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

[Minniechickmama]

Cassidy,
If you are going to use a syringe to water/feed her, then don't squirt it down her throat. Try drizzling it along the side of her beak with her beak slightly open. Do this SLOWLY and she will swallow and you don't take the chance of squirting it down the wrong way. IF you can get your hands on a syringe that has a long funnel shaped tip to it, then you can try that directly into her crop, but you have to be REALLY careful doing that or you can just as easily kill her by squirting it into her lungs.
Just take it slowly and be patient. She didn't get the way she is overnight, and it isn't going to go away overnight either.
Okay.
Keep us posted on her progress.
Theri

 

[MikasGirl]

Okay. I'm wondering when should I be giving her food? I know she can't go on solids, but what can she be eating? And, should I still be making her vomit?

 

[chickenlady08]

Quote:
mikasgirl

Have you done the ACV and water for a day? Have you noticed any change in your girl's crop? Do you see any difference in your girl at all? If she seems to be doing better then I would try to yougurt and the ACV and water for a day and then if she does fine with that then the next day give the scrambled egg. This worked for my chicks this summer and Speckledhen helped me out with this and she has lot of knowledge with chickens and I had no problem doing what she said. And the best part is that it worked out perfectly.

Please let me know how your girl is doing!

Lisa

oh and I don't have any experience with the vomitting part. But is her crop still large?

 

[Minniechickmama]

I would keep vomitting her out until the stuff you are seeing is clear. That way you know there isn't any souring gunk left. If you just give her the ACV or some yogurt too, you will only see those things coming back. She will be very hungry, but as long as she stays hydrated, she will be okay for a couple of days while you get her straightened around.
It is kind of like when you have the stomach flu and you have been throwing up, you don't rush right in and eat pizza and chicken wings, you have to slowly get your system to take food again so you don't just throw up again. This is sort of the same thing. You have to let her get all that gunk out of her crop and through her system before you want to get solid foods going in there because it can just start the whole thing up all over again.
Keep us all posted on her progress.

 

[MikasGirl]

Ahhhh... Okay, I am really worried now that I made a mistake.. I thought her crop was fine so the first day I just gave her water. Then the next day, yesterday, I read a post from someone else's sour crop thread about bread soaked in milk. I gave her half a piece and she ate it willingly. I tried to give her some today, but she was somewhat disinterested. Her crop feels fine, but I guess I need to induce vomiting again..

 

[birdicus7]

Quote:
x2.

Do your best to keep her off of solids until you resolve the crop issue. To me it sounds like a blockage/impacted crop also resulting in a sour crop. Keep flushing with the oil or epsom salt. Once you clear it you will know it by her change almost immediately. Let her then decide on solid food. Give her yogurt or scrambled egg at first. I would also add Poly Vi Sol infant drops WITHOUT iron to help her build strength back once she can eat. I wish you the best!

 

[MikasGirl]

We bought some ACV at the health food store, with the mother in it, but how much should I give her?

 

[chickenlady08]

Quote:
1 tablespoon per gallon of water. Now remember to always keep this ACV/water out for her. Withhold food from her. If you start the ACV today then tomorrow give her yougurt (plain) and ACV and water. Then the 3rd day you can try scrambled eggs, plain yogurt and ACV/water.

If you think that the crop is not emptying then she may have impacted crop. Search post on this. Ruth has some step by step surgery posts as well. But lets hope it is not that and the ACV works.

Remember no solid food for her and beleive me it is hard but it really works if this is tuly sour crop.

Good Luck and please keep us updated.

Lisa

 

[Minniechickmama]

I don't see the sense in give them bread with a sour crop. The crop is full of fermenting gunk, along with grain that is providing the yeast to add to the fermentation. I would NEVER give a chicken in that condition bread. Just seems like it is counter productive.
Your hen will be hungry, but that is okay, water is the most important now. I would go even longer without anything but the ACV water, I would do 3 days, then add the yogurt to her diet.
I have already gone through all the steps that I follow.
Somtimes the things we do to help them but sometimes you gotta be cruel to be kind. And holding food for a couple of days under your supervision is not cruel, just difficult when you know they are hungry.

 

[MikasGirl]

This morning Chixsie seems a little bit better. Her eyes are wider too. I want to give her some yogurt, but should I try to syringe feed it to her? I gave her a little cup of baby food, but she didn't want it.