Crop issue in underweight pullet - Sour Crop? Worms?

[aimz127]

One on my pullets passed suddenly yesterday which prompted a widespread inspection of the rest of the flock. This is the first year of having chickens and I thought things were going well - aside from the lice, which is another matter.

I have one wyandotte pullet (~4ish months) who has always been smaller than the rest, but after inspection noticed she has a bit of an extended crop. She got put up for the day with just garlic water in the coop (no bedding in this area, just in case).

Massaging her crop does something but she turns her head and shivers like there's discomfort. The mass has gone down already some today and I can hear gurgling after massaging, which is promising. There's a smaller hard lump sitting near the bottom still, but it's only been a few hours. She's so tiny I'm afraid to try and syringe water, but she is drinking on her own.

Poops are nearly all water, but the first one this morning smelled awful and looked like watery squash babyfood (sour crop?). I have seen some partially digested pellets and green matter come out. She's a bit droopy (wings down, head tucked) understandably if she's dehydrated and underweight, but will move around to get water and watch the others. She does want to eat though.

Am I on the right track?

She's my sweetest hen and I'm really trying not to lose her too.

(Here's a photo for reference - the bump in the front is not all crop, it may be about the size of an elongated ping pong ball now)

 

[Swbertrand1]

Crop Issues are sometimes difficult to diagnose and treat; other times they correct themselves in a few days.

You're on the right track, but take a look at this to get you started in your diagnosis and treatment plans:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I thought things were going well - aside from the lice, which is another matter.

after inspection noticed she has a bit of an extended crop.

Massaging her crop does something but she turns her head and shivers like there's discomfort

I followed the recommendation from BYC forum where they added 1 tsp per gallon to water for 3-5 days.

I can for sure get a fecal to take in and will get some pictures of them tomorrow. No one seems to be drooping their head or tail

Looking at your other thread too.

I'm sorry you lost a pullet.

Lice is not an aside or another matter. Parasites can be a major contributing factor in a decline of a bird or flock

Treat the lice - TSC or similar feed stores carry Permethrin dust/spray. Treat every bird and their housing. Do this in 7 day intervals.

The way she's puffed up, I would re-treat for Coccidiosis. I would probably just re-treat all the chicks, since you've lost one.
Dose for Corid is 2tsp liquid Corid or 1 1/2 tsp per gallon of water given as the only source of drinking water for 5-7 days.

For this chick that is very puffed up - I would also direct dose her with liquid Corid at a rate of .10ml per pound of weight orally once a day for 3 days. This is a drench.
You need to make sure to get the mixed Corid water into her too for hydration. If she's not drinking syringe fluids into her. The link below shows you how.

A crop should not be uncomfortable to touch - so she's probably got a sour crop. Miconazole or Clotrimazole can be given to help with that. You can find these at WalMart, CVS, etc. Give 1/2" of cream twice a day for 7 days. Don't stop treatment even if she gets better (details in link below).

Don't add any vitamins, electrolyte, garlic, etc. etc. to the water during the course of treatment. All they (and she ) need to be drinking is the Corid water.

Hydration first! She needs to be drinking. If she's not drinking well, syringe the mixed water into her. Once she's hydrated, then she can have a small amount of wet feed made with the Corid water.

You mention getting a fecal float in your other thread - did you get one? What's the results?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[azygous]

The hen's posture and closed eyes are a troubling sign. She may be suffering from infection or a heavy parasitic load. Or something else that is causing obstruction such as a tumor. In other words, I believe you are dealing with something more than a simple crop issue.

Many things are treatable, so we need to start treating for these things. Many of them can be safely undertaken simultaneously. Start by worming her. If you've never wormed before, Safeguard (horse and goat) worm paste is very easy to use. A dollop directly into the beak for a few days is all it takes. Otherwise, use the wormer you're used to.

This could also be coccidiosis. It can be treated at the same time you worm. Mix up the drinking water with two teaspoons per gallon and treat the whole flock. For this hen, in addition to the Corid water, you will give her the drench dose - undiluted Corid liquid at .1ml per pound of weight once a day for three days syringed into her beak. If any chickens are reluctant to drink the Corid water due to bitter taste, add a little sugar. This will elevate glucose to prevent shock for the duration of treatment besides making the solution taste better.

These measures should produce results if worms and coccidiosis are causing her to feel poorly. If she poops out any worms after being given the wormer, it would be a good idea to give her electrolytes with sugar to guard against shock from her body dealing with a heavy worm load.

 

[aimz127]

The coop just got cleaned out today and treated thoroughly for the lice. The flock was dusted yesterday before putting them up. I'll treat them again in a week.

I added Corid to her drinking water at the last change, just in case. I'll get it into the others as well.

