Hen Has Sour Crop

[kperki]

my hen has sour crop. She had a big squishy smelly crop. I gave her Nystatin and then the next day the crop only felt like it had liquid in it. I pushed on it and tilted her forward and it all came out and crop was empty. But now it is the same. She is drinking water but it’s like it just stays in her crop. If I pick her up it comes out. She is not eating and has lost a lot of weight. Should I keep giving Nystatin? Thanks for your help.

 

[ashlierami]

my hen has sour crop. She had a big squishy smelly crop. I gave her Nystatin and then the next day the crop only felt like it had liquid in it. I pushed on it and tilted her forward and it all came out and crop was empty. But now it is the same. She is drinking water but it’s like it just stays in her crop. If I pick her up it comes out. She is not eating and has lost a lot of weight. Should I keep giving Nystatin? Thanks for your help.

There may be an issue that is keeping her crop from working properly. Have you recently treated her for cocci? My birds always have slow crop or crop issues when there is a cocci outbreak amongst them. I treat with corid and within 3 days the crop begins working properly again and the issues are gone. My birds also are lethargic and lose weight. I have only had one bird to have bloody poop when dealing with cocci so for my birds crop issues is always the first symptom.
I try to massage their crop a few times a day to help the food and water pass.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

my hen has sour crop. She had a big squishy smelly crop. I gave her Nystatin and then the next day the crop only felt like it had liquid in it. I pushed on it and tilted her forward and it all came out and crop was empty. But now it is the same. She is drinking water but it’s like it just stays in her crop. If I pick her up it comes out. She is not eating and has lost a lot of weight. Should I keep giving Nystatin? Thanks for your help.

Sounds like she has a blockage somewhere or there is inflammation in the body that is not allowing the food to pass.
Is she pooping at all?

Sometimes the gizzard could be impacted or there is another underlying conditions like worms, Coccidiosis, reproductive problems or infection that interferes with the digestive system.
When was the last time your hen laid an egg? Does she have swelling/bloat or fluid in the abdomen?


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

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

 

[kperki]

There may be an issue that is keeping her crop from working properly. Have you recently treated her for cocci? My birds always have slow crop or crop issues when there is a cocci outbreak amongst them. I treat with corid and within 3 days the crop begins working properly again and the issues are gone. My birds also are lethargic and lose weight. I have only had one bird to have bloody poop when dealing with cocci so for my birds crop issues is always the first symptom.
I try to massage their crop a few times a day to help the food and water pass.

Thank you I will keep this in mind for my other chickens. I had not treated her for cocci. Unfortunately she just passed away

 

[kperki]

Sounds like she has a blockage somewhere or there is inflammation in the body that is not allowing the food to pass.
Is she pooping at all?

Sometimes the gizzard could be impacted or there is another underlying conditions like worms, Coccidiosis, reproductive problems or infection that interferes with the digestive system.
When was the last time your hen laid an egg? Does she have swelling/bloat or fluid in the abdomen?


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

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

Thank you for the info I will look at it later so I am more informed. Unfortunately she just died.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. I have also had hens die with a sour crop. Even emptying the crop, flushing with water, and antifungal medicines given via a feeding tube did not help. As Wyorp Rock stated, there may have been an underlying disease that caused the crop to not work properly. It can help to either get a necropsy from your state vet, or do one yourself at home. That way, it will explain what was going on, and can be helpful to recognize a similar problem later. Reproductive disorders are very prone to causing this. Tumors or Mareks disease are other causes. If you want to get a necropsy by your state vet, refrigerate, but don’t freeze the body. Here is some contact info for state vets:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

 

[kperki]

Sorry for your loss. I have also had hens die with a sour crop. Even emptying the crop, flushing with water, and antifungal medicines given via a feeding tube did not help. As Wyorp Rock stated, there may have been an underlying disease that caused the crop to not work properly. It can help to either get a necropsy from your state vet, or do one yourself at home. That way, it will explain what was going on, and can be helpful to recognize a similar problem later. Reproductive disorders are very prone to causing this. Tumors or Mareks disease are other causes. If you want to get a necropsy by your state vet, refrigerate, but don’t freeze the body. Here is some contact info for state vets:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

Thank you. I have never been able to save one from sour crop. I try everything and fail. It’s very frustrating. I will read up on the info in the post and see if anything sounds like it might be the cause.
My husband already put her out for the wildlife. We have sent birds off before but when she died he also just thought sour crop and did not think we would be sending her off.
Thanks for your input.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you for the info I will look at it later so I am more informed. Unfortunately she just died.

I'm very sorry for your loss

 

[kperki]

Thank you

 

[catballou]

Thank you I will keep this in mind for my other chickens. I had not treated her for cocci. Unfortunately she just passed away