conflicting suggestions, what is right, what is wrong ? SOUR CROP

[emjay]

One of my favorite hens (of course) has sour crop. This I know, she stinks, the minute I picked her up she vomited, gross, what a smell.

Anyhoo. The crop is huge and squishy, and she obviously doesn't have much for an appetite. I have read conflicting reports on treatment and what to give to help.

some say apple cider vinegar in water, some say that makes it worse.
So, is it no or yes to the vinegar for sour crop?

and some say to let a professional tip them and make them vomit, some say it's overrated on how risky it is for the hen. I don't want to kill her, but, I want to help empty her. I would like to seperate her, but, I think that would stress her too much.

what has worked for others who have had chickens with sour crops? and can they make a full recovery? I managed to get her to vomit twice, but, only for 15 seconds each time, didn't want to choke her with her own vomit. and lots did come out, but, she's still quite full.
I am going to get some probiotic yogurt, but, will feed it to all the chickens, as I tried to give her stuff isolated from everyone, and she won't eat as too concerned about her friends.

I have been reading so many different poultry sites, and there are so many conflicting suggestions.

thanks. I want to make her feel better, she's one of my two blue hens and I really don't want to lose her.

 

[emjay]

anyone have insight for me, personal experience ??

anyone have hens recover on their own with minimal intervention? I've got her to vomit twice, but, I don't want to overwhelm her.

 

[schellie69]

I have not dealt with this before I am sure someone will post soon, it is evening so some people may be getting dinner ect. Have you done a search using the search button in the blue tool bar? I would also maybe put in your title what you are trying to find out conflicting suggestions about sour crop it might get the right persons attention and remember sometimes there are a bunch of post all at the same time. I hope your hen gets better.

 

[emjay]

anyone? jsut so many threads to sort through and all with different ideas.

 

[schellie69]

I understand it can be over welming just take a breath how long has you hen been ill? How old is she. Did you get her to eat any yogurt?

 

[emjay]

Quote:
she's a few weeks shy of a year old. I just ran to the store and bought some yogurt. I am going to boil up some eggs, mash them up, with applesauce and yogurt, going to give to everyone in her group. as to seperate her, she just paces and gets anxious for her friends. SO, I don't want to stress her more then needed.
She's always had a large crop, but, today it seems to be bothering her. Normally she is quite active and begging to get outside. So, with her being this way, the whole flock is grounded from free ranging.
I hope I can clear her up with minimal stress. when I grabbed her this morning to feel her crop, she instantly vomited, so I know she is full of liquid, I couldn't feel any hard lumps.

 

[Blue_Myst]

I'm not quite clear about the Apple Cider Vinegar either. I use it all the time and my chickens haven't had any crop problems since. The pH level of the ACV is supposed to help make the crop's pH unfavorable to the organisms that cause sour crop, but having not used it personally for that ailment I can't cite this from personal experience.

Best of luck with her!

 

[emjay]

I wish I could get more feedback on this, and I have read so many other threads, and they all seem to say varying things. That's why I started my own thread, so I could get my own thoughts and questions answered. (sorry if I seem panicky, I am,

, she 's a favorite)

I couldn't find the apple cidar vinegar in the grocery store, as it has to be a certain kind, correct?

I just mashed them up some boiled eggs, probiotic yogurt and applesauce, the hen in question devoured it. That is good, I am going to tip her again tomorrow.

How risky is it really though, to tilt them downwards and massage some stuff out of them? What is the common mistake that people do when inducing vomiting that causes them to die on the vomit going down the wrong tube?

 

[NHchicks]

emjay, I'm sorry no one has answered your questions yet!! Especially when you must feel that you're fighting against time.

I will tell you that I just lost my only rooster and my favorite hen (well, they're all my favorites) and I was worrying about the rooster so didn't pay as much attention to the hen, but I'm pretty sure she had a crop issue too, the rooster I know had sour crop because wow, that odor is s-t-r-o-n-g. I had it in my nose for 24 hours after I tried to help him. Being new to crop issues, it took me a while before I realized what was wrong with him, and by then it was too late, he deteriorated after that.

I suspect with the thaw and everything getting mushy, maybe they munched out on soggy hay laying around, soggy shavings outside the coop, I don't know. I'm still very upset about it.

I hope you find answers and I hope you're able to help your hen. Please keep us posted.

PS - I couldn't get my sick chickens to eat anything hardly. And I did get the rooster to vomit a couple times, but then lost my nerve to do it anymore for fear I was doing more harm than good.

 

[emjay]

Quote:
that's the thing, I've read so many different things, some make it sound like holding them upside down and massaging the fluid out is easy, other blogs suggest risky. I am so on the fence of do I dare. I guess, If I don't she could die, if I do she could die, what is riskier ??

sorry to hear you lost your rooster, it's tough. I went a whole year with no issues at all with my birds to now, ugh, I guess it's par for course.