Hen with blockage, gorging on water

[16 and me]

Hi all,
2 yr old sussex, started drinking water heavily and has bedn doing so for 6 months. Her egg quality is very poor, tiny thin shelled eggs, despite free range to crushed egg shells, oyster shells & occassionally supplementing her with calcium pills. Sunday I found her laying in some long grass and she didn't want to move. Her crop was massive - mostly fluid. We tubed her and syringed out about 1 1/2 cups of fluid, and were able to feel what we believe was a plug of grass. It was about 1 1/2" long and 3/4" around. We have flushed her 3x with mineral oil and allowed her access to water with electrolytes & vitamins and a slurry of yogurt, pineapple juice and egg. She ate and drank throughout the day and this morning her crop was smaller but still not drained. We could not feel the plug though, and syringing was bringing up bits of grass, but nothing substantial. She seemed perkier though, so we had hope. Bedtime: she was in the coop first and on her perch, with a massive crop, wet bib as if she drooled fluids, and her wings drooped low. I'm thinking the "plug" may have moved down into her digestive trach and lodged, and wondering if an epsom salt bath may help, or if anybody has any other solutions? By the looks of her, I'm not so sure she's going to make it through the night without some divine intervention. Thanks all for your help, I know it's late, so hoping we have some night owls with some insight!

Edit to add we checked her belly and nothing seems to be there, light pressure caused her to squirt out liquid milky poop.

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

If she has been drinking a lot for 6 months, I have to think there is more going on than just a grass obstruction. My last water guzzler had a bad case of worms, which could also cause malnutrition, poor eggs, and slow or block digestion enough to cause sour crop. Ingesting metal pieces (or any non-food item really) can cause similar problems. It's also possible she has some sort of infection or kidney problem...

If she makes it through the night, I'd drain off the fluid again and then give her some more oil and maybe try an epsom salt flush (1 teaspoon epsom salt in 1/2 cup water twice daily). I have my doubts than an epsom salt bath would really help, but as long as it doesn't stress her, I don't see harm in trying. I'd also check her breath and crop fluid--if they smell strong and fermented I'd start giving her an antifungal cream like monistat asap.

I haven't had much luck saving birds once they are getting that much fluid buildup in their crop, but I really hope she makes it

 

[16 and me]

If she has been drinking a lot for 6 months, I have to think there is more going on than just a grass obstruction. My last water guzzler had a bad case of worms, which could also cause malnutrition, poor eggs, and slow or block digestion enough to cause sour crop. Ingesting metal pieces (or any non-food item really) can cause similar problems. It's also possible she has some sort of infection or kidney problem...

If she makes it through the night, I'd drain off the fluid again and then give her some more oil and maybe try an epsom salt flush (1 teaspoon epsom salt in 1/2 cup water twice daily). I have my doubts than an epsom salt bath would really help, but as long as it doesn't stress her, I don't see harm in trying. I'd also check her breath and crop fluid--if they smell strong and fermented I'd start giving her an antifungal cream like monistat asap.

I haven't had much luck saving birds once they are getting that much fluid buildup in their crop, but I really hope she makes it

Thanks Razzlefrazzle. I have been trying to get to the bottom of her guzzling for a while, but nothing seems to be working, I've been suspecting kidneys, so ya - even if I can resolve the crop, I'm still dealing with a hen with a health issue. I decided against the epsom salt bath for tonight, concerned about adding more stress to the poor girl. A good night's sleep for both of us is in order. I'll check her in the morning, drain her and give her more oil & try the epsom salt flush. Thank you for your advice!

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

Thanks Razzlefrazzle. I have been trying to get to the bottom of her guzzling for a while, but nothing seems to be working, I've been suspecting kidneys, so ya - even if I can resolve the crop, I'm still dealing with a hen with a health issue. I decided against the epsom salt bath for tonight, concerned about adding more stress to the poor girl. A good night's sleep for both of us is in order. I'll check her in the morning, drain her and give her more oil & try the epsom salt flush. Thank you for your advice!

A lot of times the crop issue is secondary and caused by some other problem or disease, which makes it hard (or impossible) to get the digestive tract working again if the first issue hasn't been fixed. I do hope, though, that since you felt some sort of blockage in her crop that there is something that can be flushed out and she can improve.