Chicken Mama from Cape Cod

[Janealiene]

So happy to have found this site! I’ve had my Silkies for 2 years and this morning I woke to one of my girls having a sour crop! I’m a vet tech and I rushed her to my hospital! Not sure if we can save her - I was hoping someone might have some ideas on how to save her - anything - I’m desperate!

 

[Kiki]

Welcome to BYC!
What did your vet say?

Have you ever dewormed your birds?
Have you brought a new to you bird home in the last few months?
What exactly have you been feeding?

 

[Tookie]

Hello and welcome to BYC!
Sorry about your silkie, hope she get's better!

 

[Blue Raptor]

So happy to have found this site! I’ve had my Silkies for 2 years and this morning I woke to one of my girls having a sour crop! I’m a vet tech and I rushed her to my hospital! Not sure if we can save her - I was hoping someone might have some ideas on how to save her - anything - I’m desperate!

Welcome to BYC! I’m sorry about your hen.

 

[Kenneth Zweerink]

Welcome to BackYard Chickens. The Best of Luck with your Hen. And a Big Hello from Eastern Nebraska!

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello and welcome to BYC!

So sorry your bird has sour crop. Is the crop hard like a soft ball? (Impacted crop) or soft and squishy? (Sour crop) If soft...Make sure not to be feeding foods that feed yeast....bread, fruits, berries, etc... stick to protein foods only and chicken feed. A round of Acidified Copper Sulfate in her water for 7 to 10 days will help if this is a simple yeast infection.

If the the crop is hard like a ball, she may have a grass impaction. Plain Docusate Sodium 100mg (stool softener, no laxative) will help dissolve the impaction. Squeeze out 1 pill a day for several days, onto scrambled eggs, make sure she eats it all.

If your flock has not been wormed in the last year, worms can impact the intestines and slow down the waste exit. Some Liquid Goat Wormer will deworm them all. Coccidiosis can cause slowing of the intestinal tract as well.

You can also post a thread in our Emergency forums for more help here.... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures.10/

I hope she is ok!

 

[Janealiene]

Welcome to BYC!
What did your vet say?

Have you ever dewormed your birds?
Have you brought a new to you bird home in the last few months?
What exactly have you been feeding?

Hi!

We are a dog/cat hospital - she tried to research it for me - it was obvious her crop was full and we tipped the chicken and a lot of fluid came out - it smelled bad. Basically we gave her some sub q fluids and I brought her home - she said I should massage the crop every 3-4 hours - no food or water for 12 hours and then give her some yogurt and scrambled eggs. I feed them Kalmbach feeds layer crumbles. No new birds added. My birds have not been dewormed. I have been giving them sunflower seeds and mealworms as treats - also crumbs of Ezekiel bread (vegan bread).

Welcome to BYC!
What did your vet say?

Have you ever dewormed your birds?
Have you brought a new to you bird home in the last few months?
What exactly have you been feeding?

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC, and good luck with your hen.

 

[Janealiene]

Hello and welcome to BYC!

So sorry your bird has sour crop. Is the crop hard like a soft ball? (Impacted crop) or soft and squishy? (Sour crop) If soft...Make sure not to be feeding foods that feed yeast....bread, fruits, berries, etc... stick to protein foods only and chicken feed. A round of Acidified Copper Sulfate in her water for 7 to 10 days will help if this is a simple yeast infection.

If the the crop is hard like a ball, she may have a grass impaction. Plain Docusate Sodium 100mg (stool softener, no laxative) will help dissolve the impaction. Squeeze out 1 pill a day for several days, onto scrambled eggs, make sure she eats it all.

If your flock has not been wormed in the last year, worms can impact the intestines and slow down the waste exit. Some Liquid Goat Wormer will deworm them all. Coccidiosis can cause slowing of the intestinal tract as well.

You can also post a thread in our Emergency forums for more help here.... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures.10/

I hope she is ok!

Thank you for this information! It’s definitely soft - I will try your suggestions! I could never find chicken dewormer - I didn’t know I could use goat dewormer! Thank you so much - I will do it all!!!

 

[TwoCrows]

Thank you for this information! It’s definitely soft - I will try your suggestions! I could never find chicken dewormer - I didn’t know I could use goat dewormer! Thank you so much - I will do it all!!!

Liquid Goat Wormer is Fenbendazole. Its used regularly on poultry, given orally. .2 ml per pound of bird, under the tongue, once a day for 3 to 4 days, repeat in 10 days to get any worms from hatched eggs.