Emergency! My hen is dying! (Possible sour crop??)

[MikasGirl]

I brought Chixsie in yesterday because she was poofed up and acting weird, the way a sick bird does. She wasn't eating so I fed her (with a syringe) yogurt, baby food, vitamins, and water. This morning she was gasping for air and vomiting a yellow liquid. I thought she was going to die. I took her outside and held her, trying to let her have some peace. She continued to vomit, and then stopped. She was still gasping for air and I brought her back inside. She stopped gasping, and even flapped her wings a bit. I fed her some yogurt, sugar water, and vitamins. I stopped when she was gasping again. She is pooping, kind of like a diarrhea. I put her back in her cage so she could rest. Is there anything I can do?

 

[MikasGirl]

Anybody?

 

[tedabug]

Sounds like you need a vet. I live in Oregon as well and Naomi's Organic Garden's here in Portland is good about answering questions if you call. They know of a very good vet that takes care of a lot of chickens. Maybe between one or the other you could get some phone advise ASAP. So sorry and hope she gets better quick!

 

[sharol]

No idea, but maybe this will keep it toward the top of the list. Good luck. Could she have eaten something (or tried to swallow something) that got stuck?

 

[kristen2678]

Sour crop maybe??

 

[MikasGirl]

Is there anyway to tell if she has a sour crop?

 

[RhodeIslandRedFan]

I've never dealt with sour crop myself, but the main symptom is supposed to be a bad smell coming from the chicken's mouth. Here is a link for you to read more about sour crop. http://poultrykeeper.com/chickens/health/sour-crop.html
If you search on sour crop on the BYC website you will find information on how to treat this if this is what your hen has. Good luck with this.

 

[Clay Valley Farmer]

My first two thoughts with a witdrawn fluffed up and poopy chicken is worms and cocci. How old is she, have you treated for worms before?

It may well have sour crop as suggested above, but that might be a symptom more than it is the root of the problem. If their digestion gets backed up and compounded by being weak from poor nutrient absorption the crop can sit too long with food in it and start to go sour. If it is sour crop you should be able to smell some pretty rotten breath from her.

 

[MikasGirl]

Hmm.. well she's pooping. Not very much, but she is. I just checked on her and she's just standing there in her cage with her eyes closed. She's not gasping anymore and I have noticed that the second time she was gasping was after I had syringe-fed her.

 

[MikasGirl]

Chixsie's not doing good. She is twisting her neck around in a circle.. She seems to throw up when I pull her from her cage.