Hen suddenly very sick. Chalky white/yellow discharge, bad smelling vent. Other details provided, please help

[TropicalChickies]

I should have mentioned that, sometimes it's necessary to burp them. I will gently squeeze from the bottom up, same action as milking a cow, and work the gas up and out. They definitely get instant relief. Sounds like she is doing better!!

I had no idea! This is my first time dealing with an air/gas filled crop.

Yes, I was surprised by the scary episode yesterday because she does seem better overall. It seems like she was burping out so much gas, she couldn't get air to go in. And when I flipped her upside down, it shifted everything around and got her breathing again. But I'll stick to the more gentle burping method now!

What do you feed them when this happens? I'm thinking low carbs (carbs break down to sugars that feed gas).

 

[TwoCrows]

I had no idea! This is my first time dealing with an air/gas filled crop.

Yes, I was surprised by the scary episode yesterday because she does seem better overall. It seems like she was burping out so much gas, she couldn't get air to go in. And when I flipped her upside down, it shifted everything around and got her breathing again. But I'll stick to the more gentle burping method now!

What do you feed them when this happens? I'm thinking low carbs (carbs break down to sugars that feed gas).

You will need to burp her several times a day, it only takes a moment and she will feel better and no doubt eat more food. When my birds have slow or yeasty crops, I feed protein foods only. They don't add to the gas production when digesting, proteins are easy to digest and don't require a lot of water like carbs, as to not dehydrate an already dehydrated sick bird. Protein helps them heal faster than carbs too. My go to food is eggs, scrambled, hard boiled, etc.. eggs have all the building blocks of life and birds can live on them exclusively for long periods of time. I will also feed dry dog food. My dog eats a raw diet so it's mostly meat with some produce mixed in. It's air dried but I'm sure wet or canned dog food will work as well. Just make sure there isn't too many carbs. You could feed meat scraps from your table too, just make sure it's not too salty. Any cooked meat like ground beef or ground Turkey. When the bird starts to refuse to eat too much protein then I know they are ready to add more carbs. Usually by then they are fairly healed.

 

[RoyalChick]

You will need to burp her several times a day, it only takes a moment and she will feel better and no doubt eat more food. When my birds have slow or yeasty crops, I feed protein foods only. They don't add to the gas production when digesting, proteins are easy to digest and don't require a lot of water like carbs, as to not dehydrate an already dehydrated sick bird. Protein helps them heal faster than carbs too. My go to food is eggs, scrambled, hard boiled, etc.. eggs have all the building blocks of life and birds can live on them exclusively for long periods of time. I will also feed dry dog food. My dog eats a raw diet so it's mostly meat with some produce mixed in. It's air dried but I'm sure wet or canned dog food will work as well. Just make sure there isn't too many carbs. You could feed meat scraps from your table too, just make sure it's not too salty. Any cooked meat like ground beef or ground Turkey. When the bird starts to refuse to eat too much protein then I know they are ready to add more carbs. Usually by then they are fairly healed.

I have treated sour crop in the past but not experienced gas. This is very interesting and helpful.
I assume the gas is from the yeast fermentation so really treating the yeast should put a stop to it?

 

[TropicalChickies]

I have treated sour crop in the past but not experienced gas. This is very interesting and helpful.
I assume the gas is from the yeast fermentation so really treating the yeast should put a stop to it?

Killing off the yeast with antifungals helps. But I think the Ph and balance of good yeasts/bacterias to the bad ones is really the key to getting a digestive system functioning well on its own (chicken or human). Too high of a Ph is basic or alkaline and a chicken's system is naturally on the more acidic side. Once the Ph is shifted back to acidic, a chicken will get probiotics from feed, grass, dew -- lots of natural sources out there. Even if the antifungals kill off the yeast, it will quickly come back in an overly alkaline environment. All the probiotics in the world won't do much to colonize her system unless the good bacteria has the environment to live and multiply themselves.

I studied this quite a bit when I was recovering from the effects of Celiac's. A chicken's digestive system isn't much different from ours, except that it's more acidic.

 

[Perris]

I am sure I have read that gas is produced by the microbes in the gut, not by the human (or chicken in this case). Something to do with breaking down oligosaccharides if memory serves correct, I think it's about fibre in any case; I'll check and get back to you.

 

[RoyalChick]

I am sure I have read that gas is produced by the microbes in the gut, not by the human (or chicken in this case). Something to do with breaking down oligosaccharides if memory serves correct, I think it's about fibre in any case; I'll check and get back to you.

Yes. CO2 is a product of fermentation - all fermented feeds bubble to some extent.
In its most basic form, fermentation is the breakdown of glucose into ethanol and carbon dioxide.
What I had not heard of before is sour crop bubbling to the extent that seems to be happening here. It must be really uncomfortable!

 

[Perris]

Rusty (my red hen) is sick. Dusty is the black frizzle who healed up from the back injury/flesh wound nicely and now has a chick named Slash.

sorry for muddling them up

 

[TropicalChickies]

No worries. I wouldn't know Paprika from Janeka!

sorry for muddling them up

 

[TropicalChickies]

Good morning folks,

Rusty is still with us and appears to be improving little by little.

Whatever bacteria and bad yeast invaded her system really walloped her a good one.

Based on some peck marks healing up around her eyes and comb and her avoidance behavior when certain members of the flock approach her (she's safe behind a gate, so they can see but not touch), I think it's highly probable she was attacked by some flockmates before I discovered her illness. Rusty is in the middle of the pecking order and a younger hen who is ambitious to move up is the likely perpetrator. So poor Rusty experienced shock in addition to infection.

(Not that she wouldn't do some pecking herself if the opportunity arises. I love my hens, but I have no illusions about them!)

Yesterday, she ate three small meals without choking or much difficulty. A few small burps. I massaged the gas out of her crop a few times. There is less gas this morning, and she ate a small breakfast. She now eats more carefully, then she goes back to rest. She now sleeps deeply at night and has acclimated to being in our patio kitchen with human companionship. She seems to understand that she is sick but is directing her energy toward recuperation.

Rusty after eating breakfast. Comb down, a little ruffled up, but on her feet and not giving up.

She just went outside to sunbathe and preen herself!

She looks droopy in this pic, but she's fast asleep, with the left eye open.

 

[RoyalChick]

Good morning folks,

Rusty is still with us and appears to be improving little by little.

Whatever bacteria and bad yeast invaded her system really walloped her a good one.

Based on some peck marks healing up around her eyes and comb and her avoidance behavior when certain members of the flock approach her (she's safe behind a gate, so they can see but not touch), I think it's highly probable she was attacked by some flockmates before I discovered her illness. Rusty is in the middle of the pecking order and a younger hen who is ambitious to move up is the likely perpetrator. So poor Rusty experienced shock in addition to infection.

(Not that she wouldn't do some pecking herself if the opportunity arises. I love my hens, but I have no illusions about them!)

Yesterday, she ate three small meals without choking or much difficulty. A few small burps. I massaged the gas out of her crop a few times. There is less gas this morning, and she ate a small breakfast. She now eats more carefully, then she goes back to rest. She now sleeps deeply at night and has acclimated to being in our patio kitchen with human companionship. She seems to understand that she is sick but is directing her energy toward recuperation.

View attachment 3699170
Rusty after eating breakfast. Comb down, a little ruffled up, but on her feet and not giving up.

She looks droopy in this pic, but she's fast asleep, with the left eye open.

Oh I was so happy to read this!
Did you decide to give anti-fungal cream?
You are doing an amazing job with her.