Possible Sour Crop - Looking for advice

[cmbretz]

I have a 8 month old Rhode Island Red hen that is displaying some of the symptoms of sour crop. She has always been a smaller bird compared to the rest of our flock, and developed wry tail as she got a bit older. I've found some complaints online from the hatchery she came from that their lines of RIRs have been very small as of late. She is laying well and we have not noticed any changes in her behavior.

A couple weeks ago, we noticed she had a smell to her that would come and go throughout the day, usually getting worse in the evening - that was her only symptom. This week I noticed she will occasionally spit up a bit of liquid and her crop gets a lot squishier than the rest by the end of the day. In the morning, her crop is empty and her droppings always look good - nothing concerning that I've seen.

I was thinking sour crop, but everything I've read made it sound like her crop would not be emptying every day if that was the case. I do have miconazole 7 on hand, but I'm hesitant to start giving her any if it may not actually be sour crop. We do not have a vet in our area. Has anyone else ran into something similar?

 

[Debbie292d]

I would think some probiotics might help, such as sugarfree Greek yogurt, or we have Hydro Hen on hand for baby chicks' water, and sometimes give that to the adults. We also ferment grain for them which is high probiotics.

Other than that, this great article about crop issues might help you: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

I hope she gets better!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a 8 month old Rhode Island Red hen that is displaying some of the symptoms of sour crop.

She is laying well and we have not noticed any changes in her behavior.

A couple weeks ago, we noticed she had a smell to her that would come and go throughout the day, usually getting worse in the evening - that was her only symptom. This week I noticed she will occasionally spit up a bit of liquid and her crop gets a lot squishier than the rest by the end of the day. In the morning, her crop is empty and her droppings always look good

I do have miconazole 7 on hand, but I'm hesitant to start giving her any if it may not actually be sour crop.

Is she spitting up the water on her own or just when you massage the crop to check it?

What's her poop like?

Do you notice the odor in the mornings too or only when she's been eating?

What is she eating?

Look inside her beak to make sure there's no lesions or canker - this could be the source of odor.

Let us know what you find out.

 

[cmbretz]

Is she spitting up the water on her own or just when you massage the crop to check it?

What's her poop like?

Do you notice the odor in the mornings too or only when she's been eating?

What is she eating?

Look inside her beak to make sure there's no lesions or canker - this could be the source of odor.

Let us know what you find out.

She’s been spitting up on her own. I’ve been massaging her and it’s never occurred while I’m doing that.

Her poop has been fine, they always look very normal.

The odor is not noticeable in the mornings, definitely gets worse as she eats.

They are eating Kalmbach Flock Maker crumbles.

No lesions or cankers inside her mouth that I could see. I’ll need to get another set of hands to help check her more thoroughly tomorrow.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Just to make sure, see if the others begin to have an odor after they eat.
Likely she has something brewing and it needs to be addressed, even if the crop is emptying, there can be infection.
I use Clotrimazole when treating Sour Crop, others use Nystatin, Miconazole, Acidified Copper Sulfate, etc.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[Bobfein2005]

Been treating a 2 year old hen for sour crop. 3rd day, not seeing any improvement.

I've been giving 1/2" of miconizole 2x daily.

Plain yogurt 2-3 times daily as she will tolerate.

Mostly plain water some with rooster booster.

Don't think I should change treatment but she's not getting better.

Would you switch to ACV treatment?

Would appreciate any thoughts.

She's my favorite

 

[Certified Chicken Lover]

@Bobfein2005,

@Brahmas Beauty Homestead suggested this treatment in another thread, I tried it when my hen had sour crop turned impacted and it worked Great! Highly recommend-

Hi I’m just now seeing your post and would like to pass my in detail instructions for how to cure sour crop. Dont let it overwhelm you as it’s a long read but I do give a day by day at the end for what each day looks like. It starts with identifying. Hope this helps if you have any more sour crops to deal with

Cure For Sour Crop

This regime for a crop problem is designed for SOUR CROP but I use the same steps for sour crop and IMPACTED CROP except for an impacted crop I do not give the medication but follow the rest of these steps. Miconazole is the medication used by women vaginally for a yeast infection. You will see me refer to it later on in the instructions. The medication is given by mouth to the chicken.



