Chicken just died. Heavy vomiting as it expired

[Rivington]

Hi, I just had a two-year-old Australorp die in my arms and am wondering if I should have done anything differently or if I need to keep an eye on the rest of the flock.

Yesterday I noticed that she was standing very still and hunched up (not sure if there is a term but her head was tucked in close to her body) and her comb was pale. Her poo was yellow and runny and her crop was spongy. The same chicken had had this problem last year and I had massaged the crop a couple of times and she got better. Yesterday when I massaged her crop she vomited a bit of foul-smelling yellow liquid (a couple of tablespoons). I massaged some more and got some foul smelling 'burps'. I left her overnight and she was much the same this morning. I tried massaging again and checked on her a few hours later. She was keeping very still and at one point when she tried to lie down she started falling to one side. I picked her up and tried massaging her crop again but her eyes started to close and after a few minutes she jerked briefly and passed away. I tried inspecting her and as I did a thick gritty yellow liquid poured out of her mouth. There was quite a lot - about a quarter of a cup.

Just wondering if I should have done anything different. I have seen conflicting advice on massaging sour crop and I am hoping I didn't aspirate her.

 

[ChicNmom]

It sounds like some kind of blockage to me. Especially with the foul yellow liquid unless you fed her a lot of some yellow food that soured in her system

So sorry for your loss.

 

[Eggcessive]

An impacted firm crop may be helped with crop massage and giving water. Massaging a sour puffy crop can cause crop contents to come back up into the throat and possibly the airway. It helps to do a home necropsy or have your state poultry vet perform one when they die to look for what may have caused the crop disorder. I have lost several hens who had sour or impacted crop, and they all had another prinary problem, such as ascites, cancer, or reproductive infections. Very sorry for your loss.

 

[Lanalou417]

My chicken just died tonight after convulsing and vomiting bile. I had thought she was egg bound after a couple days with no egg. I gave her a warm bath in epsom salt for 20 min. She was so peaceful and even closed her eyes. When I took her out and put her in a towel she immediately started convulsing and vomiting and died immediately. Did she suffocate? Was it a sour crop?

 

[HollyWoozle]

Sorry for your loss, @Lanalou417. It does sound like your girl might have had sour crop in my experience and that she might have aspirated, but it’s hard to say for sure exactly why she died. It really sounds like you did your best to help her and sometimes they have things going on inside that we just can’t fix.