[Cluckyclaire]

Good morning all, need some advice please, my orpington hen Martha has a large crop this morning, i noticed it last night and called a fellow local chicken keeper as she has not laid for about 4 days (i understand they can sometimes have a few days break and we are building a new pen for them so maybe thats unsettling her?)and yesterday when i got in from work i noticed she was moving her head funnily like stretching it and preening her belly, i picked her up and checked her vent there was a little bit of poo on her feathers but nothing unusual as she often sleeps in the nest box and her front felt like a balloon so i very gently massaged it, i was advised a tiny bit of oil might help if there was a blockage so i gave her a drop of olive oil, this morning she is no different, she has been in the nest box for the last hour and just came out but no egg, she seems in good spirits otherwise. what shall i do?

Any advice really appreciated, i am worried about making her sick in case i make her choke.

many thanks

Claire 

[Cluckyclaire]

Vets booked in an hour, blimey this lot are costing me a fortune 

[Cluckyclaire]

  vet purged about a half pint of gunk out she said it looked like bird seed but they only have layers pellets and very occasional corn once a week she has been in garden so dont know if she has eaten something whilst in garden, i feel so bad this is the first poorly episode with my lot, she said she was underweight but she has always been the slimmest since i got the 3 of them maybe, she gave her a baytril injection and offered to keep her in but i just cannot afford a lot more than the £40 it cost me today, vet was really good and said to call her later but suggested if the crop continues to fill then not much more we can do, on a positive Martha has pooed but vet said she could have egg stuck so she is isolated now with only water and a bed, its been a good learning curve and pleased i took her to the vet than try to make her sick myself, fingers crossed

hope you and your lot are ok

claire

[tosca100]

Sorry to hear of Martha's troubles. Amazing what a worry a couple of chickens can be. Never quite understood before having them myself.

[kegs]

Sorry to hear you've had such a bad day Claire. 

You've probably read this already on sour crop but you could give your chicken some bio yoghurt, ACV and garlic in her water to help her too.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=4345.0

I hope your chicken makes a speedy recovery now. 

[Cluckyclaire]

ah thanks all, its odd cos they have acv and garlic on alternate days in water, well i have now put her in the new pen on her own with some water, she was in the shed at the back of the garden and seems to be on the way back to her old self but not pooing much, i just had a call from the vet to see how she was, she has had a drink and the crop is still large but doesnt look as bad so fingers crossed, vet said i could give her a few pellets and she ate these (not even half a handful) gonna give her a few more in an hour or so, my question now is are her coop mates going to remember her after she has been away for 6 hours silly question perhaps but they looked very interested when i brought her to the pen next to them and can i put her in the coop tonight maybe wait til its dark? oh these chickens!

I am still worried about possibility she is eggbound 

I thought kids were a worry, so its kids and chickens 

thanks for all your help

Claire