8ek Pullet, not sure - sour crop?

[EmmaEsme]

Hi guys, Melbourne AUS here. I noticed yesterday that my most precious lady from my New Year hatch just didn't seem quite herself. Her posture just isn't the same... She seems flat and is puffing her feathers and lowering her wings.

Everyone had Barrastoc medicated starter until about 4-5 days ago and are now on Laucke Mills Pullet Grower. They were all sprayed with Avian Insect Liquidator when moved to the grower coop from the brooding box at 4/5 weeks old. The run and grower coop is were empty for 1-2 months before they moved in. There are no signs of respiratory illness in my flock. She is however, sister to Velma, my little one with tremors that improved with Vit B and diet change. No one else is unwell.

On inspection she seems fine, I didn't see any mite or lice, eyes and nose clear, but she's definitely not as active. It's about 10 am, they've been out of the coop since perhaps 7:30, and her crop isn't very full but is quite soft and squishy and imo, a bit warm to touch. She has no smell from her beak, but I heard a gurgling on crop massage. She has been isolated with no food or water for a bit.

I checked a couple of the others with her and their crops were surprisingly empty and a bit gritty, what was there. The whole flock just had their first serve Tuesday of tuna/egg/peas and grit offered to increase protein. (Advice given on Velma's thread.) I'm wondering if perhaps it didn't suit her and has caused the issue? Or maybe the grower feed?

Before I do any treatment, I wanted to confer for second options that sour crop may be the most likely issue. I'm also not sure if maybe I should worm her? I use Avitrol Plus for my hens. Thanks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She seems flat and is puffing her feathers and lowering her wings.

her crop isn't very full but is quite soft and squishy and imo, a bit warm to touch. She has no smell from her beak, but I heard a gurgling on crop massage. She has been isolated with no food or water for a bit.

Can you get some photos of her poop?

Seeming flat, puffing up and lowering the wings, I would suspect Coccidiosis. Can you get some Harker's Coxoid (Amprolium)? And yes, I do understand you were giving medicated feed and the Barrastoc contains a coccidiostat (Lasaloacid Sodium) which can help prevent Coccidiosis, but that's not always a guarantee. The birds have been placed on new ground, so no they are likely encountering different strain(s) of Coccidia.

I would not withhold water period during waking hours. Food is debatable. I do not withhold food from birds when they are not well, even if it's a crop issue.

Work on hydrating her, see if she will eat a little wet feed, if not, just get fluids into her.
Re-check her crop first thing in the morning, if it's not emptied and gassy, then I would give her some coconut oil in addition to treating for Coccidiosis.
Treat all the chicks.

 

[EmmaEsme]

Can you get some photos of her poop?

Seeming flat, puffing up and lowering the wings, I would suspect Coccidiosis. Can you get some Harker's Coxoid (Amprolium)? And yes, I do understand you were giving medicated feed and the Barrastoc contains a coccidiostat (Lasaloacid Sodium) which can help prevent Coccidiosis, but that's not always a guarantee. The birds have been placed on new ground, so no they are likely encountering different strain(s) of Coccidia.

I would not withhold water period during waking hours. Food is debatable. I do not withhold food from birds when they are not well, even if it's a crop issue.

Work on hydrating her, see if she will eat a little wet feed, if not, just get fluids into her.
Re-check her crop first thing in the morning, if it's not emptied and gassy, then I would give her some coconut oil in addition to treating for Coccidiosis.
Treat all the chicks.

Thank you yet again! I have Amprolium on hand. I also have coconut oil as well. I wondered about Coccidiosis, but all the poos I have seen seemed okay. Now that she's isolated I can get a better look at hers specifically. I will give her food an water, remove it at bedtime and see how she goes overnight. Then check her crop in the morning and start treatment for everyone for coccidiosis when I fill the grower house water after that. Cheers

 

[EmmaEsme]

So, I decided to just start the Amprolium yesterday, gave them all fresh water with the dose, then again this am.

Daphne still had a squishy crop this am, bigger than yesterday, and she looks more unwell unfortunately. I had given her food yesterday until lock up at 8pm. Left water with amp overnight. There was one tiny, fresh poo this am. No blood in it, but it was terracotta colour and a little runny. Formed urates present though.

I've decided to also treat for sour crop, so following other instructions I saw on here, we gave her a first dose of Canesten ointment orally. Before doing that, we administered oil and I did a short, downward massage as well. I will reintroduce food and grit in a couple hours.

I really, really hope she makes it through whatever this is. Ugh..... Of 13 chooks, it HAD to be Daphne!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would have done the same thing by going ahead and treating for sour crop too.
Is she drinking the mixed Amprolium water? If she's not, then you may need to encourage her.

 

[EmmaEsme]

I would have done the same thing by going ahead and treating for sour crop too.
Is she drinking the mixed Amprolium water? If she's not, then you may need to encourage her.

The rest are as it was quite empty this am. Unless they spilled it all....

I'm not watching her, so I can't be 100% sure. I did wonder about syringing her some, but breaking the dose rate down from 5g per 4 liters to tiny amount per ml was impossible for my poor maths ability.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How is she doing?

 

[EmmaEsme]

How is she doing?

Thank you for asking. Her crop was mostly empty this am. I forgot to take the food up last night and given the grittiness of the tiny contents I think she'd just eaten a little brekky.

I gave her some more oil and a massage again just in case, as well as a dose of Canesten and let her back out to the flock. I don't think she was enjoying being isolated, even if she was still in their coop.

She still looks a little puffed and unwell though. Hopefully she drinks with the others and it clears up the Coccidiosis bloom.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm hopeful she will make a full recovery.

 

[EmmaEsme]

Thank you so much! I'm happy to report that Daphne is looking like a completely normal chook again! Crisis averted. Hubby says one of them might have eaten a slug, so maybe that was it, but... I decided not to give tuna again too, just in case. Here's a bunch of the flock demolishing scrambled eggs with frozen peas/corn and freshly shredded spinach.