Omlet Smart Autodoor - New in box

[LittleOwl]

Treacle came running out of the eglu as normal yesterday. We were out all day so didnt see her till 4pm. She had taken herself to bed and our cockerel made her come out again. While the others enjoyed treats she stayed hunched with her eyes closing. We could see her crop was swollen and got her out.

 

We did the best we could at feeling her crop - it had looked so enlarged we thought it was impacted, but didn't feel that way. We massaged 3 times, and twice when we tipped her up the fluid came out, and the third time there was nothing. The fluid looked pale brown when it was draining out but more light greyish in the sink. We placed her in a puppy crate in the loo in our outhouse where it's very dark, left her some water and some grit in case she needed that to break things down, and left her. We checked later and she had bedded down for the night.

 

We had mowed the grass a couple of days ago and wondered if maybe there was some in there not fully picked up or mulched, and whether that had caused it?

 

OH checked her at 5:30 and she was still resting. I haven't been in there yet as I don't want to disturb her too early.

I have read the info on here about sour crop, and in my books, but when it comes to actually doing stuff I need some support! Am I doing the right thing? Does it sound like sour crop? What do do next, pop her out with her friends if she's up and about or keep her isolated? What do give her to eat? I have no yoghurt which is what seems to come up as an option.

 

Thank you everyone

[Tutti Frutti]

It could be that the grass has clogged her crop and what's stuck there has gone sour.

 

If she's a good weight, I'd put her on a plain and simple diet for 24 hours - pellets and water with added vitamin boost (eg poultry drink, avipro, nutridrops etc). Some people recommend using an oral antibiotic gel (for humans, can't remember its name, sorry) to act on the bugs that are making the crop sour - but we went to the vet instead who prescribed a gel (didn't work, Ursula didn't survive - we even tried maggots to eat through any blockage causing the sour crop but not joy).

 

How is she now? I hope she's up and about - if not, I'd be ringing the vet. They can go downhill so quickly - but equally, perk up just as quickly as well, if the right treatment is put in place quickly.

 

Good luck!

[LittleOwl]

Thank you Tutti-Frutti. I went to check her half an hour ago and she was up and about looking and sounding feisty and cross with me, with no trace of yesterday's tiredness. I checked her crop and couldn't find anything (though I'm certainly not expert enough at that) and after a quick massage and a little tip-up there was no fluid coming up. Her poo also looked very normal. As she was getting all flappy in her crate I thought the best thing to do would be to pop her back in with the others. I am working from home today and not going out at all and can see them all from where I am sitting. That way I can keep a close eye on her behaviour, whereas it was difficult in the crate as I had to go and see her and of course she wasn't going to behave normally. I won't give any treats to any of them today, just their pellets, and I have put some poultry drink in their water. I'll observe her closely for a few hours and see if anything changes. She has already eaten some pellets, and is having a huddle with the others.

 

During our only other experience we had with crop trouble that girl was fine the next day, so fingers crossed that this will be the same.

 

I think the gel you're talking about is daktarin Tutti-Frutti - it came up while I was researching. I think I'll get some in as part of my chicken first-aid kit.