Chicken with sour crop can’t walk right

[JackieDohoney]

She has not laid any eggs, but she is older and the temp started dropping here recently, so I’m not entirely surprised. I did take her to the vet yesterday and they did say she does not have an impacted egg and it’s definitely not Marek’s.

The vet seems to think I was correct in my diagnosis, that it’s severe sour crop caused by coccidiosis. She said to treat her for both pending blood test results, so I have Corid in her water and she’s on antibiotics and liquid rimadyl. (She did ok using both with the Corid). I’ve been giving the Corid for almost 48 hours now. Her crop was completely empty, so per the vet’s suggestion, we gave her a small bowl of soupy feed as well as some Greek yogurt. She’s been drinking her water but has no interest in eating unless I make her. She’s moving around better than the other day, but she’s kind of hit a plateau. She’s not getting any worse, but I haven’t seen much improvement since I brought her home from the vet yesterday. Her crop was maybe 1/3 full when I just checked on her, but she hasn’t eaten that much. I’ve been watching the camera in her brooder religiously. She is regularly drinking water though, so I’m assuming that’s where the fluid in her crop came from. She wasn‘t leaking this time when I picked her up and checked her crop, which of course is progress in its own right. I’m concerned that the sour crop isn’t quite going away though because of the fluid in there and her lack of appetite. Plus she is just sitting there. Her eyes are bright and she fights me when I pick her up, so I don’t know. I’m hesitant to try and purge her crop again because of the meds, so I just massaged it a bit instead. The vet said I would get blood results today or tomorrow, but they neglected to tell me they wouldn’t be open like normal this weekend. So now I’m kind of at a stand still. I’m not sure what else to do. She won’t eat even the yogurt unless I dip her beak in it, and even then it’s just a few bites before she stops. Again, she’s not listless or having trouble standing, she’s just not acting 100%.

This is her in the brooder right now. She just kind of hangs out like this.

 

[JackieDohoney]

Hopefully she improves soon.

Thank you. I appreciate it. I know I’m doing everything I can for her but I’m starting to lose hope. My other hen showed improvement in 24 hours. Gracie is taking much longer.

 

[Stravager]

Thank you. I appreciate it. I know I’m doing everything I can for her but I’m starting to lose hope. My other hen showed improvement in 24 hours. Gracie is taking much longer.

The hardest part is waiting to see if they'll pull through. You're doing your part as best as you can - it's kind of up to her now.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The vet seems to think I was correct in my diagnosis, that it’s severe sour crop caused by coccidiosis. She said to treat her for both pending blood test results,

I'm glad you were able to see the vet, what is she looking for in the blood tests?

I hope she starts to improve with the instructions/medication the vet provided and recommended.

Keep us posted on how she's doing.

 

[JackieDohoney]

I'm glad you were able to see the vet, what is she looking for in the blood tests?

I hope she starts to improve with the instructions/medication the vet provided and recommended.

Keep us posted on how she's doing.

To be honest I have no idea what the vet is looking for. I checked her today and saw no evidence of lice, mites, or worms. She did finally have a poop that was really watery and white (no foam) with little bits of black and green. I’m guessing that’s her finally expelling what was left in her crop. At first I freaked out because I saw another small watery white spot, but she has only eaten a little Greek yogurt mixed with crumbles and has had a lot of water. She’s still more tired than normal, but does get up and walk around a bit. We decided to stop the antibiotics because she didn’t do anything for hours until that dose wore off. It was almost like it made her feel worse. She’s a bit more perky since and definitely runs away from me when I try to get her out of her brooder. She has very little appetite, but I don’t either when I don’t feel good. Otherwise there hasn’t been any serious changes. She’s not any worse than yesterday though. I hate the waiting game but I guess there’s not a whole lot else I can do. She has far too much fight in her for me to be ok with euthanizing her and she doesn’t have any of the serious symptoms that would make me think that’s necessary.

 

[JackieDohoney]

I still haven’t heard from the vet but it looks like she’s improving! I went out and saw a small white poop with black on top and her crop was completely empty. She hasn’t been eating much the last few days unless I force her, so I went back to my old faithful: wet cat food. Friends, she devoured a quarter of a can in minutes. I guess chickens get picky about what they want to eat when they don’t feel good too! She fought me like hell before she realized I hat the cat food and then she just laid in my lap and ate. I put her back in the brooder and she kept eating on her own, which she hasn’t done for days. Now she’s taking a breakfast nap. Hopefully she’s on the upswing!

 

[CaroChickenMom]

@JackieDohoney what happened to your chicken? I’m having the same issues with mine