Help! Chicken Aspirated while draining sour crop!

[mamad921]

Hello all,

I’m new to raising chickens. My girls are only 16 weeks old. I need help.

The last 24 hours, I noticed that my French Black Copper Maran had a ballooned crop that felt squishy. Tonight when doing evening chores, I picked her up to see how her crop felt and liquid came out of her beak (just from the movement of me picking her up).

After a quick google search, I determined she has sour crop. Likely due to eating too much grass that I occasionally toss into their coop. Since it was so full I read about draining the crop and read all the warning signs on how to be careful for fear of aspiration.

I promise I was careful. I promise I followed all instructions TO A T. And unfortunately, on the third time I was draining liquid from her beak, just as I was bringing her back upright, she aspirated. Undoubtedly.

Now her tail feathers are pointing down and she keeps coughing, and doesn’t want to walk around. I’m so worried for her and I don’t know what to do. Everything I read just says “be careful so they don’t aspirate”.

Please help!! Any and all suggestions, what should I do now?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry about your hen.
There's really not a lot you can do if she aspirated fluids like that. Hopefully she will be able to cough enough to clear her airways.

If you suspect she's having a crop problem, the best way to gauge function is by checking the crop first thing in the morning before the bird has had anything to eat/drink. (After roosting all night the crop should be flat/empty. At night before roosting, the crop should be full from eating/drinking).

If her crop has not emptied overnight, then begin treating according to the article below.

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

 

[mamad921]

Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry about your hen.
There's really not a lot you can do if she aspirated fluids like that. Hopefully she will be able to cough enough to clear her airways.

If you suspect she's having a crop problem, the best way to gauge function is by checking the crop first thing in the morning before the bird has had anything to eat/drink. (After roosting all night the crop should be flat/empty. At night before roosting, the crop should be full from eating/drinking).

If her crop has not emptied overnight, then begin treating according to the article below.

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

Thank you!

 

[Hen_House04]

Hey there! I am currently going through the same thing with one of my hens. I picked up her this morning, leaned over to grab something and in that short time frame of .01 seconds she poured out this clear liquid all over me. She sneezed a few times after and sounds like she was trying to cough but is acting fine otherwise. I have read so much about aspiration pneumonia til I am mortified. How is your girl??

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hey there! I am currently going through the same thing with one of my hens. I picked up her this morning, leaned over to grab something and in that short time frame of .01 seconds she poured out this clear liquid all over me. She sneezed a few times after and sounds like she was trying to cough but is acting fine otherwise. I have read so much about aspiration pneumonia til I am mortified. How is your girl??

Welcome To BYC

If she just coughed a little and is now acting fine with no wheezing or respiratory distress, then she will likely be o.k.

It's very easy to accidentally tilt them the wrong way and they spit up or pour out fluids, especially if they have just been eating/drinking. Chickens don't have a gag reflex, so if the crop is pressed just the right way or they are tilted, it can happen.
Try not to worry

 

[mamad921]

Hey there! I am currently going through the same thing with one of my hens. I picked up her this morning, leaned over to grab something and in that short time frame of .01 seconds she poured out this clear liquid all over me. She sneezed a few times after and sounds like she was trying to cough but is acting fine otherwise. I have read so much about aspiration pneumonia til I am mortified. How is your girl??

Ugh, I am so sorry! I totally know how that goes. My girl ended up being fine regarding the aspiration. From what I read, if they’re able to pretty much cough it out on their own, then you shouldn’t have to worry. I think the bigger scare is when they aspirate so much they can’t clear it out.

As for how we’re doing handling sour crop… it’s been up and down. I thought it went away, then I thought it was fully impacted, now it’s back to being super sour. I’ve decided to separate her from the flock, do a 24 hour food fast, and then give her medistatin/yogurt/eggs for a few days until her crop returns to normal.

Good luck with your girl!!

 

[EuroChook]

How is she doing?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Ugh, I am so sorry! I totally know how that goes. My girl ended up being fine regarding the aspiration. From what I read, if they’re able to pretty much cough it out on their own, then you shouldn’t have to worry. I think the bigger scare is when they aspirate so much they can’t clear it out.

As for how we’re doing handling sour crop… it’s been up and down. I thought it went away, then I thought it was fully impacted, now it’s back to being super sour. I’ve decided to separate her from the flock, do a 24 hour food fast, and then give her medistatin/yogurt/eggs for a few days until her crop returns to normal.

Good luck with your girl!!

Photos of her and her poop?

Does she lay eggs or does she have difficulties with production?

I don't fast my birds that have crop issues, but some do, so if that's your plan be sure to provide fresh water during waking hours so she doesn't dehydrate.

Very often a crop problem is a symptom of an underlying condition unless there's a blockage ( impaction). Worms, Reproductive Disorders, Coccidiosis and/or Infections are common conditions that can cause a crop to slow. It's a good idea to get a fecal float to see if worms and coccidiosis are part of the problem.
At 16weeks old and having crop problems already is a bit concerning.

The methods/treatments in this article are what I usually use when treating my own hens. I recommend that you read it along with the comments section - there's additional questions and answers there. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[mamad921]

Photos of her and her poop?

Does she lay eggs or does she have difficulties with production?

I don't fast my birds that have crop issues, but some do, so if that's your plan be sure to provide fresh water during waking hours so she doesn't dehydrate.

Very often a crop problem is a symptom of an underlying condition unless there's a blockage ( impaction). Worms, Reproductive Disorders, Coccidiosis and/or Infections are common conditions that can cause a crop to slow. It's a good idea to get a fecal float to see if worms and coccidiosis are part of the problem.
At 16weeks old and having crop problems already is a bit concerning.

The methods/treatments in this article are what I usually use when treating my own hens. I recommend that you read it along with the comments section - there's additional questions and answers there. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Thank you for taking the time to help me.

So I separated my hen for a week while giving her a round of medistatin as well as acidified copper sulfate in her water. So primarily fed her yogurt, egg, and towards the end of the week was reintroducing a whole grain grower feed. I thought the issue was resolved, her crop seemed to be draining.

I reintroduced her full time with the other hens yesterday. This morning when I went out to give them some fermented feed breakfast, her crop was massive. So full of squishy brown liquid that she began regurgitating when I picked her up.

I ordered a crop bra to put on her, and I’ve decided she likely needs a molasses flush. What would you recommend beyond that? A fecal float test? How would you recommend I collect her fecal matter to do the test. I imagine it should be fresh?

Again thank you for your help. I believe the whole issue started when I (ignorant of the harm in doing this) was tossing clumps of long stranded grass in their coop that she loved to scratch through and eat.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

What would you recommend beyond that? A fecal float test? How would you recommend I collect her fecal matter to do the test. I imagine it should be fresh?

Just gather some of her fresh droppings in a ziplock and take it to your vet for a fecal float.

Photos of her and her poop?

Does she lay eggs or does she have difficulties with production?