their hen eats paper and others will find that their hen eats straw or other vegetable matter. I found that shredded newspaper went very flat when my hens sat on it so I gave that up and opted for straw. mine don't seem to eat it, although I'll keep an eye out. I feel very sorry for you that you lost a chicken. there's no reason you could have known. I wouldn't have known that some chickens try and eat straw. We are all learners. Whatever the vet says - it's all useful info for the future - but don't feel guilty about your chuck - you've been giving her a great life

[enzed]

So sorry to hear about that. I used straw in the nesting box (also advised by the man who delivered the eglu) and we ended up getting one of my chickens put down because her crop was blocked twice. Thing is, georgina never ate the straw, only geraldine. I suppose it's a chicken preference. We use hemcore or aubiose now - the only down side is that we had to put a ball in the nesting box for a while - it's nice and soft, so they liked to sleep in it (and fight over who slept in it!) Also, hemcore is nice and absorbant so any poos laid with the eggs get absorbed a bit.