Hen aspirated. PLEASE HELP

[Silling]

My sweet girl Diamond is a 1 year old Barred Rock. She has sour crop and is lethargic. I've given her some ACV already and will continue to do so. But yesterday when I picked her up her crop was so full and watery that she vomited all over me. She coughed and spluttered so I am pretty sure she aspirated some. Now this morning she is gurgling loudly. Her break is closed but she is still gurgling. Her mushy crop didn't go down over night, she is still lethargic and is still having watery poo. What can I do to prevent her from getting pneumonia or dying? I'm so worried.

 

[muddy75]

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

@azygous will have the best advice
Here is an article that may help in the meantime

 

[Silling]

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

@azygous will have the best advice
Here is an article that may help in the meantime

Thank you so much!

 

[azygous]

She may have aspirated a tiny bit of fluid, but I doubt she's going to die from it. Start treating the sour crop with miconazole as soon as you can. That will help the crop to empty.

Adding ACV right now to a sour crop probably isn't going to help. If you can, make her a crop bra and that might help the crop to empty.

You might also cup the crop in your hand and elevate it a little and rock it to help the crop empty a bit. Be careful or you can causing vomiting.

 

[Silling]

She may have aspirated a tiny bit of fluid, but I doubt she's going to die from it. Start treating the sour crop with miconazole as soon as you can. That will help the crop to empty.

Adding ACV right now to a sour crop probably isn't going to help. If you can, make her a crop bra and that might help the crop to empty.

You might also cup the crop in your hand and elevate it a little and rock it to help the crop empty a bit. Be careful or you can causing vomiting.

Ok. Her crop is not very full after she threw up a lot of water last night? But it didn't completely empty overnight. It feels like there is sand or bits of feed in the bottom. I'll get her some miconazole for her today. She is still very lethargic. Probably because she is not eating. Her breathing is still gurgling but when we let her out this morning she burped up some fluid and sneezed three times. Now her gurgling is not a loud. What should I do to help her breathe easier?

 

[alicia-TX]

I dont know if this is a good idea but when mine seemed to be aspirating I tipped her forward because it was a chaotic moment and I was think "oh God what do I do?!". She stopped. I just tipped her beak downwarda little to let whatever come up. I did NOT burp her.

 

[azygous]

That's very good that the crop has mostly emptied. What's left is normal grit, probably. But it's still a good idea to treat for sour crop.

Be aware that there is often an underlying health issue causing the crop to back up. Sometimes it's a worm overload, or a stuck egg, or a tumor. This isn't to say your hen has any of these, but if the crop refuses to empty after several days on miconazole, then one of these may be a possibility.

Meanwhile, keep checking her crop each morning for signs of progress or no progress, and watch her behavior for signs that she may be struggling with a stubborn egg. Those would be time in the nest without producing an egg, standing around inactive and droopy and fluffed up and a discharge from the vent.

 

[Silling]

She hasn't laid in a few days but also shows no interest in the nest. I assumed she just stopped laying because she feels sick. She just stands around sleepy or naps in the shade. She has very watery poop but no vent discharge. Her abdomen feels normal too. Her breath smells like sauerkraut though, which is why I thought she has sour crop. How can I make sure she is not starving if she won't eat?

 

[azygous]

She definitely has sour crop from the smell. Be sure you're treating with miconazole twice a day at least, and for a full seven days.

She won't have much desire to eat while the yeast is active in her crop. But you can keep her strength up by offering her soft boiled egg, dry crumbles, and a spoon full of grated carrot. Yogurt is also a good idea to help establish good microbes to replace the yeasty ones.

 

[Kiki]

Have you brought any new to you birds home in the last month or two?

What exactly do you feed your flock?
Have you ever dewormed them?