How to verify you have an impacted crop or sour crop.

You first might see them have symptoms such as laying down a lot, pale comb, a huge crop protruding out, lethargic , green poop , not eating or eating to much , loosing weight, adjusting their crop constantly and overall sickly acting. You will first want to pick them up and feel their crop which if you’re standing over the top of your bird it would be to the right side just below their neck. So over to the side and above or in front of the breast. This area first thing in the morning prior to food and water should be completely empty. If it’s not then trouble is highly likely. If to many days have past and you don’t notice your birds lethargic looking or see she is just not herself early enough then there is no time to waist therefore you don’t have time to wait overnight to see if the crop empties. You should pick up a healthy chicken and feel their crop for comparison if you’re unsure how a full crop will feel that’s not Impacted. A full crop not impacted will be loose and you could feel the grain and if you lift up on the food mass and push softly in like pulling the bulge or substance up and in this helps empty the crop . If it does not get smaller it’s a sign of trouble . Don’t mistaken the Contents just spreading out making it seam like it got smaller as that’s not truly emptying into the gizzard . So an impacted crop will feel like a hard mass or it will feel like you’re kneading clay or dough as it will be thick like a clay feeling and or a water filled balloon. These are signs of impact or sour crop . Sometimes you can smell the breath and smell a sour yeasty smell. So now that you know how to determine if the crop is in trouble let’s move on to the next step.



HOW TO CURE IMPACTED OR SOUR CROP!

First thing is to bring her inside and put her in a wire crate with towels or cut up t shirts or puppy pad on the floor of your crate . You can also put something in the bathtub and shut the shower curtain to make her feel safe. It’s very important that if you have children that they do not scream and yell while any chicken is in the ICU in your house this makes them nervous and they will not relax allowing for natural contractions to occur and can be the difference of life and death. You will provide water and adding a little garlic is ok but not necessary and I’m speaking of fresh garlic like a clove per quart but having probiotics and electrolytes is great. Do NOT give her your normal feed. This will prolong the curing as the yeast love the feed as it’s feeding it making it worse . So no feed. You will however give her plain Greek yogurt it must be Greek but do not start giving to her until she has been off her feed for close to 24 hours. This is where your instincts need to come In and you determine if she has 24 hours to wait on food or if she is super frail and about to starve to death then she /he needs to be fed something sooner. Use your judgement. So feed her the plain Greek yogurt by syringe giving her about 2-3 syringes of the 3cc syringe about 3-5 times a day . This is a least amount she should have if you have to force feed her she needs at least this amount. She however can have as much as she wants of the plain Greek yogurt you don’t have to limit her to the 3-5 cc that is just a must have amount. You will give the miconazole medication give her about 1/4 -1/2 inch of the medication. I’m saying 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch if you put it in the application tube that the medication comes with if just straight out the tube the medication is in without the application part it can be a little bit more. You can not give to much at judging so no worries if your not exact and I like to wait approximately 1-2 hours after a feeding in the morning, noon and night to give the medication so it’s possible to be in the crop by itself. Make sure you get her to eat it all. I find it easy using the application tube because when you push it up you can put the tip of it under her top beak and it acts like a little holder or tiny cup to let her get it from . Keep scraping off her beak and put back into her mouth if necessary. If you have to hold her beak open and scrape it in do it she must get the medicine. I find they actually eat it no problem almost like it’s good . Idk You might also crush up about 1/4 of a tums and crush it to a powder and mix it with one of the syringes of plain Greek yogurt this will help the contractions to assist with moving the contents but this would be more beneficial if it’s a impacted crop not so much sour crop . Sour crop we have to treat the yeast infection first . So after you feed and medicate and have her inside keep her in a dim lit room quiet and not to hot or cold . When you greet her every time and hold her a little first massage the mass pushing toward the opening you want the crop contents to move toward the gizzard this is for impacted only not sour crop we will later do this for sour crop after a few days of treatment and or if it looks to be a pendulum where it sits to low that it will not go back up and into the canal the contents needs to go in. Refer to a diagram so you can see what I’m referring to. So repeat these steps for the first day. The next day you should feel some improvement and the crop should feel smaller before giving her any food. So if it’s smaller then you’re doing good it’s all working. Continue with the Greek yogurt and the medicine should be given twice a day. Day 2 if the crop still feels smaller or showing signs of emptying then add a little scrambled egg to the yogurt and see if she continues to empty her crop . You will check her a couple hours after feeding to see if her crop has gone down . If so then day 3 continue with the medication and now you can add a tiny bit of oatmeal to the scrambled egg , yogurt mix and see how she does . By now at the end of day 3 or beginning of day 4 she should be back to normal and her crop emptying on it own and she is perky and feeling better. You can introduce a little of her feed day 4 and see how she does throughout the day. If it is all good turn her back into the flock. In a couple days check her to make sure her feed did not make some yeast we missed grow agin as it should not but do check. So you will give the medication 2 times a day for 3 days. If at any point of the days it’s time to move to adding scrambled egg or oatmeal but her crop is not yet emptying on its own at all then continue with day one feeding the Greek yogurt only until it is emptying on its own that you move to the next days steps. It’s an introduction of the foods so you can see if the crop goes to emptying all the while of feeding her . You might see green runny or hard poop that will disappear once she gets nutrients back into her system. Day 3 change her water to mix in some Red cell or poultry cell to help boost her vitamins and give her a pick me up . If this regime is followed you will be back on Track with a healthy and happy chicken .



