First Time With Sour Crop - Please Help

[chickenmom027]

Hi everyone- I'm new here!

We have been raising our backyard hens for about four years now, and this is our first run in with any crop problems.

I'm located in Northern Michigan, so our chickens are pretty much in their coop all day, with some time outside when it isn't a blizzard or too cold for them. Yesterday, I went to check on them and get them fresh water and some treats. I noticed Peppa, our barred rock, wasn't acting right. She is normally energetic and the first one to greet me when I check in on them. She wasn't moving much and kept drinking water, but not eating. After spending a few minutes with her and realizing that something really wasn't right, we brought her inside. We had never ran into this issue before so it took a lot of research and time to properly diagnose her. But now I've read several different forums, with various remedies, and I just don't know what to trust or where to start. She hasn't had any food in the last 12 hours, only water. I added some ACV into her water yesterday after reading that it will help break down what's in her crop.
I also tried giving her some Kefir milk which she seemed to enjoy. She seems in good spirts overall now that she's inside, but I want to help her any way that I can to clear her crop and get her healthy again. She is loved very much so any information or advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Wezdin]

Just to be sure, her crop is full? You will need a yeast infection cream found in the women's' health section. @Wyorp Rock knows administration specifics.

 

[BitterSweetCitrus]

Hi everyone- I'm new here!

We have been raising our backyard hens for about four years now, and this is our first run in with any crop problems.

I'm located in Northern Michigan, so our chickens are pretty much in their coop all day, with some time outside when it isn't a blizzard or too cold for them. Yesterday, I went to check on them and get them fresh water and some treats. I noticed Peppa, our barred rock, wasn't acting right. She is normally energetic and the first one to greet me when I check in on them. She wasn't moving much and kept drinking water, but not eating. After spending a few minutes with her and realizing that something really wasn't right, we brought her inside. We had never ran into this issue before so it took a lot of research and time to properly diagnose her. But now I've read several different forums, with various remedies, and I just don't know what to trust or where to start. She hasn't had any food in the last 12 hours, only water. I added some ACV into her water yesterday after reading that it will help break down what's in her crop.
I also tried giving her some Kefir milk which she seemed to enjoy. She seems in good spirts overall now that she's inside, but I want to help her any way that I can to clear her crop and get her healthy again. She is loved very much so any information or advice would be greatly appreciated!

If things get serious and you need to make her through up, sit with her in a place that your flock can’t acess. Sit her in your lap, on hand on her back, the other on her crop. Slowly and carefully massage the crop, keeping mindful of her breathing and demeanor so she doesn’t aspirate. Work the crop unfortunately a good minute. If she doesn’t throw up, stop and try later.

 

[BitterSweetCitrus]

This video may help, dealing with sour crop is scary, but you can get through it!

 

[chickenmom027]

Just to be sure, her crop is full? You will need a yeast infection cream found in the women's' health section. @Wyorp Rock knows administration specifics.

Her crop is full, yes. I had read a lot about the Monistat so I grabbed some from the store and when I got home, I put a small amount right on the tip of my finger and she ate without hesitation. She is pooping, mostly fluid, but there is stuff coming out as well, and she had one really good turd. That has to be a good sign, right? She is isolated in our house and has access to fresh water, but that's it. She seemed so much like herself when I was with her, and her crop does feel much smaller than yesterday when we first realized what was wrong.

 

[chickenmom027]

If things get serious and you need to make her through up, sit with her in a place that your flock can’t acess. Sit her in your lap, on hand on her back, the other on her crop. Slowly and carefully massage the crop, keeping mindful of her breathing and demeanor so she doesn’t aspirate. Work the crop unfortunately a good minute. If she doesn’t throw up, stop and try later.

Thank you for the tip! I read about vomiting them but everyone seems to have a different opinion on it. At what point do I know I NEED to vomit her? If she seems like she's doing better, should I not?

 

[chickenmom027]

This video may help, dealing with sour crop is scary, but you can get through it!

Thank you so much for sharing!!

 

[Eggcessive]

Making your chicken vomit is very dangerous, and many lose chickens by aspirating by doing that. Is the crop full and hard, doughy, or puffy? That will help determine if you are dealing with an impacted or a sour crop. Is there a bad odor from her beak if you massage gently? Crop problems require a lot of water and probiotics. If an impacted crop does not clear within a couple of days, a vet could try to clear it with a crop tube and water or with impacted crop surgery.

Some crop problems may be due to long grasses becoming stuck in the crop, some may be due to not having granite grit available to help digest grains and grasses, but many times they are secondary to other problems such as reproductive disorders or infections. There are threads on tube feeding which is a good way to get a lot of water into her.

A simple tube feeding device is a 15 inch length of aquarium air tubing and a 35 ml syringe. A vet can sell you a proper feeding tube and syringe.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is some info about tube feeding water:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/go-team-tube-feeding-updated-12-29-2019.805728/

 

[chickenmom027]

Making your chicken bomit is very dangerous, and many lose chickens by aspirating by doing that. Is the crop full and hard, doughy, or puffy? That will help determine if you are dealing with an impacted or a sour crop. Is there a bad odor from her beak if you massage gently? Crop problems require a lot of water and probiotics. If an impacted crop does not clear within a couple of days, a vet could try to clear it with a crop tube and water or with impacted crop surgery.

Some crop problems may be due to long grasses becoming stuck in the crop, some may be due to not having granite grit available to help digest grains and grasses, but many times they are secondary to other problems such as reproductive disorders or infections. There are threads on tube feeding which is a good way to get a lot of water into her.

A simple tube feeding device is a 15 inch length of aquarium air tubing and a 35 ml syringe. A vet can sell you a proper feeding tube and syringe.

That's what I thought too, I'm too afraid of killing her by making her vomit. I would rather do everything else before I result to that. Her crop is soft like a water balloon, but it seems to be smaller than it was yesterday. Her breath is stinky too. Right now she is drinking water and I also gave her plain Pedialyte, hoping that will help. I'm not home with her all day, but she's moving around and is very active, and I believe she is drinking her water. Should I continue letting her do her own thing, or should I tube her to ensure she is getting enough water?