Large Squishy crop, help with treatment

[orion141]

Hi! I have an Easter egger who is about 1 year old. This morning I noticed what appears to be pendulous crop. She acts healthy and laid an egg yesterday. I felt the crop and it feels very squishy. For a long time (months) she has had these interesting sideways head movements. From what I've been reading pendulous crop doesn't really require treatment is that true? How can I differentiate it from sour crop?

Edited to add these comments. She still appears to be healthy. This morning i got to her right after she made it out of the coop and it appeared that she still had the large squishy/doughy crop. She is acting mostly normally. Do you all think that I should isolate her tonight to see how her pooping is and maybe treat her empirically for sour crop? Her breath didn't really smell when i just opened her beak, however when I was massaging her crop i did get one single whiff of a not so pleasant odor. I was going to try to give some monistat today and try to avoid vomiting her since I really dont want her to aspirate and she is mostly acting fine.

 

[orion141]

Any thoughts?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Does her breath smell?
What type of foods/treats do you feed?
Does she have access to grit?

Did she have access to food/water before you checked the crop in the am?

@TwoCrows article https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments is very comprehensive on crop issues and treatment.

Here is some additional information and reading for you:

Pendulous Crop:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2016/02/pendulous-crop-in-backyard-chickens.html

Sour/Impacted/Slow Crop:
http://www.tillysnest.com/2012/01/crop-issues-html/
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2014/06/chicken-anatomy-crop-impacted-crop-sour.html
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/answers-from-chicken-vet-on-impacted.html

 

[orion141]

Does her breath smell?
What type of foods/treats do you feed?
Does she have access to grit?

Did she have access to food/water before you checked the crop in the am?

@TwoCrows
article https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments  is very comprehensive on crop issues and treatment.

Here is some additional information and reading for you:

Pendulous Crop:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2016/02/pendulous-crop-in-backyard-chickens.html

Sour/Impacted/Slow Crop:
http://www.tillysnest.com/2012/01/crop-issues-html/
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2014/06/chicken-anatomy-crop-impacted-crop-sour.html
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/answers-from-chicken-vet-on-impacted.html

I'll have to check her breath. She is still laying and appears healthy.

Yes she does have access to food and water in the morning before I get to her she has been free ranging some and getting grass that way. I've also been giving them boss, kale in a suet cage and dried meal worms. Occasionally I throw grass clippings in their run for the deep litter method. They have access to grit in their run. It seems like not much I can do except a crop bra? I'm gonna give her some yogurt as well and avoid any treats for now. Does that all sound reasonable? Thanks!

 

[orion141]

Her breath does not smell. I massaged her crop for a few and it doesn't feel hard, just feels a little doughy and like there is some soft "stuff" in there. Hopefully this isn't a problem in the long run.... I guess time will tell.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'll have to check her breath. She is still laying and appears healthy.

Yes she does have access to food and water in the morning before I get to her she has been free ranging some and getting grass that way. I've also been giving them boss, kale in a suet cage and dried meal worms. Occasionally I throw grass clippings in their run for the deep litter method. They have access to grit in their run. It seems like not much I can do except a crop bra? I'm gonna give her some yogurt as well and avoid any treats for now. Does that all sound reasonable? Thanks!

Can you post some photos or a video of what she and her crop looks like?

You will want to evaluate how well her crop is functioning. Feel the crop when she goes to bed (roosting), then feel it first thing in the am - before she eats or drinks. She should have a full crop at night and empty one in the am. If she eats or drinks before you re-check then you won't have an accurate read on how it's functioning.

If it's dough look at the link I provided in my previous post, TwoCrows article addressed that and treatment is listed.

 

[orion141]

Here are pictures of penelope (the easter egger with the large crop). I am thinking of bringing her into the house tonight in a wire dog crate and trying either monistat or the cinnamon/baking soda/lemon juice/ginger concoction that TwoCrows recommended above. I have seen her drinking and eating some today while I was outside (hopefully thats a good sign). She has also laid 2 eggs in the last four days (pretty good considering it has been >90 degrees that last few days). It makes me nervous to make things worse by isolating her and forcing meds down her mouth when she appears to be acting mostly normal.

What would you all do?

Thanks!

 

[orion141]

Well I brought her inside, gave her yogurt water and layer feed. I also gave her a dose of monistat per the two crows post. She has already pooped 4 times today since bringing her in. I'm wondering if my two crop massages helped her some. Her poop has both a solid and a watery component. She ate up all the yogurt and some of the layer pellets.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Well I brought her inside, gave her yogurt water and layer feed. I also gave her a dose of monistat per the two crows post. She has already pooped 4 times today since bringing her in. I'm wondering if my two crop massages helped her some. Her poop has both a solid and a watery component. She ate up all the yogurt and some of the layer pellets.

Sounds like you are making progress

Let us know how it goes.

 

[Justagurllll]

Some chickens just have more prominent crops then others .. If it isn't hard and she isn't acting any differently then I wouldn't do anything at all ... The last time I had one with sour crop it was obvious.. She just laid around all day long which wasn't her normal self