I'm pretty sure my hen has sour crop, need advice

[casportpony]

And I would probably add some corn syrup to her water, 'cause I bet she's a little hypoglycemic from a week of not eating properly.

-Kathy

Just thought I should be a clearer about this... I would add the corn syrup to the water that I was going to tube into her, not a drinking container.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Supportive Care
SICK-BIRD ENCLOSURES
Sick birds are often hypothermic and should be placed
in heated (brooder-type) enclosures


b (Fig 7.7) in a quiet
environment (see Chapter 1, Clinical Practice). A temperature
of 85° F (29° C) with 70% humidity is desirable
for most sick birds. If brooders are not equipped with a
humidity source, placing a small dish of water in the
enclosure will often supply adequate humidity. A moist
towel that is heated and placed on the bottom of a cage
or incubator rapidly humidifies the environment, as indicated​

by the fogging of the acrylic cage front.

FLUID THERAPY
Oral Administration
Oral administration is the ideal method of giving fluids.
This method is more commonly used in mildly dehydrated
birds or in conjunction with subcutaneous (SC)
or intravenous (IV) therapy. Oral rehydration (30 ml/kg
PO q 6-8 h) also may be used in larger birds (eg, waterfowl)
that are difficult to restrain for parenteral fluid​

therapy.

ORAL NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
Below are listed some of the oral nutritional supplements
that can be gavage-fed to debilitated birds. Various
hand-feeding formulas are on the market and, as a
whole, are far superior to the homemade formulas used
decades ago that contained monkey biscuits, peanut butter
and ground seeds. Commercially available hand-feeding
formulas for baby birds are often utilized in the treatment
of sick and debilitated adult birds. The quantity
that can be fed at one time to a sick bird is greatly
reduced from that of baby birds. On the average, a baby
parrot can accommodate 10% of its body weight per
feeding due to the elasticity of the crop and its rapid
emptying. Adult birds have a greatly decreased crop
capacity, averaging 3% of their body weight. Additionally,
sick birds are less tolerant of food in the crop and care
must be taken to avoid regurgitation and/or aspiration.
A sick or debilitated bird should always have its
hydration corrected prior to attempting to initiate​

oral gavage-feeding.

 

[Chicken15]

Well, she passed away some time last night. I found her with lying with fluid around her beak and a puddle on the floor under her. At least now she doesn't have to suffer anymore, she's had a good run I guess...

 

[TwoCrows]

Chicken15, I am so so sorry about your hen. At least she is no longer suffering. I hope you are able to get past her passing, I know how hard it is. Many hugs to you...

 

[casportpony]

Well, she passed away some time last night. I found her with lying with fluid around her beak and a puddle on the floor under her. At least now she doesn't have to suffer anymore, she's had a good run I guess...

Sorry for your loss. FYI, the fluid around her beak and under her was just part of the death process.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Since there may be others with similar issues following this thread I thought I should post what I would do.

This is just how I would *start* treatment. The hard part is figuring out what is causing the slow down or impaction and treating it.

• Bring hen inside and do a thorough exam which includes checking the inside or the cloaca for cancer, ascites, masses, eggs, etc. Any of these can cause a bowel obstruction which can lead to a slow or impacted crop.
• Set hen up in a cage with access to heat, water and crumbles, no seed.
• Weigh hen daily.
• Dust for mites and lice with a proper poultry dust even if you cannot see any, DE does not work.
• De-worm with fenbendazole 20mg/kg by mouth 3 days in a row, parasites can also cause obstructions.
• Tube fluids at 30ml/kg every 6-8 hours as long as the majority of fluid clears the crop.
• Inspect poop.
• Once hydrated, tube baby bird food at 30ml/kg every 6-8 hours as long as the majority of the crop clears.
• Re-evaluate bird.

-Kathy

 

[Eggcessive]

Since there may be others with similar issues following this thread I thought I should post what I would do.

This is just how I would *start* treatment. They hard part is figuring out what is causing the slow down or impaction and treating it.

• Bring hen inside and do a thorough exam which includes checking the inside or the cloaca for cancer, ascites, masses, eggs, etc. Any of these can cause a bowel obstruction which can lead to a slow or impacted crop.
• Set hen up in a cage with access to heat, water and crumbles, no seed.
• Weigh hen daily.
• Dust for mites and lice with a proper poultry dust even if you cannot see any, DE does not work.
• De-worm with fenbendazole 20mg/kg by mouth 3 days in a row, parasites can also cause obstructions.
• Tube fluids at 30mg/kg every 6-8 hours as long as the majority of fluid clears the crop.
• Inspect poop.
• Once hydrated, tube baby bird food at 30mg/kg every 6-8 hours as long as the majority of the crop clears.
• Re-evaluate bird.

-Kathy

I think you meant tube feed fluid at 30 ml per kg, didn't you?

 

[casportpony]

I think you meant tube feed fluid at 30 ml per kg, didn't you?

Yes! Thank you!

-Kathy

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Well, she passed away some time last night. I found her with lying with fluid around her beak and a puddle on the floor under her. At least now she doesn't have to suffer anymore, she's had a good run I guess...

I'm very sorry your hen did not make it. You certainly made an effort to nurse her back to health. Thank you for sharing your experience with BYC, I will be more aware of sour crop and impacted crop.

 

[sbrooks88]

I've had a rooster sick for 3 weeks. He has green poop. Lost a lot of weight. I mean...a lot. He is all bone now. I feed him mashed egg with a syringe without a needle 3x per day. He is so weak he can't stand up so I exercise his legs and feet for him. And have a pillow so he can prop his head. I have treated him with antibiotics. No improvement. I've treated him for worms. No improvement and I've treated him with corid. And no improvement. At all. None. He is breathing heavy like gasping. He refuses water and eveything else hence the syringe feeding. His crop is nowhere to be found. I know it's there obviously I've had chickens for a long time but it doesn't get full enough to really stand out. It doesn't feel like a balloon it just feels like nothing's there at all. I need some advice fast because I am going to send my baby to rooster heaven soon because this just seems like its not gettin better. I can't deal with him suffering anymore. I need to know if there's anything else I can do or if it even sounds like sour crop. He has no smell coming from his beak area. Yesterday it smelled a little "sweet" but he ate some apple baby food. I really hope someone here can help. and his face isn't red anymore. It white. Like a tan color. He just sits there all puffed up. I'm crying just thinking about him