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

[TwoCrows]

Check her again in the morning and even if she feels empty, vomit her anyway. If there is nothing in the crop, then nothing will come out. If there is anything at all in it, then out it will come. You will have to be diligent for the next several days and vomit her every morning. If you notice she is not eating and her crop is getting really bloated during the day, you might need to vomit her again, however that is only if she is definitely not eating and the crop is filling with gunk.

I will be keeping my fingers crossed that she heals soon.

 

[Chicken15]

Yep yep yep! She's really draining all my energy with all the extra attention, my hens are normally self reliant. I need her to start healing up soon. I guess I should have kept her vomiting these past few days. Just another day at the hen hospital.

 

[SheriLee]

I have just finished reading this entire thread. Lots of great info. My favorite 14 week old hen laid her first egg yesterday, healthy and great. Today she laid a soft egg, which had to be discarded. She was not herself, just standing there. Not like her at all. She is very vocal and friendly. I picked her up and put her in my lap and just happen to feel her crop and it was swishy. So I'm thinking I've got the same issue.Hope your girl is better. I will try to get mine to vomit tomorrow. Good luck - I will keep following!!!

 

[TwoCrows]

Chicken15, how is she this morning? I really think it is time to start adding some sort of probiotics or something else to her water to begin to help healing her crop. It obviously needs good bacteria to get it started moving again and be able to store food without it going bad. Either some probiotics, even human grade is fine or apple cider vinegar. Either of these will help heal the crop.

SheriLee, I hope your girl heals up soon as well. The quicker these things are caught and treated, the faster they get back to good health. Letting a bad crop go too long, and it throws the entire GI tract off, causing the crop to slow down even more.

 

[Chicken15]

This morning her crop *felt* empty (apparently I have bad judgement?). So I tried to vomit her but I couldn't, normally when there's something to vomit I can get a good feel of the crop to get he contents out. I already have added Heinz apple cider vinegar to the water a couple days ago.

 

[TwoCrows]

Her crop lining is probably swollen. But at least there was nothing in there. Until you can go a few mornings with nothing coming up, keep up with the morning vomiting. The apple cider vinegar will start to turn her system alkaline in a few days and will help heal up the crop.

How is she otherwise? Is her energy returning? Her appetite? Her poop? I sure hope she is starting to feel better.

Oh, and make sure to make new apple cider vinegar water every day as it can spoil.

 

[casportpony]

Has she been weighed yet? FYI, just because there is no odor does not mean that there is no infection, that is a fact.

-Kathy

 

[TwoCrows]

Has she been weighed yet? FYI, just because there is no odor does not mean that there is no infection, that is a fact.

-Kathy

Absolutely true! That is why I am a firm believer in starting up with apple cider vinegar or probios in the water the moment a chicken has a crop issue.

Delaying treatment, only delays the healing. And I hope all the people reading this post start in with one of these additions to the water the day they find their bird with a crop problem for faster recovery and less suffering on the birds part. Human as well.

 

[TwoCrows]

How is she this evening Chicken15? Any improvement?

 

[CrunchyNana]

I'm stuck on this thread and don't even have my hens yet lol. I'm trying to learn what I can now so if something crops up I can, hopefully, be on top of it. While we are waiting to hear how the hen is... what causes this? I plan to free-range {safely} my hens, we won't really have grass per se... we have things like chickweed {in abundance}, dandelions, hensbit, etc. + I plan to give them whole grains with access to grit of course. I've started my meal worms {for winter really}, and will do some sprouting of fodder for winter also, they will prob get ACV w/ the mother routinely in their water {I'm going to start making my own batches for us and the doggies anyway}, along with some kiefer as well... so now I'm concerned with this crop issue. Should I be? Or just be aware?
Thanks!