Single hen

[Molly Moo]

My hen was treated for egg yolk peritonitis 3 days ago. She is home and on meds. However I'm struggling to get her to eat very much. She'll take her favourite courgette and sweet corn but isn't eating much else. She ate a small amount of soaked layers pellets this morning, soaked rolled oats she liked, but I don' think it's good to feed too much of that is it? She ate some scrambled egg today. Is it ok to feed her whatever I can get her to eat for now. Any ideas gratefully received.

[Cat tails]

I hope you have sorted it out by now. We have some issues with first posts of new members.

How is she doing?

[Molly Moo]

Hi - the post op side is fine. However I’m still struggling to get her to eat. Molly had her final check at the vets this week - no infection, temperature and heart rate normal. I did mention I thought her crop was a little solid and hadn’t emptied - vet said to check first thing in the morning, which I did. Crop had a golf ball sized firm mass. Kept her on just water with ACV- which she is drinking a lot of, and massaged throughout the day yesterday. The mass has broken down and seems to have cleared. However still not really interested in food - mixed pellets with yoghurt for her breakfast this morning incase of sour crop- ate about a teaspoon full and again drank loads of water. I know if I give her courgette or tomatoes she’ll eat them, but she can’t live in that. Any ideas please - she’s lost a lot of weight and now thinking she’s just going down hill. She is moulting heavily due to the hormone implant following the EYO op- could it just be molting that’s making her feel off colour?

Edited July 18, 2020 by Molly Moo

[Cat tails]

Careful with yoghurt. Chickens can’t digest lactose. You could try her on little bit of tuna or wet cat food. Also not always recommended but it’s energy rich and they often love it. Also have a look at nutridrops to give her a vitamin boost.

[mullethunter]

What Cattails said. Definitely nutridrops. Live mealworms always get mine eating if you can find them too. 

[Molly Moo]

Thanks - I have tried her on scrambled egg which she liked for a couple of days, but then wouldn’t eat it. Moved to fish which she liked for a couple of days and then wouldn’t eat it, same with soaked mealworms, soaked oats. She has been foraging a little with her friends this morning and is keen to grab worms and bugs. The excessive drinking was bothering me - she’s mostly pooing water!! Maybe I just have to be patient. Thanks for replying - I appreciate you taking the time.

[Molly Moo]

Hmm.... I’m now thinking there is something in Molly’s crop that is creating a block. The firm mass seemed to have been massaged away on Friday. Crop Was quite water filled yesterday  due to excessive drinking, but kept my eye on it and couldn’t feel anything there last night. Lots of watery poo overnight and a firm slightly smaller mass in the crop again this morning. Has anyone had experience in their hen of this please? I can feel another vets visit coming in - what with the egg peritonitis op, hormone implant and now this, turning out to be the most costly hen in the world!!!

[Cat tails]

What are you keeping her on right now? Can she be eating her bedding?

[Molly Moo]

Funnily enough she had taken to sleeping in the egg laying bit of the Eglu which has chopped straw, so I closed that off about 4 nights ago for that reason. If that is the case I guess there could still be some left in her crop. Do you think it will clear after a few days or off to the vets? The lump is definitely smaller today than yesterday - still came out this morning and drank a lot again though. There is a little food matter in the poo, so something must be getting through - but it no where near normal.

[Cat tails]

I know @Luvachicken had a hen who ate the bedding and got an impacted crop that way. If I remember correctly, her hen had to be operated on to remove the impaction. Maybe if you keep massaging it regularly?

[Molly Moo]

Thank you- I’ll keep trying for another couple of days and if no improvement, I think it will be the vets again. Thanks for your help- I’ll let you know how it goes.

[Molly Moo]

Sort of good news - crop was empty this morning - hoorah!!!! Watery poo with indigested matter but less watery throughout the day. Ate a little more today, including some layers pellets and seems a little less withdrawn - even re-asserting her position!! Also drinking has been more normal today. So I’m hopeful things will continue to improve.

Thank you for your input Cat Tails.

[Molly Moo]

I should add that they do have grit available which in theory should help with the undigested food - but Molly hasn’t been near it. I keep throwing some down near to where she is foraging. Her friends eat it but Molly is definitely not interested in it - maybe she’ll take some over the next couple of days.

[Cat tails]

Good news!

Maybe remove the chopped straw from the nesting box just in case? I use wood chips, which are bigger. 

[rachel84]

Have you tried giving her Beryls? I was recommended this especially if she's had antibiotics at all as it will help get the good bacteria back in her system. You can get from the chickenvet website - it stinks though so beware!

[Molly Moo]

Ooh - Yes she was on antibiotics and could do with something to set things back to normal, I’ll look Beryls  up, thanks.

[Luvachicken]

Cat tails is correct, I did have Gemma operated on from an impacted crop from eating bedding. A few days later, another hen had done the same thing. 

I'm glad your hen is feeling better now.

If she doesn't like the grit you have, maybe you should try the Gourmet Grit ? Mine love it and never really ate much grit before.

Gemma is almost 8 now so I'm glad that I paid for her operation although it was quite expensive at the time. 

[Molly Moo]

Thanks for this- Molly is doing better but strangely there was a small ball of food in her crop again yesterday and today. Still not going for grit and poo still not right. So Beryls and Gourmet Grit it is (best not tell hubby how much more I’m spending!!)

[Molly Moo]

I had thought things were getting better with the crop issues. I manage to clear the blockage twice and it seemed to be all ok for a day or 2, and Molly seems much better in herself. However there was a mass of food in there again this morning. Anyone had experience of intermittent blocked/impacted crop or could suggest what it might be? Probably off to the vets again!!

[Molly Moo]

Visit to the vet today - Turns out it’s not crop trouble at all. It’s parasite/worm infestation. I did worm them all at the beginning of May. However that was when Molly started to become unwell with egg peritonitis so I think she didn’t eat anywhere near enough pellets with Flubenvet. Also vet thinks as her immune system may have been low because of the infection, maybe not so much resistance to parasites. Now all on Flubenvet again and antibiotics for them all. Better than a crop operation hopefully! 

[The Dogmother]

If you have parasite issues, it's best to send off a faecal sample for testing so that you can be sure to treat with the right drug. I use Westgate Labs testing kits quarterly so that I can keep on top of any potential issues and either act preventatively or treat appropriately.

[Molly Moo]

Thanks for this. I think our vets do it themselves as they also do farm animals (I had a horse a couple of years ago and they definitely did worm counts for equines). Lab kit sounds handy to use though.

[Molly Moo]

I’m struggling with Molly still. Crop still quite firm the last 2 mornings which means she is not eating enough pellets with Flubenvet, so the worm treatment is not as effective as it needs to be (which is probably how the whole thing started!) After a day or two of looking a bit brighter, she looked down again today. Has anyone ever used ivermectin drops on their hens to kill parasitic worms? It’s the only other thing I have read about that might be effective, although I don’t think it’s licenced for chickens is it?

[Cat tails]

Loads here use them. Ask @The Dogmother 😉

I worm mine with oral iverquantel, which contains ivermectin. But I think you can get it in the UK. And ivermectin IS a regular licensed treatment in the Netherlands.

[The Dogmother]

Ivermectin spot-on treatment isn't licensed for use on poultry in the UK, but is precribed off-licence by chicken-savy vets. Some chicken owners buy it online, purchasing a product marketed for pigeons. Details are here.