Into 2nd week of treatment for sour/doughy crop; next steps?

[EleventhHour]

I have an approx. 2-1/2 year old olive egger, Hershey. I had noticed her a couple weeks ago acting standoffish and discovered her large, squishy crop, which did not empty overnight. Her poop was mostly liquid. With crop manipulation, I could hear popping/bubbles in the crop and she had smelly "burps".

She is quite thin, but still showing interest in eating, drinking and foraging with her flock. She was/is not currently laying. As sassy as always (the photo is her finding her "happy place" while being massaged). Comb color looks good. She has been dewormed.

I did a week of 2x daily 2% Equate miconazole yeast treatment, and tried a couple days of crushed papaya enzymes tabs to help loosen the crop contents, plus 2x-3x daily crop massages. She started refusing to eat in confinement, so I returned her to the flock during the latter half of the week while continuing to treat.

Today, her poops, though on the small side, look normal. I am happy to see food getting "through". However, the crop still refuses to clear by morning. Size is somewhat smaller, but remains roughly the size of a small kiwi fruit.

I realize she may have deeper issues creating the crop slowness, but I can only do what I can do, and I am able to continue to encourage the crop to empty. I have taken her out of flock free ranging for a couple days, keeping her on an all-flock pellet mash and hard boiled egg with a little Nutridrench for strength as I reassess. Just wondering how I should continue.

Should I continue the yeast treatment, perhaps more aggressively? I also have acidified copper sulfate on hand. I am also considering a crop bra (though she doesn't seem "pendulous", maybe some constant support will help the crop clear)? OR I can try the nuclear option (Epsom salt flush). Thanks in advance.

 

[charlie1051]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

I had this happen a few years back and I wish I'd have gone with the nuke option....cause my hen died. I tried fixing her as best I could but I was in the middle of my Ag season and wasn't able to give her 100% attention.

Best of luck to ya

 

[EleventhHour]

Some good news to report...of course the morning after I wrote my long post...she exited the coop with an empty crop

For the previous 2-3 days I had only been treating with massage and half a papaya enzyme pill each day, and no free-ranging, just regular feed.

I'm sure this molting season had her all out of sorts (all of my chickens have been pretty blah this fall), but now I am hoping she can regain weight and resume/finish molting before winter.

 

[CrystalAnon]

I have an approx. 2-1/2 year old olive egger, Hershey. I had noticed her a couple weeks ago acting standoffish and discovered her large, squishy crop, which did not empty overnight. Her poop was mostly liquid. With crop manipulation, I could hear popping/bubbles in the crop and she had smelly "burps".

She is quite thin, but still showing interest in eating, drinking and foraging with her flock. She was/is not currently laying. As sassy as always (the photo is her finding her "happy place" while being massaged). Comb color looks good. She has been dewormed.

I did a week of 2x daily 2% Equate miconazole yeast treatment, and tried a couple days of crushed papaya enzymes tabs to help loosen the crop contents, plus 2x-3x daily crop massages. She started refusing to eat in confinement, so I returned her to the flock during the latter half of the week while continuing to treat.

Today, her poops, though on the small side, look normal. I am happy to see food getting "through". However, the crop still refuses to clear by morning. Size is somewhat smaller, but remains roughly the size of a small kiwi fruit.

I realize she may have deeper issues creating the crop slowness, but I can only do what I can do, and I am able to continue to encourage the crop to empty. I have taken her out of flock free ranging for a couple days, keeping her on an all-flock pellet mash and hard boiled egg with a little Nutridrench for strength as I reassess. Just wondering how I should continue.

Should I continue the yeast treatment, perhaps more aggressively? I also have acidified copper sulfate on hand. I am also considering a crop bra (though she doesn't seem "pendulous", maybe some constant support will help the crop clear)? OR I can try the nuclear option (Epsom salt flush). Thanks in advance.

I gave my hen the “nuclear option” today. I tried all the other things. I’m hoping we’ll have a major blowout (the best kind) and her crop will finally be emptied out! She’s been stuck inside for about a week now.
My mom is coming here for my birthday & we have a trip planned for just two nights! Need to get things going! My husband does not know what to do for her, and he has to work. So I’m praying this will work!

 

[CrystalAnon]

Some good news to report...of course the morning after I wrote my long post...she exited the coop with an empty crop

For the previous 2-3 days I had only been treating with massage and half a papaya enzyme pill each day, and no free-ranging, just regular feed.

I'm sure this molting season had her all out of sorts (all of my chickens have been pretty blah this fall), but now I am hoping she can regain weight and resume/finish molting before winter.

Also bought some papaya enzyme chewable pills. Should arrive tomorrow. She is so lively… wants to eat & drink constantly, regardless of her huge crop! Hoping she will eat the papaya enzyme pills willingly.