[lesleyann]

Hello, as the title suggests I have two ladies that are under the weather. Susan has crop issues, started yday. She has thrown up twice with me tipping her (if me holding her close and bending forward can be classed as tipping). I have tried to get maggots into her, got one in then her beak shut tight and won't open! How can I get more into her? She has had some water to drink but that's it.
My other lady, Margot, is breathing heavy, her whole body moves when she is sitting. She has a bit of a dirty bum and is a bit slower than the rest, no wheezing or snottyness. She has been scratching round the garden and taken some chopped grape off me.
Wormed about 3 weeks ago with Flub, released dec 2010, my 3 other girls are in fine fettle.
Any advice would be most welcome.

[New shoot]

Hi Lesleyann

Did you get your girls in 2010 or am I reading your post wrong?  Its just that ex-bats are generally a lot more short-lived than most chucks and it could be age related problems.  

I think you could do with getting Susan to the vet as once a hen stops eating, its downhill pretty quickly.  If you can't tempt her with her favourite food, its a safe bet she's really not at all well.  Margot could just be getting old - is she eating and drinking normally?  If not, I'd take her to the vet as well.

Fingers crossed they are OK  

[lesleyann]

Yes got them in 2010 so they are getting on a bit. Nothing came out of Susan when I last tipped her and she drank quite a bit of Avipro plus afterwards, previously not drunk anything. Her tail was higher when she took herself to bed (I had to put her there yday) and she even bokked a few times at me.
Margot, I am hoping, is an age related thing and not suffering. She can still run away from me!
I will repeat the massaging etc tomorrow morning and if they are still the same around 12 I will try to get a vets appointment.
Thanks for your reply 

[New shoot]

One of my older girls - bantie Wyandotte now 7 - often gets out of puff and has to sit and rest a bit, but she can run like the wind if there's mealworms on offer    She eats well and her general condition is good, so I leave her to it    My oldest is a 9 year old bantie Vorwark and she's way fitter, so they do vary in how they cope with old age 

Could be Susan had an impacted crop and your treatment has freed it up, but she needs to eat tomorrow.  Lots of people on here use porridge on sick hens and that seems to work well.  If you have any doubts, get them to the vet, but hopefully they are on the mend 

[lesleyann]

Both Susan and Margot tucked into some warm and wet crum for breakfast. I don't know how much dry crumb they had eaten but made mash 2 more times and they ate some. Susan had some maggots, her choice. Margot doesn't like maggots so she had a little bit of tuna. Margot has always been a snoozer, especially in the sun. Will be another day watching them tomorrow, I am not complaining

[New shoot]

Good news    Hope Margot and Susan are even better tomorrow 

[Tony H]

Hi you could try and add some epsom salts to water and in a seringe or on a spoon, do you add ACV to your water as this helps with crop problems, hope they get well soon