How long after miconazole should hen feel better from sour crop?

[jeighlynn]

My 6 year old hen, she is a Red Star, had impacted crop. We think we got that fixed as the hard lump was gone, she was doing better, then her crop got squishy. She started getting lethargic and stopped eating. We noticed her crop enlarged in the morning and feeling like a water balloon, so we are treating her for sour crop. She is have an occasional BM which is mostly urates with a little green diarrhea. She is in the house in a dog crate. I don't believe she is laying anymore. She did lay about a month ago, but it's been very sporadic the last year.

I have been messaging her crop but I'm not feeling it go down like it did before with the impaction. I started giving her the miconozole yesterday morning, so she has had 3 doses. I have noticed a head tick thing she does after I message the crop. She is still drinking and I am giving her Nutri Drench, I have been giving her Nutri Drench directly but today I just put it in her water. My question is how long until I see an improvement? And is it normal for the crop to not feel as though it's going down? It kind of feels like it it full of air, but she is not having a difficult time breathing. She has lost weight and is a little weak but she is standing of her own power and she goes to drink and she is alert and looks at you when you talk to her.

 

[Bawkbok]

I'm sorry your girl is feeling ill. I don't know the answer to your question about Miconazole. Someone more knowledgeable will be along shortly. In the interim, have you seen this article?

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

 

[jeighlynn]

I'm sorry your girl is feeling ill. I don't know the answer to your question about Miconazole. Someone more knowledgeable will be along shortly. In the interim, have you seen this article?

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

I have seen it. Thank you! I searched the different threads but couldn't find anything on how long and on the air feeling.

 

[Bawkbok]

I looked through my notes I've been collecting for some time and I found this for treating sour crop:
`Miconazole - you can use either the suppositories or the vaginal cream. Measure a quarter inch of suppository or half inch of the cream and give orally twice a day for seven days. Do not stop before the seven days are up or the yeast infection may return.
You can use either the 2% or 4% - treatment is the same for both strengths.
Following the treatment, offer fresh plain water and a boiled egg to get the crop operating again. You should also give probiotics to help the good microbes restore in the crop.
I would think you should see / feel improvement within a few days. Hope that helps.

 

[jeighlynn]

I looked through my notes I've been collecting for some time and I found this for treating sour crop:
`Miconazole - you can use either the suppositories or the vaginal cream. Measure a quarter inch of suppository or half inch of the cream and give orally twice a day for seven days. Do not stop before the seven days are up or the yeast infection may return.
You can use either the 2% or 4% - treatment is the same for both strengths.
Following the treatment, offer fresh plain water and a boiled egg to get the crop operating again. You should also give probiotics to help the good microbes restore in the crop.
I would think you should see / feel improvement within a few days. Hope that helps.

Thanks. I'll keep at it. I've been giving the 2% miconazole. Hoping to see an improvement soon...

 

[jeighlynn]

Is it possible to have an impaction lower down in the digestive system even though the hen has diarrhea? I opened her mouth today to put in some nutridrench and liquid came out. Her crop just does not seem to be draining. We are on day 3 of miconazole.

 

[Bawkbok]

Does her crop still feel squishy? Is she eating at all? Try scrambled egg if she won't eat feed or you can make a wet mash from feed by simply adding water - make it more on the wet side vs. pasty to get some nutrients in her. I would probably stop the Nutri-drench since you've been doing that for 3 days. Sour crop is difficult to manage.

A Red Star is a hybrid production girl, correct? and she is getting on in age -- 6 is "old" for a production breed so she could be experiencing a reproductive issue. What does her belly feel like between her legs and below her vent? Is it hard and distended or soft like a water balloon or normal? Is she still in your house in a dog crate? Is there a reason she is not with her flock mates? Are they picking on her? Even if she separates herself from them, it is less stressful to be with them than alone in a house. She will also get sunshine and fresh air. Unless there are obvious signs of pecking and aggression toward her, I would suggest leaving her with them.

 

[jeighlynn]

Does her crop still feel squishy? Is she eating at all? Try scrambled egg if she won't eat feed or you can make a wet mash from feed by simply adding water - make it more on the wet side vs. pasty to get some nutrients in her. I would probably stop the Nutri-drench since you've been doing that for 3 days. Sour crop is difficult to manage.

A Red Star is a hybrid production girl, correct? and she is getting on in age -- 6 is "old" for a production breed so she could be experiencing a reproductive issue. What does her belly feel like between her legs and below her vent? Is it hard and distended or soft like a water balloon or normal? Is she still in your house in a dog crate? Is there a reason she is not with her flock mates? Are they picking on her? Even if she separates herself from them, it is less stressful to be with them than alone in a house. She will also get sunshine and fresh air. Unless there are obvious signs of pecking and aggression toward her, I would suggest leaving her with them.

I don't think it is reproductive. Her stomach feels ok. I've sadly dealt with 3 instances of reproductive that all ended in death, so I'm familiar with the peritonitis and I don't think this is it. She did start eating a little last night. She is still inside but I have been putting her out to free range with the others. They were picking on her since she was so lethargic. I'm hoping to move her back out this weekend. The crop does still feel squishy but it has gone down a little today. So I think we are finally making progress. And she did eat a bit of crumbles and some hardboiled egg this morning, so that is good! She wasn't eating at all for two days. So I think the miconazole is finally kicking in and doing some good.

 

[DonyaQuick]

Did you see the impacting material pass? If not, the ball of stuff may still be in there…Gizzard and intestinal impactions can follow a crop impacting and take over a week to clear fully, especially if stuff is able to go past/around/through the impaction in small quantities. The treatment there is whatever soft food they are willing to eat (feed mash, berries, etc) and keep them drinking a good amount.

 

[jeighlynn]

Did you see the impacting material pass? If not, the ball of stuff may still be in there…Gizzard and intestinal impactions can follow a crop impacting and take over a week to clear fully, especially if stuff is able to go past/around/through the impaction in small quantities. The treatment there is whatever soft food they are willing to eat (feed mash, berries, etc) and keep them drinking a good amount.

Is it ok to give a stool softener everyday until I see it pass? I've been continuing with the crop massage.