[bedifferent]

I have a 2 year old brown hen that stopped laying about 2 months ago. She has sepaerated herself from the other hens about 2 weeks ago. Today she has remained in her roost and has not come down. On examination she is warm and a bit sweaty under her wings. Just holding her makes feather fall out, she has some bald red patches on her breast - she has new pin feathers coming through. I also notice that she has some lice, although not huge amounts. Her comb is bright red today although on occasions i have noticed that it can be very pale. Eyes and nose are clear and clean. Vent is clear and clean.
I have used a louse powder on her and put her in her own accommodation. I guess this is just moulting but i just want to be sure.

Does anyone have any suggestions for management. :?:

Thanks

[Bodger]

The best cure all for most illness is fresh green grass and fresh air. Thats the main reason that battery hens blossom so well after their incarceration.

[Aunt Sally]

It could be just moulting and the lice.  Add a teaspoon of cat food to her rations each day to help with new feather growth.

As you say she seems hot (did you compare with another chook) it could be a different health problem so keep an eye on her !

And as Bodger says fresh air and green grass

[bedifferent]

As well as the other symptoms i have mentioned, she is now not drinking or eating. When she puts her head down she seems to leak a pink fluid from her beak which stops when she puts her head up. I have let her out but she does not seem bothered about anything at the mo.

Does anyone have any suggestions??

[Roughlee Handled]

Vets is my only suggestion.  "Being a predated animal they will not show weakness till they very ill." These where the words of my vet.  She may be in pain.

[Aunt Sally]

I agree with Roughlee, she is ill !

If her crop is like a squidgy balloon and there is a smell when you open her beak then I'd suspect sour crop which needs an antifungal medication and emptying of the crop contents:

http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=4345

Scroll down to crop problems.

It depends how you view your chicken pet/livestock as to how you proceed.  It would be the vet's for my hens.

[Bodger]

The fact that a person does not decide to go the 'vet route' for an obviously sick chicken does not suddenly turn it from being a pet into livestock.  
We have said many times before, that to most vets, chickens are an absolute mystery.

[poultrygeist]

Agree with Bodger, however, something must be done to aleviate suffering.

Very difficult situation and don't envy, but part of our responsibility. There are some other articles regarding sour crop which can be found via Google. Not an easy thing to treat at home for a beginner, without knowledgable assistance.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Rob  

[Aunt Sally]

The fact that a person does not decide to go the 'vet route' for an obviously sick chicken does not suddenly turn it from being a pet into livestock.  
We have said many times before, that to most vets, chickens are an absolute mystery.

Point taken Bodger.  But a pet owner is more likely to go to the vet than someone who keeps a few chooks just for the eggs.  Guess I'm lucky to have a couple of practices that specialise in avian patients near by.

[chooknewbie]

finding a vet round me that will deal with poultry is like finding hens teeth....pardon the obvious intended pun.....anyone knows of any then i would be most grateful.

[bedifferent]

The problem with taking a sick chook to the vet (as i have 3 or 4 times before) is that it has always cost a fortune and i have always left with a dead chicken. I take great care to look after the health of my chickens and they are "treated" like pets. Alongside this care i also have an increasingly utilitarian view point as aside from being "pets" they are also kept to be productive. I don't think that one view point is exclusive of the other.

It goes without saying that if i felt she was suffering then i would take appropriate action (which would not include a visit to the vet). At present i am confident that she is comfortable and calm. I will look more closely into the possibility of sour crop as you have advised.

Thanks for all your advice. This forum is a great resource for ideas and information.

Thanks

[bedifferent]

Well, as usual you were all dead on the nail. Have held her on her side and massaged her crop which is large and squidy, she then regurigitated. I think a diagnosis of sour crop has been made- now what to do about it.......

[bedifferent]

Has anyone had any experience of using Nystatin as treatment for soured crop??

[Aunt Sally]

finding a vet round me that will deal with poultry is like finding hens teeth....pardon the obvious intended pun.....anyone knows of any then i would be most grateful.

Have a look here : http://www.rcvs.org.uk/Templates/system/FAVSearch.asp?NodeID=89660  You may be able to find some vet's phone numbers to contact and ask.

[Aunt Sally]

Has anyone had any experience of using Nystatin as treatment for soured crop??

Do you have nystatin ?


Terramycin is reccomended for sour crop here : http://www.pekinbantams.com/impacted_crop_treatment.asp