We lost one of our little ladies, and not to a coyote, fox, or hawk. Henny Penny had an impacted crop, and eventually suffocated. It started weeks before she actually passed, but being this is my first time keeping chickens I was pretty ignorant. I noticed when she would come out of the coop in the morning that her chest, that I now know is called her crop, was kind of pendulous. She seemed fine though, eating, drinking and clucking around, so I just thought she had more fat than the other hens. One day I noticed that she was sitting under the water, and not coming to greet me like they all usually do, hoping for treats. I immediately went online and learned a lot. First I separated her from the others so that they wouldn't pick on her, and in case she was contagious. I put her in the rabbit hutch that we use for storage while I tried to figure out what was wrong. I googled until I found forums with folks talking about what I had observed in Henny Penny, and did what they recommended and in the process learned about the digestive system of a chicken all the while wishing that I had educated myself before hand. So Henny Penny had one of two things: an impacted crop or a sour crop. But first learn about the digestive system of a chicken on this site: http://poultrykeeper.com/chickens/health/digestive-system-chicken.html
I told my husband about what I had learned and got the remedy ready. He held her while I gave her some olive oil, then we massaged her crop, and tipped her upside down for no longer than 20 seconds so that she could breath. She did vomit, but only what she ate that day, and nothing that could have caused blockage. We did it once more, and then we let her rest. The next day I gave her some yogurt and put vitamins in her water, and she did seem somewhat better. She couldn't really walk though and standing seemed to take so much energy, and her crop still seemed full. It was another two days before my husband tried the remedy again because she did not look good. I wasn't home, but he called me minutes later to ask me where I wanted her buried....Henny Penny didn't make it. Apparently, she started to vomit as soon as he gave her the oil, but it was too much that needed to come out, and no time for her to breathe. She died in my husband's arms. The culprit did finally show itself- a piece of deer netting. Yes, I cried. I am aware of how absurd that sounds. People chop the heads off chickens so they can eat them for dinner everyday. Not my Henny Penny though, she was a pet, and she was loved just as her four remaining sisters are loved. We showed our daughters before we buried her and all my oldest had to say was, "So that's what a dead chicken looks like." Don't you love how kids tell it like it is? Yes, it is a dead chicken that was buried on the side of my dog Samantha.....and she taught me a lot. Things you can learn from a chicken: It's okay to strut your stuff, the grass is green enough on this side of the fence, wake with the sun, and get a good nights rest, and don't eat plastic. If you are going to have backyard chickens learn about the digestive system, the reproductive system, and the possible issues that could occur ie impacted crop, so that you can remedy it quickly. R.I.P. Henny Penny.
On a more positive note, our remaining hens are getting to free range part of the day. We decided to let them out a couple of hours before sunset (their bedtime). They love it, and I love watching them! I like to sit outside on the swing with a glass of wine while they cluck, peck, strut, run, scratch, and eat whatever they find. So entertaining! We only do this while we are home, and make sure that they don't go to my neighbor's yard. So far so good. And with three dogs and three cats I appreciate my little tick eaters, and the four eggs a day that they leave for me. <3
I told my husband about what I had learned and got the remedy ready. He held her while I gave her some olive oil, then we massaged her crop, and tipped her upside down for no longer than 20 seconds so that she could breath. She did vomit, but only what she ate that day, and nothing that could have caused blockage. We did it once more, and then we let her rest. The next day I gave her some yogurt and put vitamins in her water, and she did seem somewhat better. She couldn't really walk though and standing seemed to take so much energy, and her crop still seemed full. It was another two days before my husband tried the remedy again because she did not look good. I wasn't home, but he called me minutes later to ask me where I wanted her buried....Henny Penny didn't make it. Apparently, she started to vomit as soon as he gave her the oil, but it was too much that needed to come out, and no time for her to breathe. She died in my husband's arms. The culprit did finally show itself- a piece of deer netting. Yes, I cried. I am aware of how absurd that sounds. People chop the heads off chickens so they can eat them for dinner everyday. Not my Henny Penny though, she was a pet, and she was loved just as her four remaining sisters are loved. We showed our daughters before we buried her and all my oldest had to say was, "So that's what a dead chicken looks like." Don't you love how kids tell it like it is? Yes, it is a dead chicken that was buried on the side of my dog Samantha.....and she taught me a lot. Things you can learn from a chicken: It's okay to strut your stuff, the grass is green enough on this side of the fence, wake with the sun, and get a good nights rest, and don't eat plastic. If you are going to have backyard chickens learn about the digestive system, the reproductive system, and the possible issues that could occur ie impacted crop, so that you can remedy it quickly. R.I.P. Henny Penny.
On a more positive note, our remaining hens are getting to free range part of the day. We decided to let them out a couple of hours before sunset (their bedtime). They love it, and I love watching them! I like to sit outside on the swing with a glass of wine while they cluck, peck, strut, run, scratch, and eat whatever they find. So entertaining! We only do this while we are home, and make sure that they don't go to my neighbor's yard. So far so good. And with three dogs and three cats I appreciate my little tick eaters, and the four eggs a day that they leave for me. <3
