How long before sour crop improvement after treatment?

[eikome]

I swear my pullets are giving me a crash course in chicken healthcare this year.

I have a 22 week old olive egger hen with suspected sour crop. 2 days ago I noticed her crop seemed huge. I felt it, and it was full of food, not hard or impacted, just like she had stuffed herself with too much to eat. I gave it a little massage it to help move things along in case there were any blockages. Felt like a stress ball full of rice.

Next morning her crop was empty of food, but now it was big and squishy like a water balloon, so I started sour crop treatment (ACV in water, and given 2% miconazole and probiotics 2x a day). Saw no improvement today yet (day 2 of treatment), crop is still like a water balloon, and it's now a little smelly and extra warm to the touch.

How long should I expect for the miconazole to begin working?

Overall the hen is acting completely normally, not lethargic, actively social, laid her egg without issue, drinking and pooping fine. I wouldn't suspect anything was wrong aside from the giant squishy crop.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi!

This reply to someone with crop issues is what I would do if I were you:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/howdy-byc.1628559/post-27813675

I hope she gets better!

 

[Pebbles25]

I have read to take food and water away for 24hrs then give apple cider vinegar then after 12hrs can eat and drink normally? Just treating a chick with Sour crop now! https://www.bhwt.org.uk/hen-health/health-problems/sour-crop/
How is she now?

 

[eikome]

Crop wasn't a big squishy water balloon today (yay!), but still seemed pretty full for the time of day (early morning). I'm continuing treatment as recommended for a few more days.

I think a contributing factor might be that she's a big eater. She regularly fills her crop up until it's larger than a softball, and she never turns down any food. It doesn't seem normal to me, even though it doesn't bother her at all.

 

[eikome]

Update, my hen seemed fully recovered this morning! Her crop was finally completely empty, no smelly breath or squishy crop. Yay!

So 5 days of treatment with 2% miconazole (2x a day), coconut oil (2x a day), probiotics, and ACV in the water seems to have done the trick. I will continue the treatment for the full 7 days as recommended though, just to be sure everything is back to normal.

Fun side note, the hen loved all the extra attention and "yummy" medicine I gave her that now when I call her name she zips right on over to the spot in the barn where I give her the meds and waits patiently for me lol. Clever little goober.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Update, my hen seemed fully recovered this morning! Her crop was finally completely empty, no smelly breath or squishy crop. Yay!

So 5 days of treatment with 2% miconazole (2x a day), coconut oil (2x a day), probiotics, and ACV in the water seems to have done the trick. I will continue the treatment for the full 7 days as recommended though, just to be sure everything is back to normal.

Fun side note, the hen loved all the extra attention and "yummy" medicine I gave her that now when I call her name she zips right on over to the spot in the barn where I give her the meds and waits patiently for me lol. Clever little goober.

I'm glad she's doing better!
Thank you for the update.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Good job!