HELP!! Sour Crop??

[ShinShien]

I had a hen with sour crop. Somehow, it cleared up by feeding her yogurt, a little canned cat food and olive oil. Now I have one whose crop is hard like a rock. She had to have the impaction surgically removed last Wednesday.

Anyway, how is she doing, kedxon?

 

[kedxon]

Earlier she had a large poop and then drank lots of water, I was wondering if I should stop her. I am feeding her probiotic yogurt, but her crop is still very spongy feeling. I have read so much that I'm confused what to do with her. She is of course my sweet chicken that I can handle at any time. I'm concerned since it's been Wednesday when I found her feeling so bad. I do appreciate you asking. We are all in love with these feather babies.

 

[casportpony]

Earlier she had a large poop and then drank lots of water, I was wondering if I should stop her. I am feeding her probiotic yogurt, but her crop is still very spongy feeling. I have read so much that I'm confused what to do with her. She is of course my sweet chicken that I can handle at any time. I'm concerned since it's been Wednesday when I found her feeling so bad. I do appreciate you asking. We are all in love with these feather babies.

*Never* withhold water, it will help clear her crop.

-Kathy

 

[kedxon]

Thanks Kathy. Yup I didn't stop her, she hasn't drink much on her own since all this started. When I massage her crop she doesn't throw up but she does act like she wants to. I have read so much that talks about not letting them throw up. She seems to hold back and not let it come up. I massage her lightly about every hour. Her poop started off whitish clear now it is white with normal looking in the middle of it. But she can poop greenish brown also.

 

[casportpony]

Thanks Kathy. Yup I didn't stop her, she hasn't drink much on her own since all this started. When I massage her crop she doesn't throw up but she does act like she wants to. I have read so much that talks about not letting them throw up. She seems to hold back and not let it come up. I massage her lightly about every hour. Her poop started off whitish clear now it is white with normal looking in the middle of it. But she can poop greenish brown also.

Do you have any diflucan? It's the pill women can take for yeast infections. Not saying you should give it to her, just want to know if you have it.

-Kathy

 

[kedxon]

No, is this something I could get over the counter. Monistat 7 I do have. All advice would be appreciated

 

[casportpony]

No, is this something I could get over the counter. Monistat 7 I do have. All advice would be appreciated

It's available OTC in Canada, but not the US. *If* it is a yeast infection something like Monistat *might* work, but I don't feel comfortable telling you to try it. How is she today?

-Kathy

 

[VirginiaEdie]

I was just going to write in about sour crop this morning when I saw this posting. I believe I also have a chicken with sour crop. She is about 6 months old. I have read through so much information about impacted crop and sour crop that my head is spinning.

Today is day four since I noticed our chicken was having trouble. She'd had diarrhea for several days. I thought it was just something she ate. Then I noticed how huge her crop was. It filled the palm of my hand. After reading through many posts on the forum here, I tried massaging her crop (which she actually seems to enjoy), giving her scrambled eggs and yogurt, and small doses of monostat 3 (capsules cut in thirds). There seems to be quite of bit of conflicting opinions about helping the chickens throw up and since she was doing it on her own, I decided not to do it.

The first day she was doing the head snake and throwing up brown fluid. She ate all the food I provided, but I could tell she was not herself. On the second day, she was still throwing up brown fluid, but eating better. By late afternoon she was tearing up the dog crate we had her in so I put her back outside with our little flock. In there pen, I only gave them the crumbles, so I figured she would be okay. Also her poops were looking pretty normal.

Yesterday she seemed like her normal self, but her crop was not empty in the morning. This morning her crop was still very large so I brought her back inside. She has been throwing up again and her poops are back to being runny (with substance) again. She is pooping more often than she was the first two days, probably every 45 minutes to an hour. She is not doing the head snake like she was the first two days. I am still giving her the monostat. When I massage her crop, it feels mushy but I cannot feel any hard lumps inside. Oh yes, I am also using 2T of ACV per gallon of water for her drinking water.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what else to try? The vet is not an option. Also, "To puke, or not to puke?" that is my other question.

Cheers and thanks,
Edith

 

[casportpony]

Many things can cause this... worms, bacteria, yeast and disease. I usually start by de-worming with Safeguard and treating for a bacterial infection with Baytril and metronidazole, but if it's yeast that's causing the crop stasis, antibiotics will make it worse. My last one with "sour crop" was cured with worming and antibiotics.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

And to answer your other question "To puke, or not to puke?", only do it if you feel confident that you can do it without killing your bird. If you're the type that can tube feed, you could probably do it if you studied up on the method.

-Kathy