HELP!!!! SOUR CROP??? Did I do it??

[chickenjane82]

I went out to the coop this morning and found my white faced black spanish hen laying in the corner. She was up walking around, fine as I could tell, yesterday. She had fluid dripping from her beak and her crop felt like a balloon, so I brought her in and started googling. Im guessing its sour crop? I did the whole throw up thing and as soon as I tilted her upside down slightling, tons of green fluid came rushing out!!!!

Shes resting now. wouldnt drink. Ive been googling and Im wondering if *I* did this! I tossed a bale of grass hay under the outside covered area for something to scratch through because I had to confine them these last few weeks because of a very persistant hawk.
Should I be out raking up hay right now???!!!!

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

I'd go rake it up.

Similar thing happened to me. My hens have a large run they stay in all day and love to kick around leaves. But in the summer, there are no leaves. So I tossed out a bunch of straw. Few days later, my Jersey Giant was standing in the corner, quiet. My first clue there was a problem. She wouldn't eat treats and I was just sick. I picked her up and her crop was huge and she had terrible breath.

I rushed her to the vet who ran tests and took xrays and you could see all the straw in there. He said it had fermented and she basically had bad gas. He gave her something to help break it up. I took her home and she just stood there for 18 hours. Would barely eat or drink. And then it all started coming out the back end. And after about an hour of her passing it, she was talking and hungry and really missed her sisters. So I put her back out in her run.

But not before I went over that thing w/ a fine tooth comb and raked and picked up every last bit of straw I could get.

Others will reply about putting apple cider vinegar in water and massaging her crop. But then you have to be careful not to get stuff in her lungs. I just didn't want to risk it and left it to the professionals.

Good Luck

 

[chickenjane82]

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Quote:
I know. I totally feel your pain. Some hens will just eat anything and everything they can get into their beaks.

But sooo many hens fully recover from this. It's not a death sentence. Do you have a dog crate or someplace where you can isolate her? This way you can control what she eats for the next 24-48 hours. Do a search on this group for Sour Crop and you'll find lots of info.

I'm so sorry.

 

[chickenjane82]

Shes in my bathroom.

Is there anything I can do to prevent anyone else having the same problem?

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Don't let them near the grass/hay or what ever it was. Get it raked up and into a compost bin or trash or away from them.

Is it possible to get her to see a vet today? If it's bad, they will do surgery and open her crop to remove the mass.

 

[humpbacks1962]

I gave mine DanActive yogurt throughout the day for 2 days, and massaged his crop. Gas came out both ends, each time.
This is the third day and he is finally walking and grazing. The probiotics yogurt must have helped break whatever up.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Oh, speaking of gas, we kept our Jersey Giant in the living room in a big dog crate until she was well enough to go back outside. Our living room is open to the dining room and the kitchen. And let me tell you, a chicken with gas in the house is HILARIOUS!!! She made the most obscene sounds you could imagine. The poor thing. I really should have taken video of it for the sound.

But here's a photo of her. She looks SOOOO annoyed that I'm taking her photo.

 

[chickenjane82]

I cleaned up all the hay. It sure felt like raking up more than one bale! Thats for sure...

Ive been reading that lack of grit can make this a problem? I feed whole and cracked grains, add kelp and free choice oyster shell. Is "grit" something else I should purchase?

 

[heatherkh]

Grit are small stones they ingest that help them break down the food they eat (the grit "lives" in the chicken's gizzard), and yes, they absolutely need it. Oftentimes chickens can get enough grit from the ground if they freerange, but I keep a container of free-choice grit out for my hens in case they need more. You can find it at any farm store.