chickenNutter Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 My bantam has. Even lethargic for several weeks but this morning she managed to get out of their free ranging area and I found her in the trickle of a stream bed. Picking her up she was gurgling and stretching her neck up.. also making Sort of hiccups coughing noises, upon which some clear liquid came out. Does this sound like sour crop? Help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 It doesn’t sound good. Personally I would ring a vet. Chickens don’t have a gag reflex so she might have aspirated some fluid. It it is sour crop you can try tipping her forward gently and see if anything comes out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted May 28, 2020 Author Share Posted May 28, 2020 Her crop is empty. Tried the sour crop emptying method as on Little Hen site but nothing came up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 How is her breathing? Put your ear on her back. It shouldn’t crackle or gurgle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted May 28, 2020 Author Share Posted May 28, 2020 Her breathing sounds ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Fluid in her airways could be a respiratory infection and these are often due to poor ventilation in the coop, condensation and mould growth. Her crop should be full after a morning feed and if she has been slow and not eating she will have lost a lot of weight. Vet examination is the way forward now I think. She may well have taken water into her airways as well, but that's not normal and she may have an underlying problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 8 minutes ago, Beantree said: Fluid in her airways could be a respiratory infection and these are often due to poor ventilation in the coop, condensation and mould growth. Her crop should be full after a morning feed and if she has been slow and not eating she will have lost a lot of weight. Vet examination is the way forward now I think. She may well have taken water into her airways as well, but that's not normal and she may have an underlying problem. I agree, best not to try and treat this at home, and our help is limited as we can't see her. Take her to the vet for a proper exam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted May 28, 2020 Author Share Posted May 28, 2020 Yep booked in at the vet for 2pm. I think it is possibly a respiratory infection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Does sound that way, but it's difficult for us to be any more help without seeing her. Let us know how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted May 28, 2020 Author Share Posted May 28, 2020 Not good news I am afraid. Not respiratory or sour crop, she had fungal plaques covering all of the inside of her mouth, her throat and the tube linking her nasal passages which was why she was mouth breathing. As she is old, the vet thought that she probably had underlying health conditions which had affected her immune system and hence the fungal infection had taken hold, She was in a big airy run with good airflow and an eglu with the door constantly open, so not due to housing. Sadly she was very thin and quite weak with an empty crop and was likely to die before any fungal treatment could take effect. As she was clearly suffering we decided it was best to euthanise her. RIP Gnger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Sorry to hear this chicken nutter, but best thing for her as sounds like she was suffering RIP little one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Poor Ginger but good for you for taking such quick and decisive action so that she didn't linger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Ahhhh, sounds like it might have been canker. they can pick this up form wild birds - is there feed or water accessible to birds? Pigeons are usually the main culprits. I'm so sorry to hear that, but you got her to the vet in time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Good vet decision I think as the cankers will be far more advanced than can be seen and reach a point of no recovery. These cankers are caused by a parasite which is passed on via feeders and drinkers. A hen can carry it and a healthy immune system will keep it in check. It's likely all your hens are carrying it now ChickenNutter, so be prepared for it in the future. If you are going to add hens they will need to be kept as a separate flock. We had this with a flock of Buff Orpingtons and they all went the same way but as the flock was kept completely isolated from the others it is no longer a problem for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Make sure that you disinfect all the feeders and drinkers with Viratec-P each week, and keep the flock well and stress-free. Stress pays a huge part in their immune health. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted May 29, 2020 Author Share Posted May 29, 2020 Oh heck! My other bantam may well have it. Will check. Luckily the rest of my hens are kept separately, so hopefully they won’t have it. Not got any Viratec, will have to order some. Would I be able to use Milton sterilising solution if I rinse it really well? Although the feeders are in their run, we do get birds flying in through the pop holes, as ours are free rangers. We do get a lot of pheasant in the copse next to the runs. Probably the likely culprits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 You need to check all the others for cankers on a regular basis. The stress of a moult is sufficient to trigger it. One option, which we didn't have in France, is to treat the remaining hen with Flagyl, even though she may not have any symptoms yet so she doesn't have to be kept separate; speak to your vet. We bought a cockerel and the stress of the move triggered cankers during his 2 week isolation period. He was treated with Flagyl and made a full and rapid recovery. He wasn't infected anymore so we had no future issues with his hens. The problem is you can easily buy in stock carrying the parasite, or any other diseases like Mycoplasma, which is why a quarantine period is essential. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted May 29, 2020 Author Share Posted May 29, 2020 8 hours ago, The Dogmother said: Make sure that you disinfect all the feeders and drinkers with Viratec-P each week, and keep the flock well and stress-free. Stress pays a huge part in their immune health. Is it possible to use Milton steroid g solution if I rinse really well Dogmother? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 5 hours ago, chickenNutter said: Is it possible to use Milton steroid g solution if I rinse really well Dogmother? Yes it is fine to use while you wait for Viratec. And as Beantree has said, check all birds on a regular basis and aim to keep their stress levels low. I use a poultry tonic containing vit B at times of stress (moulting, new birds) for this reason. All new birds are quarantined and checked over on alternate days, I always tend to my existing flock first, then the newbies to avoid transferring anything from the incomers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted May 30, 2020 Author Share Posted May 30, 2020 Thanks everyone for your advice. Yes I always isolate new birds -had 5 large hens recently, keeping completely separate anyway as they would marmalise little banties. Will try the tonic approach in future, and try to keep their stress levels low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