Day 1. 1/4 to 1/2 inch miconazole by

Mouth 2 x day

3cc syringe x2 or 3 of plain

Greek Yogurt or until no

Longer will take any

Electrolytes in water

Kept in quiet dim room

Day 2. Miconazole 1/4 to 1/2 inch

By Mouth 2 x day

3cc syringe x 2 or 3 or until

Full mixed in with egg in

Shallow dish

Add little bit of scrambled

Egg to the yogurt in a dish

Like a peanut butter lid

Electrolyte water

Kept in quiet dim lit room

Day 3. Miconazole 1/4 to 1/2 inch

2x Day by mouth

Plain Greek Yogurt with

The scrambled egg but

Now add dry oatmeal to it

Red Cell or Poultry Cell

Added to the water

Day 4. No medication if the crop

Feels normal

Add regular feed to the

Yogurt , Egg mix ( no oat

Meal needed with the

Feed)

Red Cell or Poultry Cell in

The water if all tolerated

And crop is working

Correctly . Return to flock

Check her every 2 days for about a week

 

[Bobfein2005]

Thank you. I'm 3 days into this regimen.

Doesn't seem to be helping but don't want to change treatment midstream. Was considering ACV but most seem to recommend miconizole for 7 days.

Syringe feeding plain yogurt with free access to water. She drinks regularly. Adding rooster booster but she doesn't drink as much when it is added. Will not eat if not forced to.

Massaging regularly during day.

Any other ideas to help her are appreciated

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Been treating a 2 year old hen for sour crop. 3rd day, not seeing any improvement.

I've been giving 1/2" of miconizole 2x daily.

Plain yogurt 2-3 times daily as she will tolerate.

Mostly plain water some with rooster booster.

Don't think I should change treatment but she's not getting better.

Would you switch to ACV treatment?

Would appreciate any thoughts.

She's my favorite

@Bobfein2005
Do you have a thread explaining symptoms, age of hen, what you feed along with photos, I can't find it?

I would not change treatment, give the Miconazole for a full 7 days. Crop problems can take weeks to resolve.
Often there's an underlying condition and the crop issue is a symptom.
This article is what I use to treat crop problems, the treatments do work well, you have to be consistent and aware that the bird may be sick with something else as well.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[Bobfein2005]

Thank you.

Please excuse duplicate reply and poor use of the platform.

Grateful for all the support and feedback. I think we're doing all we can to help her.