Ginfiend Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 Delilah is looking under the weather today - she was fine yesterday.. She's not eating, but drinking quite a bit, her comb is floppier than normal with a couple of white patches on the tips and she's very uninterested in everything around her - reluctant to come out of the eglu this morning. I've just added some Verm-x to the food as they're due a worming, and we're going to fish her out of the run in a bit to see if we can see / feel anything obvious. Are these symptoms of anything in particular? Is there anything I should do / be doing? Oh dear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginfiend Posted January 30, 2010 Author Share Posted January 30, 2010 Ok - we've had them both out and Delilah has a noticeably swollen crop. It feels squishy, but definitely bloated compared to Doris. No mites or lice, bottom fine. Help! What do we do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 It could be sour crop if the crop is full and squishy? Details about impacted crop **here** Sour crop **here** Check her first thing in the morning and see if her crop is still enlarged. Hope she is better soon edit - sorry, just realised that you have already posted on the sour crop link I posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginfiend Posted January 30, 2010 Author Share Posted January 30, 2010 Thanks for that - sour crop seems most likely at the moment. I've just got some yoghurt and cider vinegar - will see if that helps. If not, we'll try the making her sick and massaging it out thing - although must admit, as a novice owner that makes me nervous! Don't want to hurt her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 At first I didn't try to make her vomit. I picked her up, her head dropped down and the liquid came out. then I just encouraged her head down for a few seconds and more liquid came out. You have to be very careful with a vomitting hen, they can choke very easily. I wouldn't do it again tbh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginfiend Posted January 30, 2010 Author Share Posted January 30, 2010 That's what worries me - we don't want to choke her...particularly as we're novices. We managed to syringe feed a bit of yoghurt, and we're going to carry on with that and add some mashed garlic. Thing is - will this help if we haven't 'emptied' her out? I've tried to find detailed instructions on how to do it, but they all just say, 'hold her upside down' - erm...but how exactly? By the legs? Hold the body? Wrap in a towel? We need details! It's probably obvious if you've done it before, but not to newbies. The last thing we want to do is choke her. How long should we leave it before trying this? Anyone know? And worse case - can anyone recommend a vet in the Brighton area? I know one practice that I want to steer clear of as my past experience of them was not good.... Hoping it doesn't come to that, but we could do with finding one anyway. And apparently the cider vinegar I bought is wrong...which I discovered after putting in their water...not doing very well today... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 If you sit down with your girl, sort of under one arm, then get up. (try without the chook 1st to see what I mean) if the crop is sour,as Christian says you don't really need 2try it , sort of pours out. (not nice) Oral daktarin (from the chemist, is not licenced for poultry but many have found a blob 3 times a day has helped. No dry food it will just clog up, stewed apples are good, citricidal in the water, if you have any. Bokashi bran and the live yogurt. You really need to try and work out why it is sour... why is the food not passing through? Many possible reasons, has she laid recently, could she have a softee shell clogging her up etc etc etc. May I suggest you start a new post "good vet near Brighton needed", I remember 1 was needed and they found one. Hopefully they will see it and tell you. there is one in Crawley. Or you could try the "search" facility and type in Brighton maybe it will show up? good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutti Frutti Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 Omlet's list of chicken friendly vets is here http://wiki.omlet.co.uk/index.php/Chicken_Friendly_Vets Nothing listed for Brighton but there's one in Crawley, Faygate (?) and Battle (sorry, don't know how far they are from you). Good luck, I know it's such a worry when our girls aren't well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginfiend Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 Thanks for the advice - there was a 'softie' egg on the roosting bars this morning, which I'm guessing was hers, but she's still not right. She is producing white, watery diarrhoea and now her tail feathers are bunched over - like she's hunching her bottom end... Does that mean anything particular? I put Poultry drink in their water this morning - she looked at it but didn't take any of it. Haven't got any citricidal yet - need to find a local stockist. Oh dear - might be a vet job, once I've found one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginfiend Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 If she isn't drinking, should we try and syringe some water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 my guess is there is still a soft shell to come, but I am not a vet!!!!!! She may get rid of it herself, it might look like a piece of chewwing gum or a tiny papery condom... sorry a tad graffic I have unfortunately one that I have been to 8 times in the last 9 months for removal of a jammed shell she does shift tem herself sometimes too! but just guessing here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 I'd take her to the vet tbh. If she isn't drinking, it isn't a good sign. You could try syringing water into her beak, but it might stress her out, and if things aren't moving, it will just add to the distension in her crop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginfiend Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 I've just taken her to the vet - no sour crop or impacted egg - so she's been wormed, glucose-boosted and now has antibiotics to see if that perks her up. Vet thinks it could be a more serious underlying problem...poor Delilah. Fingers crossed she improves... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 fingers crossed, giid luck. well done you for taking her Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
