Hen with bloated, squishy crop - UPDATE - DIAGNOSIS

[JennsPeeps]

Glad to hear she's doing better!

Please don't be offended that we linked other threads, gave you terms to use for a search (since you didn't indicate that you knew what a possible diagnosis could be), and referred you to someon by name who could help you. I even remember that at the time I posted, both Glenda and you were online at the same time. A PM from you to her would have likely been answered pretty quickly.

In the year I've been on BYC, I've seen tons & tons of threads on crop problems, which is why I referred you to the BYC search rather than a google search. I kinew the info you needed was here on BYC, pre-existing, and that it would help you more than I could. I always use the search function on the blue toolbar, as I find I get better BYC results than the google search. You may want to try that option as well.

I understand and can sympathize with your frustration, having had sick and injured chickens in the past, too. It's maddening and scary to want to help them immediately and not have posts answered right away. There is so much accumulated knowledge on BYC, though, that a search using the correct terminology will garner you the results you need in 95% of the cases. There's very little that has happened to a chicken that hasn't been recorded on BYC.

I hope your hen's recovery continues well. It sounds like you fixed the crop problem and did a good job of it.

 

[Judy]

Actually, the info you needed is on the FAQ page, under sour/impacted crop. Would not even have involved a search.

 

[chickletranch]

Found the hen laying next to the coop this morning at feeding time. Low energy, looked unwell and let me pick her right up. Felt her crop and it was filled with liquid, though not full. Expelled as much fluid as I could- no smell, was mostly clear. Brought her in the house and gave her a small syringe-full of yogurt and oil. Made her scrambled eggs but she isn't really interested. Put some ACV in her water and she seems to be drinking alot. Will watch her...she's sleeping now. Not sure what else to do and wondering if it is a crop issue. Lynn

 

[chickletranch]

Jenn, I appreciate your reply. Fact is, my hen is not conforming to any "normal" symptom of impacted OR sour crop. Went from feeling grainy with food, to squishy with fluid, to full of air over the course of 2 days. There's no sour smell. One thing everyone should keep in mind is that lots of situations are unique. Honestly, I don't come to this site to read history, I am here for help and to help others deal with problems in the present. I think sometimes people with no experience like to refer others to searches and posts where people with experience share their thoughts. I don't really want that, just me. I'd rather speak with someone and have a dialogue so I can ask questions. I can read information on my own offline, don't need to post here to do that.
Thanks, Lynn

 

[chickletranch]

The hen is still not eating, but is drinking alot. Her crop appears to only have water in it and her poo has changed. It's watery, profuse, clear green with long strands in it. I can't tell if these are worms are not, never seen them that long. They look like alfalfa sprouts, without the sprout...they're not moving, and are about 1 1/2 inches long. I think they may be long roundworms. They weren't coming out of her yesterday. Maybe the vinegar in her water killed them? I wormed her about a month ago, but just re-dosed her with Ivermectin. She is alert but not very active.
Lynn

 

[Smoky73]

I would say those are worms, how long ago did you redose her? Thats probably why she is expelling them.

Also I want to add that I have a 3 month old silkie pullet with the large air or fluid filled squishy crop too. She is thin so I do not think that she is processing food correctly. No smell, as you say when you empty the crop, just does not seem to go away. I isolated her several weeks ago but she acted worse being away from her buddies after 2 days so I put her back. She is still alive and still has the balloon like crop, though some days it does not seem to be as bad.
I fully expect her to die eventually if she cannot process feed right but I think this may just be some kind of digestion problem in her that may not be fixable. They have never been exposed to the outside to get worms and she certainly is not impacted.

I know this does not help you, but the fact mine is still alive is a good thing I guess??

 

[chickletranch]

Thanks Smoky,
I just re-dosed her yesterday after I notice the worms. She is about the same this morning - dead worms still coming out, poo is yellow-green and mucus-like, with some darker matter. She ate a few kernels of fresh corn... I am giving her anything she'll eat at this point. Crop still filled with fluid, which could be because she's drinking water. Added vitamins and honey to her water. She is feisty enough to put up a fuss when I tried to get some yogurt in her via syringe, and her tail is up(ish) rather than down. She survived the night, so that's a good thing. Lynn

 

[annek]

Maybe she is having a bad reaction to so many worms dying at once? I know speckled hen recommends doing first with I think wazine and then a few weeks later with ivectin so as not to shock their system by so many dying at once.

 

[chickletranch]

We've been using Ivermectin to worm for years, with no ill effects. We use oral dosage (can't just mix it with their water because our birds free range with other livestock). I wouldn't use Wazine on hens, anyway, as it's not recommended for layers. This is the first year I've seen any worms in any of the animals. Strange. Thanks, Lynn

 

[Brindlebtch]

If you have wildlife coming onto your property you will have worms in your livestock sooner or later.