[pink-chicken]

We have four girlies. All eat and drink the same things etc. and yet Sweet Pea suffers with intermittent crop problems. One minute 'sour' and squishy, the next like a hard ball. She was OK through the good weather but started up again when the wet weather arrived. Even though grit is readily available she'll always find a mud puddle if there's one about and shovels soil down as if it's the tastiest stuff on the planet. We've tried all the usual 'remedies' acv, live yogurt etc and she's even had a crop flush. When she stays overnight at the vets (he's a very cheap vet!  ) she always picks up so I've a feeling it's something to do with eating soil? Up until now the most we could do to limit this behaviour was put down tree bark, add Stalosan etc. to the large pen as we didn't have anywhere else to keep her. She still dug down and found soil though 

Another bout this week resulted in a visit to the vet yesterday and this time he gave her Baytril. Also when I got her home I managed to tip her and empty the crop of what must have been around a pint of foul smelling fluid. She's a completely different girl today! Gone is the big baggy chest area and her crop feels normal. We have kept her in overnight and she's still inside the house now which leads to my dilemma!

It's obvious that she can't live a healthy life anywhere near muddy soil. So we have purchased a coop with attached run for her, I've added a link to it below. We are going to place it on slabs, adding chicken friendly flooring. My dilemma is whether it's cruel to part her from her friends? She'll be able to see them but will this make things worse? Am I doing the right thing for her? Also any ideas for a friend would be much appreciated. Something very easy going that wouldn't pick on her. Would a Bantam, Partridge or Quail be good? Would they happily share food/beds/nesting area etc? Where would I buy a good disease free bird from as we have no facilty for quarantine? Sorry for so many Q's but I want her to be happy as well as healthy.

http://www.ilikesheds.com/Product.aspx?ID=3057

Jan.x

[themagicaltoad1]

Can you not put slabs down in the main run with bark on top so they are all living together, yet can't get to the soil? I think several people on here have already done this judging by past threads I've read.

[Julesanne]

I have just read all that you have done for this very loved chook, and although i have no magic answer and have never come across this before. I would do the same because i think you are giving her quality of life, she is definatly getting better care than if she was a battery hen. I'm sure she is gonna be fine. Although probably not the answer you were looking for but i hope it' reassurance. Julie x

[pink-chicken]

themagicaltoad1, that's an option to think of and I could always keep the new coop as a 'hospital' area for future isolations. 

Thank you Julie as you have reassured me I hadn't really thought about what had been done for her as it just seemed the only thing to do at the time as she was poorly, but what you have said has made me realise just how much we do love them   

Jan.x

[Foxy]

Hi Pink chicken, IMO isolating her will not solve the problem, and by introducing another bird is likely to cause stress to both birds and if your four are used to each other I would stick with them for the time being. Stress can induce even worse problems!

She has a problem with her digestion, which is a difficult one as her previous course of Baytril may have caused a reoccurance of her problem by eliminating some of her good bacteria which lives naturally in her gut

Some options would be firstly, do you hens have access to poultry grit? (oyster shell is different) having grit will help the grinding and motility of food in her digestive system.
Feed: Only give layers pellets,NO treats, not even mixed corn(harder to digest) for at least 2 weeks and make sure the feed is absolutely dry, for the time being keep the feeder in the house if you can. Add ACV to the water, for now at a higher rate 50ml per litre. Add a crushed garlic clove as well.
Find a good natural probiotic Avipro Plus is a good one that Aunty recommends. If the chook is on antibiotics still do not empty the crop manually but finish the course, this will clear any bacterial infection lurking. Keep on the probiotic, garlic and ACV. After the course ask your vet to prescribe Nystatin if your hen is still having symptoms, or maybe as a prophalytic due to her history.
The run: A deep layer of soft wood chips would be a good idea, maybe sink a tub of compost mixed with grit for her to dig around in she will be kept entertained and you can get sterile compost but ordinary compost should be fine!
Finally, personally I dont like the house in the link, I recognize the cheap wood, prone to warping and therefore damp, this will potentially give you all sorts of problems, plus that is a very small run.

Good luck!

[pink-chicken]

Hi Foxy and thank you for your reply. I can see what you are saying and think that's why I had my doubts even though we've purchased the other coop. This is the first time she's been given Baytril though as another vet initially gave Canaural (sp?) (anti fungal doggy ear drops) as they didn't have a bird anti fungal at the time. She has been on soft food ie layers mash, no hard corn or pellets etc. since first diagnosed. They do have access to mixed poultry grit at all times. I've rarely noticed her eat any though unless she waits until I'm not looking   They also have acv in the water. I have a pro biotic powder which I have been given by the vet for budgies as a 'post Baytril additive' replacing good bacteria and wonder whether to give this in a higher than budgie dose? I have loads of garlic so will be trying the crushed in water tip. She was only given an injection of antibiotic yesterday for the first time with a follow up oral dose today.
The run is covered with natural wood chippings and steralised top soil but she digs for victory in an attempt to reach earthy soil.
I understand the run on the coop in the link is small but thought it was big enough for one hen and small friend, but will probably have to rethink it now as a possible occasional hospital cage  

Jan.x

[goosebusters75]

Hello, firstly can i say im sorry your having problems with your hen. Hens are flock animals, so it would be cruel to seperate her if she is part of the flock. Foxy has given some good advice, finish the antibiotics, thats the most inportant thing. Secondly i would see if you can get your money back from the coop. Unfortunatly people are cashing in on the chicken craze! these are not good coops, they are tiny and not well made. In 6 months time it will be split and warped, a waste of money.they must have some returns policy

[pink-chicken]

Thank's goosebusters   touch wood I think I'm winning with her, after loads of tlc she seems somewhat better, although I hate tempting fate and know how birds can either recover or just as easily go the other way. I just love them all to bits and struggle emotionally when any pet is ill  

I tried her back in with the girls yesterday afternoon but after a while she just didn't look right. Didn't interact and after a little look around did the drooped tail, fluffed up, bleary eyed thing. Just like when we aren't well and go out into the cool ( it was just before their bedtime around 4.30pm and well before the storm really hit) and I could feel that she wasn't comfy. When I first placed her down she looked up at the sky and started to do the burbling gurgle purr so was initially happy. When she 'drooped' I bought her back into the house for another night inside. She's been fairly good today and I tried her again with her girls just before bedtime and this time she was totally different. Doing hen things with the other girlies, looking alert at the sound of possible danger, such as a flapping storm damaged tarp! Pecking at feed dishes, searching for insects when the others did etc. Approx an hour later the girls were doing that pre bedtime chatter, she toddled around with them too and went in with them at bedtime so is now all safely tucked up in the coop.

I could so sense the 'flock' interaction you and Foxy referred to. I'll be doing my utmost to keep her in with her flock. It will just be a matter of watching out for mud eating until we have the fixed roof in place. When that's completed I can fix any damage all the rain has caused and as Foxy said add more bark and sterile soil. I might keep the new coop as a possible 'sick' room for future needs due to the fact that I'd lose around £30 to send it back. They would take it but I have to pay return delivery plus a percentage of the credit card transaction? It might just come in handy if I ever need to isolate one of the girls. Will make sure it's well weather protected ie in the shed or something!  

Thank's again both, Jan.x