chicken looses weight and dies-What can be wrong- 4 years old

[crookedtoe]

I have or had I should say, 4 rhode island reds,about 4 years old.Over the past few months i have lost one at a time. It starts out with noticing diarrehea and reduced weight,goes on for about a week then the bird gets lethargic and dies. The crop on two of them was very soft and filled with stinky brown water.When I turned the bird upwards, the fliud came out the mouth.If I squezzed the crop it also came up. On the fourth bird as soon as i noticed diarrehea I started putting tetracycline in the drinking water being sure to provide clean water every 24 hours. She lasted a little longer than the others but still died. Can someone tell me whats going on here? Please,Thanks

 

[PunkinPeep]

If there was stinky liquid in the crop, it sounds like a sour crop. If the crop was sour, then it was first impacted. Has their environment (bedding, etc.) or feed changed?

 

[crookedtoe]

No, we keep the coop pretty clean. Could they get sour crop from just getting old or dirty water or eating bugs?

 

[PunkinPeep]

I think that is unlikely.

But the fact that all of them have gone the same way in the same period of time makes me think it is something environmental. If they free range, there could be something new on your property that caused a problem. A necropsy might be the only way to tell for sure what was blocking things.

I'm very sorry for your loss.

 

[crookedtoe]

After reading a post from another chicken owner it sounds like a sour crop.If anyone knows how to treat this please help.Thanks for your replies

 

[PunkinPeep]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=224315&p=2

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3097930#p3097930

Here are a couple of links to older posts where folks with more experience than i give detailed information.