Can anyone recommend a feed for a hen with crop / digestive issues?

[TwoCrows]

I wow is that something I need to go to the vet for?

You are in Sweden? I am not sure what is available to you there. Most people here in the USA use Fenbendazole, it kills off nearly all internal worms except Tapeworms. You might take a poop sample into your vet and have it tested to see exactly what type of worm if at all, you are dealing with. The vet can then prescribe the proper dewormer if she has worms.

 

[TropicalChickies]

Absolutely fabulous!!! Butchie is a beautiful girl and I am SO glad she is feeling so much better!! She's got a wonderful mom taking care of her. Well this is becoming a success story, I just LOVE happy endings to issues like this!! Keep up ALL you are doing, and yes you can use the yeast buster for extended periods, it's great for digestive issues. And I think you NEED to write an article on your experiences, we all learn together!!!!

Thank you so much everyone. She's having another good day on her mostly protein diet. Even her feathers are looking shiny and new.

One thing that concerns me is that the yeast ball in her crop feels bigger. And softer/gummier. Like I can almost squish it between my fingers, but not quite. I'd say it's gone from maybe half an inch in diameter to an inch over the past three days. Is this something I should worry about? I'm planning to put her back on ACS next week

 

[TwoCrows]

Thank you so much everyone. She's having another good day on her mostly protein diet. Even her feathers are looking shiny and new.

One thing that concerns me is that the yeast ball in her crop feels bigger. And softer/gummier. Like I can almost squish it between my fingers, but not quite. I'd say it's gone from maybe half an inch in diameter to an inch over the past three days. Is this something I should worry about? I'm planning to put her back on ACS next week

That is this doughy yeast that is still in her system. Unfortunately this type of yeast is stubborn to kill off, so yes, when 5 days are up, I'd get her back on the Copper for another 10 days. This next treatment should put a big dent in this yeast, hopefully put an end to it. What you can do in the meantime is first thing before she drinks or eats in the morning, this yeast will be dried out and thirsty. Get some of that yeast buster in her and massage the crop so the yeast get a good drink of the buster recipe. Helps to keep killing some of it.

 

[TropicalChickies]

That is this doughy yeast that is still in her system. Unfortunately this type of yeast is stubborn to kill off, so yes, when 5 days are up, I'd get her back on the Copper for another 10 days. This next treatment should put a big dent in this yeast, hopefully put an end to it. What you can do in the meantime is first thing before she drinks or eats in the morning, this yeast will be dried out and thirsty. Get some of that yeast buster in her and massage the crop so the yeast get a good drink of the buster recipe. Helps to keep killing some of it.

Yes, I'm thinking this second treatment will be more effective because now her crop is emptying and the ACS can go straight to the yeast. Fingers

 

[TwoCrows]

@TropicalChickies how's Butchie doing today?

 

[TropicalChickies]

Hi! She is still doing really well. Good energy, good appetite, crop is empty in the mornings. This morning I started her back on the second round of ACS. My strategy is to syringe her a good dose (20 -25 ml) of the ACS water first thing in the morning and massage the crop before she eats breakfast to get at that yeast. Then only give her that water to drink throughout the day.

Her poop is still runny. It has been for months, ever since September 2022. It's not foamy or bright green or bright yellow, it's more like a thin brown mud with some urates on top. I know the ACS will keep it runny while she's on it, but I'm hoping it will improve after this round of treatment with probiotics. The sweet potato in her diet is helping to give the poop a little more solidity though at least. There's nothing leaking from her vent during the day.

Whatever is wrong with her affected her intestines first and then finally showed up in the crop two weeks ago with the sour crop episode. She probably got chronically dehydrated from not pooping solid for so long and that led to the doughy yeast.

This protein diet is really helping her a TON though. I experimented with adding a little cooked quinoa to her scrambled egg, and she was fine with that too. Her belly is soft and malleable but firm, much more like the other chickens. She still has a bit of gas, but not nearly as much as before. I gave her a little simethicone, but the yeast buster seems to work just as well at breaking them up.

But she is happy and cheerful and much more comfortable in her body. I let her forage for soft greens where the grass is short, that doesn't seem to slow her digestion, her crop is working pretty efficiently now, I'd say.

So all in all, she's great. We'll just have to wait and see if the second treatment of ACS can knock out this yeast and if this careful diet can heal her inside. Time will tell!

 

[TropicalChickies]

Ah, you'll probably notice how her one foot points out to the side when she's standing. She injured her leg when she was about 4 months old. We tried to fix it with the rubber bands and all that, but this is as good as it got. She gets around and can really move fast when she wants to. But she lived inside our patio kitchen with us while she was recovering from the injury, so she's used to being here with us and the dogs.

