clucker1 Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 My 3.5 year old gingernut has in the past had a wriggly/twisty neck thing which she does. Recently she has been doing it quite a lot. She is at the moment moulting, comb poor and hasn't laid an egg for some while. Wormed with flubenvet in September. When she has her twisty neck thing, she sort of ducks :dwon with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 Not sure I know what you mean,but have you checked video for gape worm symptoms.Maybe need wormed again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 17, 2013 Author Share Posted November 17, 2013 Thanks Grandmashazzie.....what video?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 Sorry should have been more specific.Goggle gapeworm symptoms and third down someone has posted a you tube video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 17, 2013 Author Share Posted November 17, 2013 Thanks for that. She does a more of a wriggle, no gasping either that I have seen. Think I will get another lot of flubenvet down them, their last lot was first week of September, so nearly 3 months. Any other thoughts much appreciated. I have read you have to double the dose of flubenvet for gapeworm....is that the case, so do I buy the powder or give the chickens 2 weeks of pellets with the premix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted November 19, 2013 Share Posted November 19, 2013 One of mine has a wobbly head. I did take her to the vets to see if she had sour crop but he said she didn't have it - but couldn't tell me what she did have. She still wobbles her head even now. She is fine in all other ways - except she doesn't lay any eggs. Personally, I think she bumped her head one day from fright. I hope you find out what is wrong with your girlie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 19, 2013 Author Share Posted November 19, 2013 I have been today to get some more flubenvet. Got home, went to check on Cluck to find her crop big. What is sour crop? I gave Cluck some bokashi active bran which incidentally she has always liked a lot. I am now wondering if she has had this before and I haven't noticed. What else can I do? Not so keen on tipping her upside down though, but will if I have to. She doesn't look good, looks like an old lady chicken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libby22 Posted November 19, 2013 Share Posted November 19, 2013 They will usually do a wiggle type neck movement when they are trying to adjust their crop - either because they have eaten too much, or there is a blockage and it feels uncomfortable. My girl had the start of sour crop when she had antibiotics and ended up with the equivalent of thrush in the crop. The contents are squishy and you can smell the sourness from their beaks. I gave her live yoghurt with bokashi bran three times each day, put a garlic clove in their water holder and also gave them a probiotic powder - Avipro. Together these all sorted out the problem. However, if the crop is bulging, this could be due to a blockage. I would check first thing in the morning and see if it has gone down. If not, I am sure someone will be able to advise further. I did give my girl live white maggots, which eat through the blockage and clear the crop, but if the crop is overfull, I don't think anything else should be added and that is probably where someone else can advise. Keep us updated won't you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 20, 2013 Author Share Posted November 20, 2013 Been out this morning, crop still big and bulgy. Tried tipping her upside down, not sure if I was doing it right, nothing came out....how long do you hold them upside down for? Gave her some natural yogurt, ate a bit, though not much. Will try her beloved bokashi bran at lunchtime. This is my first chicken with sour crop if that is what it is, so I am learning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 20, 2013 Author Share Posted November 20, 2013 Update, just given Cluck some bokashi bran and she is gobbling that down. Also put garlic cloves in their water, will see how long those last!!! Last time I did that Darthveda gobbled one whole clove down with delightful breath afterwards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 20, 2013 Author Share Posted November 20, 2013 Update, gave her yogurt with bokashi bran this pm. Hoping it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libby22 Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 Mine did try to get the garlic but they couldn't reach it The garlic is antifungal so will help if it is sour crop. The probiotics in the natural yoghurt again will boost her natural bacteria levels and help neutralise the acid that may be in her crop. Does the crop feel squishy as though it is full of liquid? I think that is when you try to empty the crop but I must say I have never tried to tip them myself. She sounds bright enough. The main thing now would be to try to get the crop emptied and if it isn't squishy yet, you could try adding a small amount of cod liver oil to whatever she will eat to try to move it along as if it is more solid, it isn't sour yet. You can then massage the crop gently to try to help her move the blockage, but the blockage will need to be moved quite quickly, as if the food has sat there for a while without passing, it will of course rot and turn sour. Do you have a fishing shop anywhere near to you? The white maggots really do the trick. I give them to the girls first thing and the maggots sit in the crop during the day and quite literally eat through the blockage - within reason of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 20, 2013 Author Share Posted November 20, 2013 OOOOOh Libby, thank you very much, regrettably!! we do have a fishing shop....yuck live maggots. Will get some though. How many do I buy...how do they measure them...weight or numbers? Any particular type of maggot? Thankyou so much. Will do cod liver oil tomorrow morning...it is still squishy at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libby22 Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 You buy them by the pint. I usually give half a pint of white maggots to three of my girls so perhaps if you bought half a pint and gave her two tablespoons in a dish? You could also give the other girls some to leave you in peace whilst you tried to feed her I would stress the white maggots - can't remember why now but that is the ones they have Let me know how you get on tomorrow. Will be interested to see if her crop has gone down in the morning. If it hasn't, it is a blockage of some sort, but if she seems bright enough and is eating etc, definitely worth trying the maggots. If you aren't sure how many, just give her more rather than less as the maggots have a job to do. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 21, 2013 Author Share Posted November 21, 2013 Well this am, the lump still felt squishy if not a bit hard. This pm, OH was in charge and said he couldn't feel anything?! let's hope he is right!!! Cluck had 2 more lots of bokashi bran and yogurt today. Looked at probiotic powder in a health shop, today £22.50!!! so have decided to stick with yogurt and bokashi bran. Got some lovely white maggot thingies late today, what I do for those chickens....will give some to Cluck tomorrow. The fishing shop owner knew that I needed white ones for chickens, how impressive is that?! Anyway, they are outside my house in a sealed pot! It should be cold enough, so no escapees in my house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libby22 Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 Great. Sounds like it is all going in the right direction - fingers crossed. It was news to our fishing shop when I asked for them They were very puzzled but are used to me now. If you would like the probiotic powder at any point, it is cheapest on ebay or amazon. It is Avipro powder and is really good if they have any crop problems - which hopefully shouldn't be often, or an upset tum etc. I give it to the dog and cat too It is a small tub - costs around £7 or a little more and lasts for ages as long as you keep it sealed and in a cool place. Good idea keeping the maggots outside - they really do their very best to escape. I tend to give them to the girls every ten days or so - gives their crop a clean out and also, as they are getting older, it is a good protein boost. My don't free range so they don't get many bugs - although I often see them chasing some around the pen but they go mad when I am taking the maggots out. They all doze off when they have had a good scoff Touch wood for you both tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 Ok, well how funny today, crop still not right this am, squidgy/hard. Gave Cluck some maggots in separate section under the cube. WELL!!!!!! Those things are not to be trusted!!!!!!!!!!!! This comes from a chicken who if she sees a garden worm will go bonkers for it!! I put some yogurt and bokashi bran in with her and then decided to leave her to it. Came back 1.5 hours later to find it all gone. Let her out with the others. Then this evening, wasn't sure whether to give her any more, but repeated exercise and maggots not so scary this time,but my patience going. So after 10 mins let the other girls in to help Cluck eat the maggots and all of a sudden the competition of it all made her gobble them faster, thank goodness! Crop a bit softer I think. TBH I am not sure if I am fighting a losing battle, she is 3,5 years old and perhaps this is the beginning of the end....I read on the health section of the forum it might be her muscles are wasting in the crop. However, she is looking brighter by quite a bit so will see what happens. What do you recommend I give her tomorrow....more yucky maggots, they stink don't they or yogurt/bokashi bran. Thank you so much. Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libby22 Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 They do stink and it is a horrid job. Have only managed to tip the dish of maggots down me once and that was enough Never jumped so high in my life You could well be right, with her age etc, it is so difficult to know. I would try again with the maggots, as if there is a blockage they certainly will give it a good bashing and the yoghurt will help keep the acid down. Is she managing to poo - everything coming out as it should? You know her best so as long as you think she is bright, eating, drinking pooing as normal - just a case of keeping an eye. She is a really good age - I hope mine live that long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 23, 2013 Author Share Posted November 23, 2013 Well much the same as yesterday for today. Still perky chicken. Think I will give her the last of those horrid maggots tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libby22 Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 Bet she thinks it is Christmas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 24, 2013 Author Share Posted November 24, 2013 I think it is the other girls who think it I Christmas. They never get treats in the morning. But, the last few days, they have had yogurt, porridge, maggots YUCK, corn whatever I have to fling at them to keep them away from whatever I feed Cluck. This am she still has a stodgy crop. Just give her the last of the maggots, will have to see how she goes. She is still perky and very with it!! A lot better than a few days ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libby22 Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 I am glad she is looking better. I wonder if you are right about her crop muscles being slack due to her age? Hopefully with a few days of maggots, if there was a blockage, they should have made a good dent in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 25, 2013 Author Share Posted November 25, 2013 Hmmm, was worried about Cluck this am...was by herself in the corner of the wir, like they do you know when they are under the weather. This afternoon a lot better. With all of those maggots she has eaten, I am surprised she has a crop left!! Will have to see how she goes, she is my favourite chicken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libby22 Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 It is worrying - so hard to pin point what is wrong. I have one girl doing similar at the moment. Her crop was full this morning, but looks like she is trying to lay a soft egg - she is 2 and stopped laying a few months back when she ran into problems. I was hoping the dark nights and the moult she is going through would stop her wanting to lay but it doesn't seem the case today. She has taken herself into the nest box for a few hours, so will have to see how it goes. Fingers crossed for your little one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 28, 2013 Author Share Posted November 28, 2013 Well yesterday was good, a less full crop...today back to a fuller crop. Still running around when it suits her and the rest of the time looking like she is.....more elderly lady of the bunch. Will have to see how she goes. I think those muscles in her crop are worn out. Still she is 3.5 years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
