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Post by Shirls on Aug 2, 2017 15:07:29 GMT
Dusty is off to the vets tomorrow. I am not sure, but I think she may be diabetic!!! Yes you can get diabetic chickens. I suppose most people would despatch them, but not me!!
She is really not her naughty self at the moment and I am very worried about her. She is not eating pellets, though she does forage for worms and she has some veg that I give on a daily basis - but a very small amount. Her crops is permanently full and she drinks loads and loads of water.
I have looked on-line and some people have recommended to clear her crop by administering liquid paraffin. What a job to get her to take the stuff. I was desperate to try and give her some relief so have tried this with not much effect. Anyway, hopefully my chook vet will be able to sort her out tomorrow.
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Oct 6, 2011 7:41:27 GMT
Marianne Marlow
Administrator
George, Daisy, Iris, Billy, Peter, Chipper, Dinku, Barney, Ayla and Rocky
Posts: 28,839
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Post by Marianne Marlow on Aug 2, 2017 15:46:21 GMT
I hope Dusty's vet visit goes well. x
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Aug 1, 2017 11:23:50 GMT
sophiemaisie
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 37
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Post by sophiemaisie on Aug 2, 2017 15:56:46 GMT
Hi Shirls, is her crop hard ie impacted or soft/squishy ie watery? If squishy, gently open her beak and smell her breath (I know that sounds odd), is there an odour?
Sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs (excuse the pun), I don't know your knowledge on chickens.
How long has she been drinking lots and acting off? Chickens drink excessively for many illnesses, it's usually to cool themselves down. Is she still laying or had been laying prior?
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Post by Shirls on Aug 2, 2017 16:10:45 GMT
Hi sophiemaisie. Thanks for your quick reply - I had actually signed off. Her crop is very squishy, her poops are just water and grass. Haven't smelt her breath but I don't have a good sense of smell at the best of times! She has not long been out of 'broody' so hasn't got round to laying again and has been like this for about one week. I am still learning, so any advice you can give would be greatly received!! and thank you.
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Post by OP on Aug 2, 2017 16:15:46 GMT
Be careful when smelling her breath. You could be minus a nose.
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Aug 1, 2017 11:23:50 GMT
sophiemaisie
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 37
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Post by sophiemaisie on Aug 2, 2017 16:36:08 GMT
Be careful when smelling her breath. You could be minus a nose. That's true, and protect your eyes too. Ok, she was broody before. She has probably lost quite a bit of condition/weight so she should be tucking into food now if fully out of broody mode. Does she fill her crop completely with water to the point it's ballooning and is there any liquid coming out of her beak when you check her crop? Have you heard of sour crop before? Could be a number of reasons why she's off her food and drinking excessively, if she does have sour crop it's is usually a secondary to something else going on. Hopefully vet will know more on examining her.
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Post by Shirls on Aug 2, 2017 16:45:34 GMT
No, liquid doesn't leak out of her beak, and I have heard of sour crop but don't think she has that. No her crop doesn't balloon. She is also in the middle of a very heavy moult which doesn't help my poor baby. Fingers crossed for the vet tomorrow. She is a good chicken vet so hopefully she will be able to diagnose. Thanks for your thoughts and for answering.
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Aug 1, 2017 11:23:50 GMT
sophiemaisie
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 37
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Post by sophiemaisie on Aug 2, 2017 17:39:29 GMT
No, liquid doesn't leak out of her beak, and I have heard of sour crop but don't think she has that. No her crop doesn't balloon. She is also in the middle of a very heavy moult which doesn't help my poor baby. That's good news, sour crop can be a nightmare to treat. They usually moult after sitting, avian vits / tonic will help her through. Fingers crossed she's ok
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Post by OP on Aug 2, 2017 17:50:40 GMT
You know from what Shirls has told us about her chooks they are not too dissimilar from budgies, just a bit bigger and tend to stay on the floor more. They are birds at the end of the day.
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Post by jellybean on Aug 2, 2017 20:23:13 GMT
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Post by Hezz on Aug 3, 2017 1:36:56 GMT
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Post by samwiseg on Aug 3, 2017 9:04:44 GMT
Let us know how Dusty gets on Shirls - its nice to know we have another member experienced with chickens to lend a helping hand - nice one sophiemaisie and welcome btw!
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Post by Shirls on Aug 3, 2017 11:40:06 GMT
Update re the vet visit: Vet doesn't think it's sour crop, just a blockage. She has recommended Liquid Paraffin, which is exactly what I have been trying. 5-10mls per day. She said try and sort it this way for one week, then if it doesn't work it would mean an 'open up' job and an anaesthetic. I am most reluctant for this as chickens don't come out of anaesthetics too well if at all. I lost Georgie this way. Anyway, that's why she has given me one week to try and clear it. My problem is getting the paraffin into Dusty whilst on my own. It is a nightmare! I need three pairs of hands to administer it. I have given her a little bowl of the very best sweetcorn this morning with LP on and she wouldn't eat it! Next attempt will be yoghurt. She ate that the other day but not with enough LP in! Then tonight when it gets dark I will try and give her another dose. Watch this space.
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Aug 1, 2017 11:23:50 GMT
sophiemaisie
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 37
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Post by sophiemaisie on Aug 3, 2017 12:06:47 GMT
its nice to know we have another member experienced with chickens to lend a helping hand - nice one sophiemaisie and welcome btw! Thank you samwiseg
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Aug 1, 2017 11:23:50 GMT
sophiemaisie
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 37
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Post by sophiemaisie on Aug 3, 2017 12:15:10 GMT
Update re the vet visit: Vet doesn't think it's sour crop, just a blockage. She has recommended Liquid Paraffin, which is exactly what I have been trying. 5-10mls per day. She said try and sort it this way for one week, then if it doesn't work it would mean an 'open up' job and an anaesthetic. I am most reluctant for this as chickens don't come out of anaesthetics too well if at all. I lost Georgie this way. Anyway, that's why she has given me one week to try and clear it. My problem is getting the paraffin into Dusty whilst on my own. It is a nightmare! I need three pairs of hands to administer it. I have given her a little bowl of the very best sweetcorn this morning with LP on and she wouldn't eat it! Next attempt will be yoghurt. She ate that the other day but not with enough LP in! Then tonight when it gets dark I will try and give her another dose. Watch this space. Oh dear poor chookie. Did the vet say it's a crop or gizzard blockage? How old is your hen? Have you tried massaging the crop contents using downward movements several times a day? Sometimes it helps to shift things along. If I lived closer I'd help you administer, I know how tricky it can be and these big girls are very strong when it comes to beak administering. If you can get someone to hold her closely while wrapped in a towel it can help to calm them, then open the side of the beak with the syringe...that's how I do it and sometimes on my own. Will she eat maggots? Sounds gross I know but they're useful sometimes because they will eat everything in the crop (vile little things), lots of my rescue friends swear by them for impacted crops, blockages and even sour crop. Another thought if you're finding it tricky is to use halved grapes and trickle the LP on, most hens cannot resist grapes. I do hope she perks up for you soon, it's so worrying when our feathered friends are poorly x
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