Impacted crop gone now, but still not right hen

[Ciqala]

My hen, Shirley, who's been in the house the last few days due to an impacted crop finally woke up this morning with it empty. She made some poops yesterday that were quite firm, I'm assuming she was passing the fibrous things that impacted her. Yesterday she was drinking on her own finally and acting more normal {not so lethargic}.

Today she does not seem interested in drinking, or eating, is pooping more normal looking poops but is stretching her neck and squiggling it a bit every now and then. Does this mean she's developing sour crop now as a result of all this? Should I start her on antibiotics or something to nip this in the bud?

 

[Eggcessive]

I'm not experienced with crop issues except for reading about them, but I know there can be problems further down the line with gizzard impaction, and yes, with sour crop developing after impaction. Many sites recommend Nystatin to be give, but it requires a prescription. However, Mediastatin is the same drug available online. A fellow BYCer has also treated with Fluconazole, a drug used for yeast infections. The equivalent is also available in Canada without a prescription as Canesoral, also online.

 

[Ciqala]

Update: Shirley was still doing the snakey head/neck thing a couple of times today and still had poor eating/drinking, so I called my horse vet to inquire about her and lo and behold they take care of chickens too

So she was seen by the vet this afternoon, her crop was down when the vet examined her which didn't surprise me 'cuz she didn't eat much today. But they tubed her and got lots of water into her {something I wouldn't have been comfortable doing myself for sure} and want her to continue to stay separated, eating soft foods and on antibiotics. So that's where we're at with this. Eggcessive, thank you, you've been very helpful to me with health concerns a few times and I appreciate that.

 

[Eggcessive]

You are very welcome, and I'm really glad your vet takes care of chickens. Hopefully, Shirley will get better, but crop problems sound like they can take awhile to get over.

 

[Country4ever]

Just curious.......if it is sour crop, wouldn't antibiotics make it worse?

 

[Eggcessive]

Sometimes there can be a fungal problem, sometimes bacterial. What antibiotic is she on? And did the vet think it was sour crop?

 

[Ciqala]

I don't know Country4ever, I've only been keeping chickens since last Spring and this is all new to me. Will it? Maybe I should give it a few days and see how it goes with her, just in case? Things are eventually moving through the crop better each day, I would like to see her interest in food/water better. And for her to stop this snakey head/neck thing she's doing every now and then, like she's trying to move things along herself.

 

[Ciqala]

With her crop pretty much empty at the time of examination, she didn't think it was a bad impaction problem nor sour crop. They said they "could" tube her with water if I wanted, so I took them up on it since we were there. They want her on Tylan, which I haven't started her on yet. I just put her right in her big crate as she'd been through enough this afternoon and figured I'd start tomorrow with the meds.... if I should.

 

[Eggcessive]

Well, if you notice they are many differing opinions on what causes sour crop--fungal infection or rotting food stuck in the crop. But, since her crop was empty, she may not have it because most people say they are full and squishy. I might try the vet's suggestions to give the Tylan for a few days to see if it helps. You can get the Medistatin online, and if you need it, you will have it. http://www.jedds.com/-strse-651/MEDISTATIN-100-g-(Medpet)/Detail.bok

 

[Country4ever]

Ciqala............When you say she's moving her head around........is she opening her mouth too? I was just wondering about gapeworm.