What could be wrong with her neck?

[B-flock]

Edit: she’s an almost 4 year old ISA brown who also has suspected internal laying. She’s going to the vet tomorrow morning for a quality of life check and probably euthanasia so I don’t just prolong her suffering. I wish I was one of those who could cull, but I just can’t do it. Thank you to everyone who replied!

Original post: I started treating my chicken for impacted crop yesterday. She was doing the neck jerk and it felt like a water balloon, but I’m also very concerned about her neck! She has what feels like a bone protruding outward, as you may be able to see in the photo. I have a vet appointment for her, but I’m afraid it’ll be a quality of life/euthanasia appointment. After this morning, she doesn’t want to eat and just looks miserable. Any ideas or experience? She’s mine and my daughter’s favorite and oldest hen

 

[Eggcessive]

What treatment have you been doing so far? What do you feed her? Does she have granite poultry grit available? The tracheal cartilage in the front of the neck is a stiff pipe that protects the airway. Could that be what you are feeling? Her crop looks pretty large. Is she drinking a lot of water? Can you check the crop in the early morning to see if it has emptied some? Does it feel firm or puffy? Here is a good crop article to read:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[B-flock]

What treatment have you been doing so far? What do you feed her? Does she have granite poultry grit available? The tracheal cartilage in the front of the neck is a stiff pipe that protects the airway. Could that be what you are feeling? Her crop looks pretty large. Is she drinking a lot of water? Can you check the crop in the early morning to see if it has emptied some? Does it feel firm or puffy? Here is a good crop article to read:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Thank you so much for your reply! I’ve been giving her coconut oil or organic hexane free castor (she would only take a little) and papaya digestive enzymes.

The photo was almost 24 hours old when I posted and her crop was about half that size last night. I should’ve grabbed a new photo, but she was settled so I didn’t. She ate a raw scrambled egg mixed in water 1:2 last night after I posted this thread and I woke up this morning to the most normal poos that she’s had in days! She ate more of her egg water and drank a few sips of water this morning before she closed her eyes, so I took it away and turned the light back off. She did not do the neck jerking associated with impacted crop when I was observing her this morning. Thank God because that was so hard to watch.

BUT, the other lump is what I’m most worried about now. Oh goodness, could it be her trachea? I’m searching chicken diagrams after I send this. She’s an almost 4 year old ISA brown and I know that’s old for her breed. I’m very worried about that lump, the vet appt isn’t until tomorrow morning and I just want her to be comfortable.

 

[B-flock]

Thank you so much for your reply! I’ve been giving her coconut oil or organic hexane free castor (she would only take a little) and papaya digestive enzymes.

The photo was almost 24 hours old when I posted and her crop was about half that size last night. I should’ve grabbed a new photo, but she was settled so I didn’t. She ate a raw scrambled egg mixed in water 1:2 last night after I posted this thread and I woke up this morning to the most normal poos that she’s had in days! She ate more of her egg water and drank a few sips of water this morning before she closed her eyes, so I took it away and turned the light back off. She did not do the neck jerking associated with impacted crop when I was observing her this morning. Thank God because that was so hard to watch.

BUT, the other lump is what I’m most worried about now. Oh goodness, could it be her trachea? I’m searching chicken diagrams after I send this. She’s an almost 4 year old ISA brown and I know that’s old for her breed. I’m very worried about that lump, the vet appt isn’t until tomorrow morning and I just want her to be comfortable.

I forgot to answer your grit question. When she was still outside, she had grit available, but I didn’t think of bringing it in for her at the time (she’s been inside for about 2 days now). Should I buy the more finely ground chick grit for her?

 

[B-flock]

Here are two photos of her protruded neck are from this morning.

 

[Eggcessive]

You could use regular adult size grit, and just put a small amount in a small dish or lid for her to take as she needs it. So her crop feels like a water balloon, or is it firm? If it is firm, then massage it several times a day. Has her crop been enlarged for awhile? She might be dealing with a pendulous crop if it has been large for awhile. Are you letting her out some each day to be with her flock? They need to be in contact with her some so that she doesn’t get picked on when she goes back. I usually leave my chickens with their flock if at all possible at least for daily visits. She needs a little food, mostly mushy very wet chicken feed, some egg, plain yogurt, but no hard to digest whole grains, seeds, etc. @azygous is much more experienced with crop disorders. She uses coconut oil, Monistat cream orally or other antifungal medication for sour crop.

 

[Lillith37]

They do tend to pull their head back when they feel poorly which may emphasise their throat. Does she lay eggs? 4yo is pretty good for an ISA; as a production breed they are susceptible to reproductive issues.

 

[Eggcessive]

Does the upper part of her neck that is sticking out feel solid or like air? How does the crop feel this am?

 

[B-flock]

You could use regular adult size grit, and just put a small amount in a small dish or lid for her to take as she needs it. So her crop feels like a water balloon, or is it firm? If it is firm, then massage it several times a day. Has her crop been enlarged for awhile? She might be dealing with a pendulous crop if it has been large for awhile. Are you letting her out some each day to be with her flock? They need to be in contact with her some so that she doesn’t get picked on when she goes back. I usually leave my chickens with their flock if at all possible at least for daily visits. She needs a little food, mostly mushy very wet chicken feed, some egg, plain yogurt, but no hard to digest whole grains, seeds, etc. @azygous is much more experienced with crop disorders. She uses coconut oil, Monistat cream orally or other antifungal medication for sour crop.

I let her out on the porch with her flock and my daughter is monitoring while I’m at work. I’m glad you said that because I was wondering about it. She’s head hen ugh. I’ll have my daughter bring grit inside when she comes back in today.

I noticed her not really eating I think on Friday. Her crop and neck appeared large Friday and larger Saturday (today is Tuesday if anyone reads this later). Her crop felt empty this and I left the back door open for her when I went out to see if she’d follow and she did! I’m going to have my daughter mix up some food and water for her when she brings her back inside. I did read about the monistat and I’ll see if I can talk my chicken into that haha.

 

[B-flock]

They do tend to pull their head back when they feel poorly which may emphasise their throat. Does she lay eggs? 4yo is pretty good for an ISA; as a production breed they are susceptible to reproductive issues.

Okay, that makes sense. It’s so disheartening to see her do that uncontrollably. She hasn’t laid in about a year and I suspect internal laying, honestly. She squatted for me a few weeks ago and kept going into the nesting box, but nothing came out. Then, she started feeling bad and sluggish after that. -I did the eggbound soaks and all that is recommended, but never got an egg out.

Someone had given us a different hen and the owner didn’t realize something was wrong with her. she was laying internally and something was obviously wrong to me. We had her humanely euthanized when the vet and I felt the hard egg mass all over her abdomen. Her whole abdomen was hard. It was terrible and I will not let this baby go through that same thing!!! I wish I was one of those strong people who could cull, but I’m not. I’ll see what my vet says tomorrow, but I’m not very positive.