# Sick chicken-need help



## Geneseo (Apr 13, 2020)

I've got a 7 year old chicken that's been off for about 10 days. Started with lethargy, no interest in eating. When I found her soaked and standing in the rain, I brought her into the house. When I picked her up, she threw up. After in house, she threw up a little more. I read about the gullet problems(don't remember what it was called) but she had a soft mass at the front of her chest. I massaged the spot, held her upside down and she threw up lots. I've given her a little ac vinegar in her water, yogurt, corn, grass and crumbles. She seems to be drinking lots of water, ate a little corn but nothing else. She occasionally makes weird sounds (like gas?) stretches and weaves her neck, then just lays in the box. She doesn't seem to have the soft spot on her breast. She makes no attempt to move around. Am I prolonging her agony? Is there anything else I can do for her?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You're sort of describing sour crop. Sulmet or Nystatin can treat it.

Don't be giving her things like grass or corn. Mix her feed up in a mash to see if she'll eat that.


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

Yep, you have crop issues there, the neck thing is a dead give away.

Robin is right, don't give her grass or corn, I would also go very easy on the yogurt, like, almost none.
I agree with Robin, wet down her food into a mash of sorts, thick like oatmeal, see if she will eat that. If not, try making it a little more wet, you can continue adding water until it's just brown water if you have to, as long as she'll drink it, she'll get the nutrients. 

Good luck! I hope everything turns out okay, please keep us updated!


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## janamsingh (Mar 31, 2020)

Geneseo said:


> I've got a 7 year old chicken that's been off for about 10 days. Started with lethargy, no interest in eating. When I found her soaked and standing in the rain, I brought her into the house. When I picked her up, she threw up. After in house, she threw up a little more. I read about the gullet problems(don't remember what it was called) but she had a soft mass at the front of her chest. I massaged the spot, held her upside down and she threw up lots. I've given her a little ac vinegar in her water, yogurt, corn, grass and crumbles. She seems to be drinking lots of water, ate a little corn but nothing else. She occasionally makes weird sounds (like gas?) stretches and weaves her neck, then just lays in the box. She doesn't seem to have the soft spot on her breast. She makes no attempt to move around. Am I prolonging her agony? Is there anything else I can do for her?


the positive sign is that she is drinking a lot of water (as you said). you can add something soft therein to ensure she gets the nutrients. and my oldest hen is around 3 years and running  but 7 years seem awesome. hope she gets well soon !


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Janam, one of the giveaways for sour crop is excessive water intake.


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## janamsingh (Mar 31, 2020)

robin416 said:


> Janam, one of the giveaways for sour crop is excessive water intake.


okay  that's new for me.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Like I said, stick around we can probably teach you stuff just as you've been teaching us about life in your country.


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## Geneseo (Apr 13, 2020)

Thanks so much everyone! Check with both ag supply stores here, no nystatin or sulmet. Valley Vet has nystatin but appears to be an ointment. All food gone but the crumbles. What about mealworms? She still isn't eating, but still drinking. Will put crumbles into water for more nutrition. Crop filled up again yesterday, had to make her throw up (and clean her poopy butt). I'm pretty sure she's gonna hate me if she lives through this!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Any good relationship with a vet? You can only get Nystatin from them. Have you checked the internet for Sulmet? They've pulled so much of what we could buy from shelves away from us so it's hard to get what we need without a vet. 

But they failed to notice most vets won't see chickens.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

https://www.discountpetcare.com/racing-pigeons-treatment/medistatin-for-bird-1360.aspx
http://www.cabibiscanaries.com/cabibis_canaries_taxonyx_138.htm

Verify they have it in stock, several of them didn't.


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## Geneseo (Apr 13, 2020)

Thank you Robin! Ordered it, now hope it gets here before she gives up. She's doing better, acts like she wants to get away from me now. Out of curiosity, I've got SMZ for cattle. Was thinking about shaving off a little from a pill to add to water (last ditch effort). Good idea or no? Also, horse/cow vets here don't do chickens.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You can but having it in the form you do is iffy getting the dose right. I also did a little reading, it doesn't list sour crop as one of the illness' it treats.


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## Geneseo (Apr 13, 2020)

Thanks! She's doing better today and got notified sulmet is on the way!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Sulmet or Nystatin? 

Glad to hear she's feeling a bit better.


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## DE HOWERY (Oct 25, 2017)

Geneseo said:


> Thank you Robin! Ordered it, now hope it gets here before she gives up. She's doing better, acts like she wants to get away from me now. Out of curiosity, I've got SMZ for cattle. Was thinking about shaving off a little from a pill to add to water (last ditch effort). Good idea or no? Also, horse/cow vets here don't do chickens.


to help her out now I would try putting Nutri drench in her water it's great for chicks & adults , it's a super nutritional supplement. We have used it with chicks & sick chickens .


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