**HELP** Cockerels attacking her!

[arpyhh]

**the saga continues*

My little sick 11 week old chick has gotten so much better thanks to all the great advice! Her impacted crop seems to be all better now.
It's been a week and a half that's she's been in the house recuperating from her crop issues.
So I thought I would reintroduce her to the flock today... Big mistake!

My 9 hens are free run within the fenced-in barnyard, my 11- 11 week old pullets (4 of which I just discovered are cockerels) spend their days inside the chicken tractor within the barnyard, so the hens and the babies can all get used to each other without any fuss and at night they have separate sleeping quarters in the barn.

Ok, so I brought Her out from the house to the tractor first and let her eat some grass, then I gradually brought out the smallest of the pullets and she ignored her, and so we brought out the rest of them. For a few minutes everything was normal, no one seemed to pay any attention to her being there, and I was so relieved. Then one of the cockerels started really aggressively attacking her, then the other cockerels joined in! So I took them out and put them back in the barn and for a few more minutes it was fine with just the other girls.
Then THEY started attacking her!

I took her out, poor little thing, and now I don't know what to do! I'm so upset I'm near tears!
Please advise!

 

[ten chicks]

I have 9 hens and 11 pullets who are about 9-10 weeks old.

One is sick- she is throwing up- very puffed up and really lethargic. She is a speckled Sussex.

She is trying to eat and drink, but throws it up- I have brought her into the house to watch her- is there anything I can do?
All the other babies seem fine. My daughter said that last week she threw up a little water when she picked her up, but I didn't think that was a concern, and hadn't really noticed any other issue until now.

We have recently had a terrible heat wave with severe lightening and thunderstorms, I have heard that sometimes chickens can be affected by that??
I've kept the chicks in the coop during all that however, but the others seem ok

I know the photo probably won't help... but you know, just in case someone sees something that I don't.... Anyone have any ideas??

She looks very ill,check her crop,is it impacted?

 

[arpyhh]

I didn't know about crops until I started researching this...
I just checked it and it was full- like it fit in the palm of my hand, so I gently tipped her upside down (like I had read) to do
and gently massaged her crop (I was worried about hurting her so I didn't squeeze too hard) but it all started coming out- found some grass in there and she hasn't been out in the grass for days (Since the bad weather started)
When it seemed most of it had drained out, I cleaned it up and set her back down. She looks exactly like she did in the photo... puffed up with eyes closed..

:-/

 

[realsis]

You can try giving some oil and gently massage the crop. Please go to the search window and read on impacted crop. you will find information there that will help you. I wish you the best and hope this helps. Good luck!

 

[arpyhh]

Will try that

thanks so much!

 

[War Chicken]

I have no direct experience but canker can cause vomiting.

Any signs of conjunctivitis when the eyes are open? They're probably just closed due to general unwellness/fatigue but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

Edited to add that candidiasis can also cause crop problems and vomiting.

 

[arpyhh]

her eyes are def lethargic, but not weeping or anything.

 

[arpyhh]

She is still in trouble.
I gave her yogurt and some cottage cheese yesterday with her chick starter which she liked- her crop is still very full this morning, not hard but soft, mushy and very large.
She is sleeping a lot all puffed up, and her eyes look lethargic but she is still eating and drinking.
Should I keep feeding her even though her crop is full like that?
I have been massaging her crop, but haven't been able to get her to throw up again.
I tried the oil and bread but she didn't want that.
Should I do a syringe with oil? she has had three poops, dark green with white, nothing runny or abnormal looking

????

 

[samidodamage]

Soft and mushy sounds like it's turning to sour crop, which is an impacted crop with fluids added and now has turned into a 'soured' mush. If you open the beak, you may be able to smell the 'sour'. Try tipping her at about a 60 degree angle and massage the crop towards the throat. This should help her vomit the wet, soggy (and stinky!) mess up. I would take away dry feed and only feed soft food(yogurt and mashed up hardboiled eggs) for a couple of days with free access to as much clean water as she wants. If you use ACV in the water, I would discontinue for the time being as the sour crop increases the acidity. I might try adding NutriDrench or even Save-a-Chick to the water to help perk her up.

 

[casportpony]

I would tube fluids to her.

-Kathy