I’m desperate - do we call it quits?

[clairhoffman]

I’m at a loss here and I think it might be time to put this chicken out of her misery. I just need advice.

I’ve been treating an approx. 18-20 week hen for sour crop since May 22nd. Just when I thought it was resolved, I noticed this chicken had a large laceration on her hanging crop. We realized what was happening was that her crop was full enough to offset her balance which caused her to “overreact” and scratch her hanging crop with her nails. I trimmed and filed her nails down but just as we would get a cut healed enough, it would happen again despite the dull nails. This poor girl has had a constant open wound, so to speak, for weeks now. With her most recent from this morning, being the worst one.

I’ve tried to continue treating her crop despite her injuries but that’s not getting any better either. I feel like it’s the same size all the time - huge.

She’s been eating, drinking and pooping pretty regularly but today is just uninterested in anything I offer.
I can tell she’s uncomfortable - tail down, her poop is mostly water liquid, not much movement (her crop is so full balance is a huge issue) and just not “perky”. I feel so awful that she’s not feeling well and I think I’ve finally reached my maximum but I just can’t bring myself to call it quits.

What do I do here?? What would you do??
I’m very much a “chicken aren’t pets” type person but I want to make sure I’ve tried my hardest to save her.

For background, I’ve tried generic monsitat twice a day, coconut oil with crop massages 3 times a day (when able - the cuts on her crop have made that difficult), plain Greek yogurt, corid in her water, seclusion from others and initially we limited the food availability.
I’ve also tried two different crop bras and they help to hold her crop but offset her balance so much she either just falls or backs up into a corner for support

 

[MysteryChicken]

Pictures of the bird?

You sure it's sour crop, does her breath smell sour?

You say it's hanging, so she probably has Pendulous crop, which would need a crop bra to support it.

 

[LaFleche]

Would having your vet perform a crop surgery be an option?

What does her poop look like and when did you last deworm?

 

[clairhoffman]

Pictures of the bird?

You sure it's sour crop, does her breath smell sour?

You say it's hanging, so she probably has Pendulous crop, which would need a crop bra to support it.

This is her right now - you can see she just pooped and it’s already absorbed into the towel.
There’s no doubt she has pendulous crop but crop bras aren’t working. I put the bra on and she flails around until she gets to a corner and increases the risk of cutting herself.
Her breath is sour and crop is massive. It’s not hard like impacted and I can see it contracting at times. As weird as it sounds, you can hear her “digesting”.
I have compared her crop to my other 1 year old chickens and 2 other 18-20 weekers (of a different breed). It’s like softball size and easily fills my hand at all times.

 

[clairhoffman]

Would having your vet perform a crop surgery be an option?

As bad as it sounds, not likely. I’d love to help her but at the end of the day, she’s a chicken not a family member.
I know that’s a super touchy subject around here but we’re just not chicken “pet” type people.

 

[MysteryChicken]

This is her right now - you can see she just pooped and it’s already absorbed into the towel.
There’s no doubt she has pendulous crop but crop bras aren’t working. I put the bra on and she flails around until she gets to a corner and increases the risk of cutting herself.
Her breath is sour and crop is massive. It’s not hard like impacted and I can see it contracting at times. As weird as it sounds, you can hear her “digesting”.
I have compared her crop to my other 1 year old chickens and 2 other 18-20 weekers (of a different breed). It’s like softball size and easily fills my hand at all times.

Leave the crop bra on. It will help, it takes time for a bird to get used to it. Like within a day, or two.
Hens freak out the first time wearing a saddle, but stop fighting it after awhile of wearing it.

 

[LaFleche]

As bad as it sounds, not likely. I’d love to help her but at the end of the day, she’s a chicken not a family member.
I know that’s a super touchy subject around here but we’re just not chicken “pet” type people.

That is perfectly fine, don't worry.

We have all kinds of BYC members and opinions which is how it should be.

Has she ever laid an egg and if so, did she have trouble in doing so? Strong or brittle egg shells?

 

[clairhoffman]

Would having your vet perform a crop surgery be an option?

What does her poop look like and when did you last deworm?

Haven’t de-wormed. We were just about to introduce our 3 chicks to our bigger flock then all of this started.

That is perfectly fine, don't worry.

We have all kinds of BYC members and opinions which is how it should be.

Has she ever laid an egg and if so, did she have trouble in doing so? Strong or brittle egg shells?

That is perfectly fine, don't worry.

We have all kinds of BYC members and opinions which is how it should be.

Has she ever laid an egg and if so, did she have trouble in doing so? Strong or brittle egg shells?

I’m sorry I’ve replied to you in parts.
She has not laid an egg.
I haven’t dewormed her. We were just about to introduce her and our other two “chicks” to the bigger flock then all of this started.
Her poop over the last few days has been changing but all normal. This morning it’s very very water though. Nothing noted in her poop ever

 

[LaFleche]

Haven’t de-wormed. We were just about to introduce our 3 chicks to our bigger flock then all of this started.

I’m sorry I’ve replied to you in parts.
She has not laid an egg.
I haven’t dewormed her. We were just about to introduce her and our other two “chicks” to the bigger flock then all of this started.
Her poop over the last few days has been changing but all normal. This morning it’s very very water though. Nothing noted in her poop ever

Sometimes the crop issues start when something else further down is amiss.

How does her lower abdomen look and feel, is it swollen, hard or bloated? Or does she rather feel emaciated when palpating allover?

You can try deworming as it can help in case she has a parasite induced obstruction.

 

[FunClucks]

Have you tried using a crop bra? Sounds like that's what is needed here to stabilize a pendulous crop.

However, crop bras are not easy to keep up with, although it might help protect from injury. For how long you've been treating, and the challenges this chicken has had, if it's time for her to join the coop in the sky, then it's time.

Is there a possibility she could pass along her faulty genetics into your flock? Because all of these issues - propensity towards sour crop, pendulous crop, and balance issues/body mechanics - have a genetic component. I would not want to let her contribute offspring into your gene pool if I could avoid it.