2009 Omlet cube and run for sale

[Lorraine W]

Hi,

 

Need a little advice, I have 5 chickens but I have noticed one of my chickens Lily is not herself. She is normally running around, under my feet when I am walking, one the first out of the run and jumps like a dog! Now she is just in one place and not moving.

 

Lillyis about 3.5 years old,one of my first chickens we got from omlet.

 

I have had a look on omlet and a have seen people recommending "emptied' her crop of fluid" - what is this and how do I do it?

 

Thanks

Lorraine

[Daphne]

Emptying crops is something you do if your bird has sour crop - which is basically a build up of vile smelling stuff in her crop caused by the crop not emptying of food and becoming infected; you can usually tell because the bird will have an enlarged and squishy crop.

 

So, unless you have these symptoms you don't need to empty the crop. Are there any other symptoms like rattly breathing, waddling/swollen abdomen, discharge from nose/eyes? Was her crop empty this morning (it should have been)? Is she eating? Straining to lay? Has she been wormed? Could she be trying to lay a soft egg? Is her tail up or down? On the other hand, your girl has reached a pretty good age so it might just be old age catching up with her.

[Lorraine W]

 

So, unless you have these symptoms you don't need to empty the crop. Are there any other symptoms like rattly breathing, waddling/swollen abdomen, discharge from nose/eyes? Was her crop empty this morning (it should have been)? Is she eating? Straining to lay? Has she been wormed? Could she be trying to lay a soft egg? Is her tail up or down? On the other hand, your girl has reached a pretty good age so it might just be old age catching up with her.

 

Breathing, seems fine, no discharge, she's not eating or drinking, no straining to lay. Her tail is in the middle but she seems puffed up.

 

Wormed, I use Verm-X, or should I use something else?

[Daphne]

Flubenvet is much better than Verm-X so I'd get some of that in. However, when you say 'puffed up' is it her general body or is it her undercarriage. If you can, go and feel her abdomen - does it feel swollen; either hard or squishy? Often accompanied by a waddle if she moves. If either of these then I would guess she might have egg peritonitis or a stuck egg. If she's got peritonitis then the prognosis is not good I'm afraid. If you find a swollen abdomen I would take her to the vet. If not, and its a general 'hunched looking miserable in the run' which is the classic sign of an ill bird, then I would try to get some Flubenvet asap (its possible she's carrying a high worm burden) and also get her to eat something/anything - her favourite treat, or try pellets/weetabix moistened with water to get liquids in as well - and monitor her for a bit. If there's no improvement over a couple of days or a marked deterioration then I'd take her to the vet; frankly anything could be going on internally, but we usually try to fix anything obvious (like worms or allowing her to pass a soft egg) first. If its just old age then you may be faced with a choice - a natural wind down, or having her PTS.

 

I myself am going out now, so I hope somebody else might pick this thread up; let us know how you get on.

[Lorraine W]

Hi, I went to try and buy some Flubenvet but not available so I brought some fast acting pouktry nutri drops, suppose to see a difference in 30 mins. Lilly has come out of the run and walking slowly around the garden and she is now taking water from me which is good. Her body looks better so here's hoping!

 

thanks for the advice

[Lorraine W]

quick update, just brought her in to the house to give her some weetabix and water, she has had some but not a lot. Presently sitting by my back window, having a little sleep. I can hear some gurgling from her at the moment.

 

Any idea what that is?

[brambles]

Hi Lorraine, I'm sorry she's a poorly girl.

 

Might it be worth putting her in a cat box with straw/ or just a box with straw in so that you can keep her warm? I can't answer your current question but have my fingers crossed for your girl.

[Daphne]

hmm, well gurgling can be associated with a respiratory infection - not sure what else (if anything). However, its not normal and there is obviously something wrong. Depending upon your point of view about these things and how good/bad you think she is I would either continue monitoring and feeding/watering or I'd take her to the vet.

[Egluntyne]

I agree, it sounds as if she needs to see a vet.

[balti]

hello

 

Just read your stuff - I have one that seems to be in same situ - shes normally the leader of the 4 always the most nosey but she seems just to be very slow and not eating as much - normally when i through corn down she is there but she

is ignoring and the other 3 are eating it all - she also went to bed early last night - leaving the other 3 outside for

at least an hour. Also she looks puffed up too. she stands still and closes her eyes alot. She seems to be breaking

free from other 4 when strolling around the garden.... We dont seem to be getting enough eggs recently - one of

the chicks - not sure which - only lays odd days but normally always get 3 - only got 2 last 2 days.... You think its

a stuck egg?

[Lorraine W]

Hi Balti

 

Yes Lily is the same as your chicken - normally the leader,stands still and closes her eyes a lot but Lily is eating

[Egluntyne]

Balti, have you hens been wormed?

[Lorraine W]

Egluntyne,

 

I am confused - does Verm-X worm the chickens?

[Daphne]

It is a wormer but many people (me included) do not rate it very highly as we have still seen worms from our chooks. It is a vexed question as you will see if you look at other threads, so in the end it is each to their own preferred method.

[Lorraine W]

OK interesting, tried to get the product you recommended but not available in the shop, need to order it on line.

 

Hubby is going to look at Lily once my little boy has gone to bed and check her crop

[balti]

well i wormed them last month - to be honest first time in probably months - wormed them for 3 days with verm x and

all 4 ate the stuff when mixed with corn, did same today and other 3 pecked away but cause the poorly one doesnt

seem very interested with food she didnt eat any....

Later on tonight she was mooching about in the grass and seemed to be pecking on stuff - not with normal vigour though, then she stops and stands and just closes her eyes quite alot......

 

You think she has a blockage?

[Lorraine W]

Sad update

 

Lily died last night. Hubby was trying to empty her crop but she had so much she chocked on it as it came out.

 

She was a lovely chicken but she was 3.5 old so she has a good life. We are thinking of gettin another chicken at the weekend.

 

I actually thought she might have been a dog in previous life as she could really jump really high for food and always under my feet.

[Daphne]

very sorry to hear that Lorraine, but it might just have been her time Getting another chook is a good idea as chickens do like the company.

[balti]

im so sorry to hear about her,

 

I will have up on emptying.

[staceychristie]

Sorry for your bad news.

 

We lost one of ours exbatts yesterday. She'd been on and off food, and standing around with sleepy eyes like yours. Vet said she had a tumor in her stomach, and that's why she kept having impacted crop. He suggested PTS, and we agreed, as she looked so helpless.

On the upside (as we were so sad) our largest girl came into the kitchen, and took off!! I didn't see where she went - She'd only landed INSIDE the food sack. It marginally brightened up our evening.

We'll get a few more when we are down to 3 but meanwhile, it's like they know what's happened.

 

(((Hugs)))) Stacey

[hippy chick]

HI Im really sorry to hear about your poor little chuck. Mine went exactly the same on Wednesday. Its so awfull when they are sick. And heartbreaking when they cannot get better. It makes you feel so helpless. But you did all that you could and gave her every possible chance. xx

[Lorraine W]

thanks for the kind messages - we went and got two more on Saturday so we now have 6 chickens

 

Poor Daisy who was the same age as Lily is really missing Lily and now the two more have arrived is making a right noise in the morning - woke us up at 4.30am this morning!!!! We had to seperate the new girls with the old girls so Daisy has less room - this is why we think she is unhappy.

 

I

[staceychristie]

Just like kids........

 

Welll done for getting a few more.

 

Hugs Stacey

[Luvachicken]

Sorry to hear about your girlie, Evie has been going through a similar thing

Hope the new girls are settling in now .