Almost 2yr old ISA Brown hen- sour or impacted crop

[cluckingheck]

I got home from work today to see Milly, who will be 2 in March, hunched in the middle of the yard by the waterer. She wouldn’t move and let me pick her up ( not typical ) and her crop was like a water balloon. I gave her a tablespoon of coconut oil and massaged her crop, brought her inside & just massaged her crop again a little bit ago. It went down some and doesn’t feel watery, but it’s mushy. She also pooped for the first time since I brought her in around 2pm and it’s 8pm now. She has a slight odor coming from her mouth but it isn’t a glaringly sour smell. It’s pretty mild.

Is there anything else I should be doing? Should I continue to keep food and water from her for now? I ran out of their regular food some days ago and feed them the goat’s sweet feed for a few days until I was able to run into town to buy more. It never bothered them before, but her having symptoms started just a few days after being feed the feed last. Could that have been the cause? They don’t usually get to eat it.

ALSO, forgot to mention: when I was massaging her crop, it sounded like there was gas build up but it didn’t sound like it was coming from the crop? It sounded like it was coming from around it, if that makes sense?

Pics of Milly and her massive turd is attached. It does look like it has some fibrous material in it like grass

 

[azygous]

You might wish to read this and learn about the different types of crop disorders. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

I see bile in the poop and mucous, typical of a crop that is infected with Candida yeast. The treatment is women's vaginal yeast cream to fight the yeast.

Your hunch that the goat sweet feed played a role in this hen's crop issue is probably correct. Chicken crops are susceptible to sugar causing yeast to take advantage of the high carbs, and sweet goat feed, being mostly corn and molasses is sort of like an ice cream sundae in nutrition, sky high in carbs, very low in nutrients.

 

[Bonkerelli]

Try your best to research the type 9f sour crop you might be dealing with. Sour crop is usually caused by too much glucose (bread, oats, are the msin cause). Also too much greens in their diet. Not enough grain or grit on their diet. An alternative to the vaginal yeast infection cream is plain yogurt.

 

[cluckingheck]

Oh

You might wish to read this and learn about the different types of crop disorders. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

I see bile in the poop and mucous, typical of a crop that is infected with Candida yeast. The treatment is women's vaginal yeast cream to fight the yeast.

Your hunch that the goat sweet feed played a role in this hen's crop issue is probably correct. Chicken crops are susceptible to sugar causing yeast to take advantage of the high carbs, and sweet goat feed, being mostly corn and molasses is sort of like an ice cream sundae in nutrition, sky high in carbs, very low in nutrients.

yeah, I was hoping it would’ve been find but I’ve never given them it for that many days in a row and they never have access to it any other time. Would cat food have been a better choice to hold them off on? I know not running out of their food ( purina flock raiser crumbles ) is the most ideal situation, but it happens.

When should I start back to giving her food and water? Some places have mentioned epsom salt or apple cider vinegar to treat sour crop, but is that actually viable? Either way, I’m going to run into town to get the yeast cream

 

[azygous]

Epsom salt flush is one of the many treatments of sour crop, but I only use it as a last resort. It's invasive and very time consuming. It's for when all else fails. ACV as a treatment of sour crop is not very effective. ACV is more of a preventative.

 

[cluckingheck]

Good news is Milly will eat the miconazole cream on her own. I had her in my lap while I was getting the dose and as soon as I had it on my finger, she was eating it.

 

[cluckingheck]

So, Milly is doing fine and has 3 more days worth of the treatment. Crop is emptying now and she’s eating ( doesn’t like scrambled eggs, I’ve found out ). However, I noticed something kind of off? She’s making the rooster tidbitting noises when i give her food ( I take it away at bedtime, so I know her crop is emptying ) and when she sees me. To my knowledge, this is a new development for her, so is that something I should be worried about?

She’s also starting to molt.