She has a crazy appetite and wants to eat, but she is drinking rather well. The crop has continued to go down through the course of the day and her poop has been more green, so if she was eating tough grasses, they seem to be passing.

Would I be safe to give her a small mash of food to keep her strength up? I suspect a heavy worm load as this continues as I haven't wormed them with anything other than ACV and garlic on a monthly basis since they've been outside.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Would I be safe to give her a small mash of food to keep her strength up? I suspect a heavy worm load as this continues as I haven't wormed them with anything other than ACV and garlic on a monthly basis

Once she's hydrated, then she can have a small amount of wet feed made with the Corid water.

If she will eat a little, then I would give her some mash - as long as she's drinking very well.

Unfortunately ACV and Garlic are not dewormers - if you suspect worms are part of the problem, then de-worm the flock.
You can find Safeguard (Fenbendazole) at TSC - dose is 0.23ml per pound of weight given orally once a day for 5 days.

 

[aimz127]

The whole flock got their first batch of safeguard tonight and will continue the Corid for 5 days also. The pullet in question has been drinking quite a bit, so I let her eat some before going up for the night.

Her crop was watery and squishy before roosting tonight. If her crop is empty in the morning I'll let her out with the others so she can eat and drink more normally.

Is it too much to give her miconazole too?

 

[Lizzy733]

Gurgling sounds like sour crop - it's a yeast infection and produces gasses, just like a sourdough starter, so you can hear it when manually manipulating the crop.

Her breath may also smell sour and you may even see it in her mouth or throat as a white growth. A very severe infection can also appear around the vent.

Check the skin around the crop for any discolourations - I have seen sour crop bad enough to rot a hole through the crop and be visible this way (on a wild bird - thankfully, not one of my girls).

She'll need antifungal treatment to clear up the infection. In a pinch, you can direct dose vinegar if there are no other options, strictly to retard the yeast's growth. But I would recommend antifungals.

For force feeding water, ask a vets office for a puppy/kitten catheter and a 20ml syringe. In my experience, the vet may give it to you as a freebie - or charge you a small amount.

These are very tiny tubes, unobtrusive and great for getting thin fluids down your bird. (Polyaid Just fits with mine if it's thinned enough and works great for water and electolytes) Just cut it short enough to get 1/2 way to 3/4 down their neck. - you don't want it so long it can scratch or poke the crop.

For intubating a bird, you want to aim for the side of the throat - the airway is located at the base of the tongue and can often be seen gaping when you open their mouth. Anywhere but there and you should be able to feel the tube in their throat as it goes down.

1ml syringes are also long enough to get past their airway without risk of aspirating.

She'll likely be needing crop massages for a while yet - slow emptying just perpetuates the issue.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The whole flock got their first batch of safeguard tonight and will continue the Corid for 5 days also. The pullet in question has been drinking quite a bit, so I let her eat some before going up for the night.

Her crop was watery and squishy before roosting tonight. If her crop is empty in the morning I'll let her out with the others so she can eat and drink more normally.

Is it too much to give her miconazole too?

Up to you. I've treated worms, coccidiosis and sour crop all at the same time before.

Just by looking at your other thread and the photo of her you posted, she's not well. I can't imagine that she will be bright and perky in the morning, but then again chickens can surprise you.

Hopefully you find that she's much better tomorrow.

I encourage you to read all the links that I provided for you - one deals with crop disorders, the other shows you photos of how to administer medications safely.

Good luck!

 

[aimz127]

Up to you. I've treated worms, coccidiosis and sour crop all at the same time before.

Just by looking at your other thread and the photo of her you posted, she's not well. I can't imagine that she will be bright and perky in the morning, but then again chickens can surprise you.

Hopefully you find that she's much better tomorrow.

I encourage you to read all the links that I provided for you - one deals with crop disorders, the other shows you photos of how to administer medications safely.

Good luck!

She was treated for sour crop this morning and will worm again tonight. She still has the Corid water and a small amount of feed. She starts to eat grass in the run so she'll be in chicken jail for a while to avoid impacted crop.

You were correct that she's not bright and perky, but man does she want to eat! And I think I made a breakthrough. She is so tiny I didn't notice before, but because of her size and lack of muscle, it appears that she has a pendulous crop.

If I massage it, the fluids go down. The crop is squishy and pliable vs hard like yesterday. She's still hunched, but if I show her food she is all over it (and she'll take her medicine hidden in a mealworm). Hopefully, I can build her strength over the next week by massaging her crop and figure out how to make a quail-sized apron for her (that's about how big she is) based on the articles you provided.

My issue is she's puffed up so it's hard to find her frame to wrap and she's so small I'm afraid to hurt her. Sounds like a two-person job, one to hold her more upright and one to wrap. Fortunately, she's very patient with my prodding and trying to wrap a bandage around her to support her crop.

She's not out of the woods yet, but she's chirping away, eating and drinking.