Daydream thread continues.....

lostinrates

Ok, just been out to check them, not zoomed off for maggots. Glad its not just me who finds it feels odd from a husbandry perspective.

They are having mash, to whoch i have added yogurt now.

Four of them have definitely responded to this mornings massage, two i di not think have. Vet who i called for advice was of the opinion they make it or not.

I have noticed since day one, their favouritething is fresh water being poured...seems likely rhat is related to that discomfort?


Will massage again tonight and see what happens.

rozeepozee

I'm feeling a little squeamish about massaging crops. I may just stick to raising human animals for now...

Just bought a wildflower book so will be doing some identifying later this week. It's a bit overcast and spitting here.

lostinrates

rozeepozee wrote: »

I'm feeling a little squeamish about massaging crops. I may just stick to raising human animals for now...

Just bought a wildflower book so will be doing some identifying later this week. It's a bit overcast and spitting here.

Yeah, not nice!

choille

I never give diary to hens as I thought they couldn't tolerate it. Have you tried an eye dropper of a few drops of mineral oil down its throat before massaging?

lostinrates

choille wrote: »

I never give diary to hens as I thought they couldn't tolerate it. Have you tried an eye dropper of a few drops of mineral oil down its throat before massaging?

No, olive oil. I don't have any parrafin i don't think.

Itismehonest

lostinrates wrote: »

Ok, just been out to check them, not zoomed off for maggots. Glad its not just me who finds it feels odd from a husbandry perspective.

They are having mash, to whoch i have added yogurt now.

Four of them have definitely responded to this mornings massage, two i di not think have. Vet who i called for advice was of the opinion they make it or not.

I have noticed since day one, their favouritething is fresh water being poured...seems likely rhat is related to that discomfort?


Will massage again tonight and see what happens.

It's usually because they aren't getting enough grit in their diet, LIR, although I don't think that's always the case.
Maybe they're making a beeline for the freshly poured water in the hope that, somehow, it will shift the blockage. We'd do the same, I guess.

The yoghurt thing was from an official poultry keepers book as I recall, choille.
It's only a small amount & more to do with the bacteria than anything else.
It wouldn't be something I'd suggest on a permanent measure. They may get the squirts but a quick couple of small doses shouldn't harm.

However, when I was young & there was always raw milk kicking about the farms the chickens used to love the odd drop. I think, like malformed egg-eating, they can do things if they feel they are lacking certain things in their diets . Strange how sometimes they seem to have a sixth sense about these things.

I'd go along with what the vet says, LIR, even if it means losing one or two.
The important thing is to try to work out a regime that helps prevent it reoccurring.

lostinrates

Itismehonest wrote: »

It's usually because they aren't getting enough grit in their diet, LIR, although I don't think that's always the case.
Maybe they're making a beeline for the freshly poured water in the hope that, somehow, it will shift the blockage. We'd do the same, I guess.

The yoghurt thing was from an official poultry keepers book as I recall, choille.
It's only a small amount & more to do with the bacteria than anything else.
It wouldn't be something I'd suggest on a permanent measure. They may get the squirts but a quick couple of small doses shouldn't harm.

However, when I was young & there was always raw milk kicking about the farms the chickens used to love the odd drop. I think, like malformed egg-eating, they can do things if they feel they are lacking certain things in their diets . Strange how sometimes they seem to have a sixth sense about these things.

I'd go along with what the vet says, LIR, even if it means losing one or two.
The important thing is to try to work out a regime that helps prevent it reoccurring.

Yep.

We leave grit down twenty four seven, and they have shown no interst. Becuase i fel ttheir crops were
Arge i mixed grit with the food whn they arrived.

Fwiw they are eating special ex batt food.

rozeepozee

Spending all my spare minutes mooning over gardening websites...

Itismehonest

lostinrates wrote: »

Yep.

We leave grit down twenty four seven, and they have shown no interst. Becuase i fel ttheir crops were
Arge i mixed grit with the food whn they arrived.

Fwiw they are eating special ex batt food.

Got to admit that I don't think the ex-batt food existed when I kept hens :rotfl:
We never had ex-batts as all ours came originally as PoL.

Sometimes fowl bred for purpose can be problematical.
We had several ducks which came from somewhere that bred for the table. It took 2-3 generations to breed out whatever it was (particularly in the Aylesburys) that made them grow at such a pace that they became huge just in time for when they would have been ready for table.
Poor things just seemed to have a grow fast, die young "gene". It was quite bizarre.
Eventually, their offspring settled to normality.

Another thought. Are they getting at long grass? Not likely at this time in the year but it has been known to cause problems if it balls up & they can't get rid out it.
I'd go with the lack of grit from what you say, LIR, but getting them to eat it may require a great deal of persistence & deviousness if they really have taken against it. Makes me wonder if it's a backlash from their long term diet - like someone who has been fed on gruel suddenly getting let out & finding a shop full of cream cakes.
Strange, though, hens usually know what they need & eat grit/shell when it's needed even if they don't eat it every day.

alfie_1

LIR.... the fact they like a lot of water in normal circumstances is great but of course if they have a crop full of food, the water will make it swell and become a bit cement like... i really think that if u put a DROP of warm oil in and gently massage you will feel if it is moving/breaking up.do this as often as possible whilst i personally would starve them for 24 hrs. sounds harsh but you could be just adding to the compacted food already there. i have always avoided anything dairy myself as it can give them the s**t's and not sure but if it is the same in thier system as ours ?