Hen with sour crop (1 month)

[LAChickens]

I have a hen now with sour crop. She developed an impacted crop a month or so ago and it has not resolved. I've tried everything from oil and probiotics to vinegar, withholding food, holding her upside down. She's a big, old Brahma, and seems okay except for the big glop stuck in her crop. She has grit, and seems hungry but she's slowly losing weight. Any final suggestions?

 

[MGG]

I have a hen now with sour crop. She developed an impacted crop a month or so ago and it has not resolved. I've tried everything from oil and probiotics to vinegar, withholding food, holding her upside down. She's a big, old Brahma, and seems okay except for the big glop stuck in her crop. She has grit, and seems hungry but she's slowly losing weight. Any final suggestions?

Let me tag some experts on this. I hope your poor girl will be ok! Its so scary when they get sick @Eggcessive @azygous @Wyorp Rock @casportpony

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your hen. How old is she? Has she been laying eggs in recent weeks or months? Does she seem enlarged in her lower belly between her legs? Is taking her to a vet for treatment possible where you live?

Most chickens that I have taken care of with sour crop have had another primary illness such as a reproductive disorder, cancer, or ascites (water belly.) I have never saved any, even after treating for up to 6 weeks.

Since sour crop can be caused by a fungal infection, some use antifungal powders (medistatin, nystatin) found online, or get creams from the drugstore (Monistat, clotrimazole,) and give some orally twice a day. Acidified copper sulfate is another possible treatment. Here are 2 good articles with treatment suggestions:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a hen now with sour crop. She developed an impacted crop a month or so ago and it has not resolved. I've tried everything from oil and probiotics to vinegar, withholding food, holding her upside down. She's a big, old Brahma, and seems okay except for the big glop stuck in her crop. She has grit, and seems hungry but she's slowly losing weight. Any final suggestions?

How old is she?
Does she have any reproductive issues?

I would treat her for Sour Crop as described in the article below.

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

 

[azygous]

How old is she, please. Age is an important part of the big picture. My friend @Eggcessive is right that this condition can be related to another, often more serious, condition if the chicken is getting on in years.

It sounds like this began with impacted crop and not resolving, the contents of the crop are now stagnant and festering in a soup of fungus. Ick. Not pretty. It may be a complicated process getting her cleared. Please read the article @Wyorp Rock linked to, and then we can discuss how to deal with your sick Brahma.

But please tell us how old she is and what was she eating prior to her getting impacted? And a photo of her from a side view so we can see clearly how her crop is hanging would be a big help.

 

[LAChickens]

How old is she?
Does she have any reproductive issues?

I would treat her for Sour Crop as described in the article below.

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

She's at least 5 years old. I don't know if she's still laying. I have a couple of hundred chickens so it's hard to know who lays when. She hasn't laid in the few weeks I've had her penned

 

[azygous]

With a "few hundred" chickens, I suggest you might think about euthanizing this hen rather than spend a lot of time and energy that would be required to treat her. I'm thinking you'd need to do a few days of oil and stool softener and massage to try to break up the mass in her crop in addition to treating for a yeast condition. It's also a possibility her gizzard is clogged. She may also have pendulous crop which contributes to chronic yeast.

You might also be faced with the decision to perform crop surgery at some point. This is all in addition to the condition likely being attributable to a reproductive disorder that may be slowly killing her anyway.

Just a few things to think about.