Doughy crop in so many hens

[Smileybans]

Ever since I moved my flock down the yard I’ve had tons of issues with their crops. Two got pendulous crops, one died, and now many have doughy feeling crops. Their crops don’t spring back when I push on it. It just stays pinched in. I read it can be from not drinking enough but it can also be from sour crop. Can all of them really have sour crop or is it from not drinking enough? I haven’t noticed a really sour smell from any of them. One was acting weird and staying in the nest box. Her I am treating.

Some info: - I feed all flock raiser
- They do have access to grass
- They have access to oyster shell and grit
- There are at least four hens and one rooster afflicted
- I am treating one hen with yeast medicine, she was gassier than the others and acting weird.
- Their crops empty by the morning. I am not sure if it is fully. It’s at least emptier than it was the night before
- We used to feed them scraps but have since stopped
- They do get barley grass on occasion, when it’s grown to 1-2” and no mold
- They have access to a 3 gallon waterer and a one gallon waterer. Is this enough water? They drink through it pretty quickly. I am filling the 3 gallon every other day.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You mention moving them. Is this on "new ground" meaning they haven't been on this piece of land before?
Is the water station different than what they are used to? Do you see them drinking?
How about feed - same bag of feed, is it a new bag, any mold or does it smell off?

If nothing has really changed except for moving them to new ground, then I would treat for Coccidiosis. Liquid Corid is 2tsp or Powdered Corid is 1 1/2tsp per gallon of water. Give for 5-7 days as the only source of drinking water. Treat the whole flock.

For the worst ones, I would continue with crop treatment but also direct oral drench them with the Corid. Liquid Corid drench is .10ml per pound of weight given orally once a day for 3 days.
This drench is in addition to them drinking the mixed Corid water. Make sense?

Have they been dewormed? Can you take some poop samples to your vet for testing?

 

[Smileybans]

They haven’t been on this ground before. I moved them a couple months ago. I treated them for coccidiosis a couple weeks ago when i lost one hen that was suspected to actually have reproductive issues. I followed the directions from @casportpony and the post pictured.

The waterer is the same. I didn’t buy or get a new one when i moved them. Their feed has been new, i guess would be the word for it. I‘ve refilled their feeders since i moved them. Any moldy feed i disposed of. Whole bag not just the bits that were moldy. It broke my heart to do it but my husband isn’t as careful with the bags as i am. One broke open and got moldy. I know they cannot be fed anything moldy.

None of them have ever been dewormed. I wasn’t sure how to go about deworming all of them. I know i can give them the goat dewormer orally over the course of five days but i would like to treat all of them at once. I think i had read about putting the goat dewormer in their food…? I could probably have my vet test them. The vet here is a mobile vet so I think she could come out to do it. But I’m not sure how that works.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Did you give the severe outbreak dose?

Not sure what's going on, but if you have multiple birds with the similar symptoms, then investigate feeders again. Have the fecal float if possible, but if not, then treat them for worms.
While it sounds nice to put a dewormer in the feed, it's best to dose each bird individually that way you know they are getting the medication. Unwell birds don't always eat properly and with it mixed in feed, you are relying on the bird to eat the right amount.

Safeguard liquid dewormer dose is .25ml per pound of weight given orally once a day for 5 days.
Treat any crop issues according to this article https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[Smileybans]

I’ll check the feeders again. They are uncovered now. Before they were in a covered run. Now my run isn’t covered. I’m making little houses for my feeders to keep the future snow out. But could that be the issue?

Do I just deworm the sick ones or everyone? I’ve been told different things about deworming. To do a preventative deworm, that worms don’t show up until it’s really bad, and there’s no such thing as preventative deworming. So I’m never sure when to deworm.

 

[kurby22]

I too have wondered about deworming. Should I do it as a preventative or only when I see worms or suspect worms? I’m sorry you are having issues with your chickens! It’s the worst when you can’t figure out what’s wrong :-(

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I’ll check the feeders again. They are uncovered now. Before they were in a covered run. Now my run isn’t covered. I’m making little houses for my feeders to keep the future snow out. But could that be the issue?

Do I just deworm the sick ones or everyone? I’ve been told different things about deworming. To do a preventative deworm, that worms don’t show up until it’s really bad, and there’s no such thing as preventative deworming. So I’m never sure when to deworm.

It's always best to get a fecal float if possible so you know if worms are part of an issue, a lot of times that's just not practical.

I would treat the whole flock.