Hen with sour crop- too late?

[Godiva]

Due to a number of circumstances I have not been doing the chicken chores for about a week.... my DD mentioned about a week ago that she didn't think Honey was doing well so I asked my DH to check her out. Well due to some miscommunication I had thought she was doing fine while she really has been struggling with sour crop! My DH came up last night really worried about her and she looked awful! Her comb was very pale and blueish, just huddled on the roost all fluffed up. When we picked her up she has lost a LOT of weight - her keel is razor sharp! Her crop is enlarged and mushy feeling and when we massaged it she burped and boy was it a horrible stench. We moved her to a cage in a heated workshop, gave her some ACV and water. She is pooping nasty white diarrhoea, stinks to high heaven... She is so weak and I am having a bit of time trying to get her to take anything. I did get a few droppers of ACV and water into her again just now. I am just wondering if it is possible to save her or has this gone on for too long? I really don't want to make her suffer needlessly. We are willing to give it a good try, just not sure (now that I realise how long this has been going on) if it is possible. ON a positive note (I think) this morning her comb is much pinker...

Please let me know what you think. Have any of you had a similar situation. Should I try to get some kefir and olive oil in her today or should I just concentrate on the ACV/water and massage? I am so concerned with her weakened state that she really needs sustenance but I don't want to exacerbate the sour crop... any insights will be very welcome.

 

[LynneP]

I'm assuming this is the bird you mentioned in another post concerning water?

On the positive side she is producing droppings- you are probably seeing the dregs of fermented materials working through.

I would offer diluted Gatorade or a poultry electrolyte and if she will take it, some grower feed dampened with water. Or scrambled eggs.

Under no circumstances should she have yogurt, it makes sour crop far worse.

I know you're working very hard for her...I'm sorry it's so difficult at this time...

 

[Godiva]

Thanks so much for the word about the yoghurt!! I was thinking of impacted crop for some reason and was all set to go for the treatment for impacted crop... my brain is somewhat fried from lack of sleep and a cold! Thanks again. Will get a batch of scrambled eggs going for her. Should I wait for her crop to go down a little or can I give her a little this morning?

 

[chookchick]

Here's a recent thread with some interesting info on sour crop:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=284227
Now I have a good reason to keep those nasty old bottles of wine around! Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Godiva]

Honey went on to the big coop in the sky last night. She was so far gone that I couldn't even get her to open her eyes, we just couldn't bear to have her lingering and suffering. Her crop was really big and the ACV/water mix was not doing anything for her. I don't think she had the strength to fight anymore. Sad day for us - nothing worse than having to kill a bird that you really liked... feels like you really should try harder and longer but we could see she was on a very slippery slope with no chance anymore.

 

[rancher hicks]

I would pick up a book on chickens and See what to do for sour crop. Also for anyone who will listen, Subscribe to Back Yard Poutry. It's great magazine and has lots of advice. Also I would Google sour crop and go from there. If you can't afford the magazine suggest a joint subscription w/ a friend.
Some of the advice I'm seeing is subjective at best and may not be right. One thing I do know, massage her crop gently. She has food stuck in there. Do not try to put more in until you've moved what is there.

I'm sorry for you loss I started to post this before I saw you lost your hen. Try not to feel to bad, and save the advice for the future, though I hope no one has to use it. You'll feel better w/ time.

 

[J & R Dunn-keys & Company]

Something I read in a chicken magazine just a few months ago about sour crop, this was in a UK mag. and the pics were graphic, was after you massage the crop, you need to hold the chicken upside down to let that nasty stuff run out. It was some gross looking stuff. I had no idea at the time we would be putting that to work just this past Fri.
One of my flighty super active CA Whites did not greet me when I went into the castle(coop). She just sat hunkered down on the roost, she had some yellow streaks on her head and when I went to pic her up she just relaxed. Upon inspection her crop was big and gooshy. So I massaged it and wondered how I was going to hold my poor sick baby by her legs. I didn't, I held her in my arms and bent over to get her upside down and after a few seconds, she started smacking her tongue in her mouth, then all of a sudden out came the smelly green/yellow goo.
The next day she was her perky self.

I am sorry you couldn't save your Honey.

Maybe all the advice you get here will help if it happens again.

Keep on clucking...

Jean

 

[Country4ever]

Sorry for your loss Godiva. sometimes, there's something going on downstream that makes it futile to try correct what seems to be a crop problem.......like a tumor.
You did all you could.

 

[LynneP]

I'm very sorry to hear this Godiva. You were caught in circumstances beyond your control so please don't beat yourself up over this. I know you will miss her, but life throws us curves and makes us deal with things beyond our control. Take heart, get some rest and be kinder to yourself, please.