My own personal vet and friend is an hour away and out of town this weekend. Vets in this immediate area don't do pet chickens. Flocks for chicken farmers, yes, but not pets. Kathryn got better, my lovely and favorite Bernadette did not. At 5AM this morning it was aparent she was suffering. 2 hours on the phone and I was able to find a vet willing to euthanize her right away because I said she was a pet and I wanted to have her cremated (they get a percentage of the cremation fee) and I knew that would get us in the door. Not kocking them for it, it was a relief to know she wouldn't be suffering. It doesn't make sense to me that they won't treat pet chickens. From a financial view point, office fee, treatment, and meds, it would be the same profit as their small animal clients. He said her crop was impacted, infected and euthanasia was the best course of action. I had her on antibiotics, electrolyte water, gave her some grit, had her in the house with heat, held and talked to her. The vet mentioned septic and something else and I'm ashamed to say I didn't catch it since I was crying and distracted. I need to talk to him when I pick up her ashes and go over it again, find out what I can do in the future for prevention and treatment on my own.
I really need to know more about treating chickens. I now know to have plenty of dirt or grit with fresh cut grass. There is so much I don't know and don't want to lose any more chickens. What do you do when you have a chicken that needs euthanized? A friend with chickens does her own, no waiting or stressful trip to the vet for the chicken. I know a lot of nonchicken people don't understand, but I really do love my chickies.
What do you do? Touchy subject.
This is a Catsy question.
I'm sorry this is happening to you Annie.. I know how hard it is. Unfortunately, it's common with owning chickens. So many things happen, and it's so hard to know what to do. Even when we do our best, we all loose some.
No chicken on the face of this earth could ask for a better life than you have given yours. Peace be with you my friend, and may your dear Bernadette rest in peace knowing she was loved.
Hi AnnieBBB--we all want to know how to do this humanely. My vet has euthanized a chick for me for free....but I think it is best if I can do it myself.
There are several different options. The best is supposed to be xenon gas, which you can order on line in little cartridges for preserving wine. This now recommended by humane organizations.
The one I have had the best luck with and which is said to be almost as good (i.e. the animal doesn't suffer) is generating carbon dioxide with vinegar and baking soda. I'm at work now, but I will try to find the site I used when I get home
Other people recommend fumes from starter fluid (ether) but that does burn tissue, so I am not very comfortable with it. CMoxon has a method of chest compression that I am not familiar with. The most commonly recommended and probably easiest in some ways, is to dislocate their cervical spine. Which poultry experts feel is quick and painless, but I would want some one there to teach me and that isn't usually the case when there is an emergency.
You have to take comfort that your bird was a loved and valued and not packed in a cage somewhere, for however long her life was meant to be.
This message was edited Apr 24, 2010 5:59 PM
Here is the thread with the reference:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1075640/
Thank you so much. I've been reading most of the day, not sure I would be able to diagnosis some thigns as they are so similar to other symptoms. I went out and felt the crops on each chicken, hoping to have a normal base line in my mind and the way their feel. Don't like trial and error when it's a living animal.
Thank you all so much.
Annie - really sorry to hear about your beloved bird. Some of mine are like that - special ones that have a place in my heart. I am fortunate to have a vet that I can take them to who does not question my sanity! I've learned a LOT from Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens. I've learned even more, diagnosis-wise, from Gail Damerow's "The Chicken Health Handbook" but the very best is hands on learning. I believe impacted crop and sour crop are very similar and I have dealt with sour crop. Gail's book says crop impaction is rare and in mature birds is diagnosed by a distended, sour-smelling crop filled with feed and roughage. Mortality is limited but death occurs due to impaired digestion. Her treatment is to slit the crop open, empty it, clean it, isolate the bird, and allow the wound to heal. That's quite intense. Let me tell you what I've done....
First, now that you've felt crops, you probably notice they are fairly hard, sort of like a golf ball on the right hand side of the lower neck, when they are full that is. When they are not full, they are flatter. What they should NOT be is soft and smooshy. If you notice a bird that is off by itself, maybe a bit droopy, not eating....check the crop. If the crop feels soft and smooshy and large, you have a problem. Sometimes, as you feel the crop, the chicken will have gooey stuff spill out of its mouth (not like projectile....just oozing). If I see this, I do the following.
1. Hold chicken upside-down, usually by the legs. Often chickens in this situation are sort of weak and not very active so this usually isn't difficult. Try to hold the legs with one hand.
2. Begin to gently massage the crop. Usually, this will make the contents of the crop come out through the chicken's mouth. It's gross, but it saves their life most times. Keep massaging with a downward action until you can not get anything else to come out of the chicken's mouth. You will probably get quite a lot of yukky stuff out of them.
Incidentally, I have also done this with ducks and it worked.
3. When crop is empty, isolate chicken and put it on a soft bedding material. It should be given soft foods only, such as cottage cheese or softened feed (soften with water). Mix in some vegetable oil into the mix. This helps the food pass through the crop. Soft foods don't need to be ground up in the crop so they go directly into the chicken's digestive system, which is good because it needs energy at this point. I usually also put a squirt of "Kickin' Chicken" supplement in there (which I buy online) and some minced garlic. They also should have a supply of fresh water.
4. They are likely to have some pretty nasty poops in a while after you have done this, because their digestive system needs to clean out any nastiness. Sometimes it makes their butt really messy - just be prepared for this and it's normal for this to happen.
I usually find that within a half a day or so, the chicken is eating again and is on the mend. I keep them isolated and on soft foods for a day or two to ensure they are getting better.
Hope that might help you someday.
Can we git CMoxon's instructions put in the sticky?? It would be valuable to know... or someone tell me how I can save it? Iam on a work computer so copying and pasting it somewhere on here would be a no no
It's wonderful help, Thank You to everyone! I agree it should be on the sticky too. I printed it out and put it in my notebook as well. Went for a walk with the chicks today in their run. I'm a sucker for the way they follow me in the most trusting way (and I might just have treats so that helps).
Severe thunderstorms called for today so I wanted them to get plenty of play time. Thank you all so much. It's so nice to have a place where Love Of Chickens is accepted.
When I first went to work for Hott Game Bird Farm he bought some Rheas and a few weeks later I mowed the lawn. Five birds just kept eating all that loose grass that they impacted. My vet was on a horse ranch trying to save a colt and just talked me and a friend through the procedure. I cut the birds open then opened up their crop and pulled out all that grass. Then stitched them up, using a horse hair. They feel no pain if you do not cut into muscle. All five made it with no problem. An impacted bird does not mean that they have no chance of making it.
Isn't a Rhea from South America and similar to an Emu?
They are ratites!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratite
Kenboy, If I ever have this happen to a chicken again I would hope I could do it, but am seriously not sure I could. I know it's my responsibility to keep them healthy. I'm trying to find a vet close by that will treat chickens in their office. If there is time there is a vet, an hour away, who will. Thanks.