7 week old Barred Rock-Sour Crop

[Michael Apple]

After hours of reading and talking to chicken enthusiast, it appears from many that it is coccidia. I started her on Corid. How long will it take to notice a difference? She really hasn't had any bloody poop, but she has all the other signs. I just want to be sure it is that. I have been syringe feeding her the Corid/water mixture. I'm assuming her crop won't store the Corid and it will secrete into the intestine? Should I try and syringe feed her some plain yogurt, too? She is very week and needs to eat.

If you continue feeding yogurt/wet mash to the bird, the crop won't empty.

The problem with getting medicine/nutrients in the intestinal tract is the slow/impacted crop. If the crop is impacted, the crop bound capsules and water administration I mentioned can liquify the crop contents to pass in the gut or be expelled by inverting the bird and gently working the crop to expel the crop contents out of the bird's mouth. If that can be done successfully, the bird can then absorb the Corid or other medication in the digestive system. Birds get hungry even with an impacted crop because they are not receiving nutrients in the intestinal tract. That crop has to empty properly for the bird to get any benefit from oral medication. I do hope your bird recovers. Some folks keep an A&D injectible vitamin on hand, and also Vitamin B12 injectible. This way individual birds that are lacking in egg production, or lacking in the ability to absorb nutrients in feeds for some reason, can get immediate absorption in the blood stream.

I had an 8 year old rooster who kept getting a pendulous crop. He'd improve with treatment, then get crop bound, and this went back and forth over a period of 3-4 months. I came to discover a tumor of some sort near the crop location and had to euthanize him. Other instances I have resolved crop issues.

 

[thesimplelife6]

I was told that an impacted crop is less likely given her age.She is 7 weeks. Suggestions? Its not hard, very soft, but big. I've been obsessed over this since 5:30 this morning. I don't know if i'm coming or going. I need to go to bed, but afraid. I did manage to empty her crop last night, but afraid to do it again. I hate this. Its terrible. Terrible, terrible feeling. I guess with owning chickens, its bound to happen at some point!
She is pooping. The last poop was all water, the stool before that was water with a solid in the center. Thanks for all your help! I just want her to turn the corner!! What are you recommending then? EMpty crop? Refill with Corid mixture? She's all fluffed up, hardly moving, and sleeping. What should I prepare for myself tonight? Hour checking? Sorry, i just want to do what i can and am still new at this. We've only had birds since last March and never really had a problem.

 

[ten chicks]

I was told that an impacted crop is less likely given her age.She is 7 weeks. Suggestions? Its not hard, very soft, but big. I've been obsessed over this since 5:30 this morning. I don't know if i'm coming or going. I need to go to bed, but afraid. I did manage to empty her crop last night, but afraid to do it again. I hate this. Its terrible. Terrible, terrible feeling. I guess with owning chickens, its bound to happen at some point!
She is pooping. The last poop was all water, the stool before that was water with a solid in the center. Thanks for all your help! I just want her to turn the corner!! What are you recommending then? EMpty crop? Refill with Corid mixture? She's all fluffed up, hardly moving, and sleeping. What should I prepare for myself tonight? Hour checking? Sorry, i just want to do what i can and am still new at this. We've only had birds since last March and never really had a problem.

Does she have access to grit? I'm not sure what you mean by big crop? My 7 week chicks have big crops after they eat,and their crops are not all the same size. Always has gone down by morning. Have you checked her at night after eating,should be big,then check her in the morning before she has eaten,should be small and empty. This way you will know if there is a problem. Lot's of reasons for the watery poop,no food and only water is one,stress is another.

If you think she has cocci,then keep treating her. Treat all chicks for 5 days,do not give vitamins during treatment(interferes with medication),give vitamins after treatment.

 

[Michael Apple]

Argh. My mistake. Seven weeks old. Don't use crop bound caps. Perhaps the chick ate some shavings or some other fibrous product?

 

[thesimplelife6]

Seems she is doing a little better today. She is brighter and more alert. She is even drinking on her own and eating. Her crop was empty on its own this morning, so that tells me things are starting to work in there. I upped the Corid to 2 tsp per gallon last night. I took her in a clean, untouched area of our yard and she basked in the sun today. She even chased a few bugs. She is back in her enclosure eating and ready for a nap. Thanks again for everyone's help and suggestions!

 

[Michael Apple]

I'm glad to know that. I get to helping a couple people at once and crossed things up. 7 weeks old was the reason I backed off on recommending docusate sodium (Colace Tabs) for the bird's crop. A chick that young might be alright with one 50 mg capsule, but since I've never treated a bird that young for crop impaction in that manner, I didn't feel comfortable recommending that to you.

 

[thesimplelife6]

It is so helpful to know in case I ever encounter impaction. I'm sure it's bound to happen sooner or later!! Thanks again for your wealth of knowledge. I love turning to this site for suggestions and tried and true methods of tx.

 

[Lovechikins]

I had a chicken like that once. Her food wasn't passing completely through and she looked sick. Her crop was soft but not squishy since she had so much in there and it was HUGE. Vomiting was an option but for us, it was so dense we were worried we might have choked her. And right we were. We ended up doing a little surgery and we found sand like stuff glued together by some sort of fibers. It kinda looked like the roots and soil in a small plant (very packed together...). Once we took it all out she was fine. She never got it again. We think maybe she just ate a clump of something a little too big and it progressed from there. All she needed was a little help to get it out..... but we would have killed her if we had tried to do the vomiting.

 

[Michael Apple]

I used crop bound capsules for 2 days once when I had a hen with an impacted crop. The wad of grass was too large to pass, but softened enough to remove once exposed out of the mouth by inverting the bird. That's why I've emphasized keeping the grass short around range areas, mixing oyster shell/grit in feed rather than leaving a big receptacle for free choice. Impacted crops are a tricky situation and some birds will gorge themselves on just about anything. Vegetable oil should never be used since it gums up and adheres to grass and feed when mixed with water in the crop. I've found crop bound capsules work well.