The Poultry Keeper

lfreebs · Joined: 23 May 2008 Posts: 34 Location: Norfolk

Am copying this from another posting under another subject in the hope that it might attract some new readers.

Oh dear I have a problem now with my favourite little pullet. Saw her this morning sitting on top of their coop in the rain with her head down. Didn't think anything of it but tonight when I let her out she really isn't as jolly as usual. Tail down walking around or just standing. Not eating. Thought she sicked up some clear water.

Could she be crop bound (is that what it's called or am I getting confused with egg bound ?) She does seem to be preening a lot. Have sprayed the coops this weekend with red mite spray and dusted all their bedding and the hens' nestboxes with mite powder.

Don't know what to do. Should I wait until they've gone to bed to see if she has a lump in her crop ? Then what do I do, massage it ?

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3540 Location: Monmouthshire

Sounds more like sour crop - google that & there'll be a lot of suggestions.

lfreebs · Joined: 23 May 2008 Posts: 34 Location: Norfolk

Thanks Henwife for your suggestion. When I went out to give them their pre-roost goodies (mixed corn). She was in her coop and I actually managed to pick her up (for the first time as until recently she was with an unhandled possessive mum and I couldn't get near the chicks). Thought she had something hard in her throat, or was it her breastbone ? Thought that should be lower down. She certainly felt scrawny (11 weeks old) but then I have never picked a chick up of that age.

There is a happy ending, hopefully, this morning she seemed her usual perky self and made straight for her growers pellets when I opened the pophole.

The night before I had given them, quite late some cooked, chopped up greens. Could it have been that ? Am going to add a new post to find out members' opinion on cooked veg vs raw.

Thanks for your help, much appreciated Smile

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3540 Location: Monmouthshire

Glad she's OK, breastbone is underneath as it were. Next time you have roast chicken, have a good look at the skeleton. It will give you a good idea of what you are feeling when you pick one up.

lfreebs · Joined: 23 May 2008 Posts: 34 Location: Norfolk

Thanks Henwife. Think perhaps she had a ball of cooked cabbage in her crop and may be my manipulation helped her, did feel hard though. Thought it far too high for the breastbone !

Back to her normal self now, thank goodness !