This is Cleo, peeking inside. She's super jealous that Butchie gets to be in the kitchen whenever she wants...

 

[TwoCrows]

Hi! She is still doing really well. Good energy, good appetite, crop is empty in the mornings. This morning I started her back on the second round of ACS. My strategy is to syringe her a good dose (20 -25 ml) of the ACS water first thing in the morning and massage the crop before she eats breakfast to get at that yeast. Then only give her that water to drink throughout the day.

Her poop is still runny. It has been for months, ever since September 2022. It's not foamy or bright green or bright yellow, it's more like a thin brown mud with some urates on top. I know the ACS will keep it runny while she's on it, but I'm hoping it will improve after this round of treatment with probiotics. The sweet potato in her diet is helping to give the poop a little more solidity though at least. There's nothing leaking from her vent during the day.

Whatever is wrong with her affected her intestines first and then finally showed up in the crop two weeks ago with the sour crop episode. She probably got chronically dehydrated from not pooping solid for so long and that led to the doughy yeast.

This protein diet is really helping her a TON though. I experimented with adding a little cooked quinoa to her scrambled egg, and she was fine with that too. Her belly is soft and malleable but firm, much more like the other chickens. She still has a bit of gas, but not nearly as much as before. I gave her a little simethicone, but the yeast buster seems to work just as well at breaking them up.

But she is happy and cheerful and much more comfortable in her body. I let her forage for soft greens where the grass is short, that doesn't seem to slow her digestion, her crop is working pretty efficiently now, I'd say.

So all in all, she's great. We'll just have to wait and see if the second treatment of ACS can knock out this yeast and if this careful diet can heal her inside. Time will tell! View attachment 3454927

Aww....Butchie is looking fabulous these days! She probably has intestinal inflammation of course along with the Copper it's worse, but if you can get this yeast under control, I think over time the intestines will heal. As crazy as this sounds, do you have any Sulfadimethoxine? Our dog has issues with his intestines becoming inflamed occasionally and has bloody diarrhea. And the vet always gives him Sulfadimethoxine because he says sulfur slows the intestines down and removes inflammation. And I swear, within 6 hours of taking this med, his bloody diarrhea stops! Anyway, its something to think and or try if after months of the runs and you can't get them to stop. Anyway, you are doing a fabulous job with her diet, keep up with exactly everything you are doing, she looks great! And yes, chickens adapt quite easily with physical imperments, she seems to not mind her twisted foot!

Ah, you'll probably notice how her one foot points out to the side when she's standing. She injured her leg when she was about 4 months old. We tried to fix it with the rubber bands and all that, but this is as good as it got. She gets around and can really move fast when she wants to. But she lived inside our patio kitchen with us while she was recovering from the injury, so she's used to being here with us and the dogs.

This is Cleo, peeking inside. She's super jealous that Butchie gets to be in the kitchen whenever she wants...View attachment 3454944

Cleo is adorable!! I can see the jealousy in her eyes!!!! Very cute!

 

[TropicalChickies]

Aww....Butchie is looking fabulous these days! She probably has intestinal inflammation of course along with the Copper it's worse, but if you can get this yeast under control, I think over time the intestines will heal. As crazy as this sounds, do you have any Sulfadimethoxine? Our dog has issues with his intestines becoming inflamed occasionally and has bloody diarrhea. And the vet always gives him Sulfadimethoxine because he says sulfur slows the intestines down and removes inflammation. And I swear, within 6 hours of taking this med, his bloody diarrhea stops! Anyway, its something to think and or try if after months of the runs and you can't get them to stop. Anyway, you are doing a fabulous job with her diet, keep up with exactly everything you are doing, she looks great! And yes, chickens adapt quite easily with physical imperments, she seems to not mind her twisted foot!

Cleo is adorable!! I can see the jealousy in her eyes!!!! Very cute!

I can get Sulmet here. I thought about trying it once a few months ago, but I was thinking any antibiotic would make the yeast worse. And I knew she had yeast, not bacteria, because her smell is exactly like old cheese. If I can get this yeast knocked out and she still has runny poo, I can give it a try.

 

[TwoCrows]

I can get Sulmet here. I thought about trying it once a few months ago, but I was thinking any antibiotic would make the yeast worse. And I knew she had yeast, not bacteria, because her smell is exactly like old cheese. If I can get this yeast knocked out and she still has runny poo, I can give it a try.

Yes it is an antibiotic and I wouldn't use it yet. But if after you get this yeast under control and the diarrhea doesn't stop, it's something you can try in the coming months, or not, maybe some sort of Homeopathic Sulfur might be the way to go.