Molting hen with crop issues

[guest226]

As of right now we’re doing minimal interventions compared to before. I happen to have metoclopramide (Reglan) that I’ve been giving her 2x a day that is sometimes used to help a slow crop, a stool softener 2x a day just for a few days since she’s not empty in the morning and it’s hard right now, and massaging a few times a day… but so far no change. Sadly I know that if the crop doesn’t start moving and emptying it will turn sour… again… and we’ll be dealing with that back and forth cycle. We do not plan on doing surgery again or syringe feeding like that. We adore her, but it’s no way to live for her or for us. I just keep hoping she’ll turn a corner and get better, but I realize that may not happen. Has anything helped with yours? Has the crop stasis made it go sour?

Is your hen's molt a hard molt or soft molt? my hen lost her feathers within the span of like, 2 days. So it kind of shocked her system. I didnt notice any behavioral changes and the hard molts shes had in the past really didnt do anything like this.

What about your hens poop, how is it looking?

 

[TinaRew]

Is your hen's molt a hard molt or soft molt? my hen lost her feathers within the span of like, 2 days. So it kind of shocked her system. I didnt notice any behavioral changes and the hard molts shes had in the past really didnt do anything like this.

What about your hens poop, how is it looking?

I’m sorry for the late reply! I don’t think it’s as particularly hard as some I’ve seen… but it’s hard on her for sure. But it’s also hard to tell… right now she looks like a pokey drowned rat, lol. Her poop shows she’s dehydrated… same as last year when we dealt with this. Ugh

 

[TinaRew]

I'm sorry for your struggles, I understand. My hens issues always make me feel horribly stressed.

Her crop is not sour and somehow has not been sour for these 3 weeks. i think since she is still eating, food is slowly exiting but quickly piling back up before she can poop it out. I might do a food fast for a couple hours this weekend, but argh im so frustrated! May I ask where you got Reglan? I'm interested in a stool softener. Has it caused any side effects in your hen?

I like to make sure my hen is hydrated and I give her half a spoonful of coconut oil that she eats out of the spoon. Then for about 5-10 minutes each afternoon before she sleeps and sometimes in the morning I massage her crop. It is usually hard before I start massaging. I go in circles with my palm/fingers and i gently try to support the crop in a slight upwards motion, as the drainage point is a bit high up in her crop. but since your hens crop is bordering on sour I would be very careful that she doesnt regurgitate, which can be dangerous.

I've heard things about monistat for sour crop, although I have not really dealt with it myself.

For all 4 years i've had hens, I have never experienced such crop issues and I definitely did not know molts can cause such crazy reactions! From what i've read and what I had been told by the vet, it can be a mix of wacky hormones, energy going to the feathers and not the digestion, worms, intestine blockages, or anything. But since both of our hens are molting... I think thats the cause of our problems sorry for the long rant, im just really frustrated as well!

So the Reglan was actually mine I was put on years ago. After dealing with this last year, her vet and I decided to try it. I cut it up into very small pieces to be as close to the dosage she would be on based by weight, but it’s not exact. Then I give her that 2x a day. If you have access to the shot of it, that may work better. Personally I don’t notice it working… but I keep it up in desperation to help her. I haven’t noticed any side effects with the stool softener, but I’m only giving that 1x a day for a few days (I haven’t done it in a few).

Yes, it’s crazy what these molts do to our most sensitive hens! I’m so over the crop issues and honestly it just seems to not get better and we hang in limbo. I’ve withheld food several times, but she needs to eat and since it’s not getting better it’s not a long term fix. She’s always smaller in the morning, but not empty. I think she has gone sour now so we start monistat again tomorrow. It’s a vicious cycle.

 

[guest226]

I’m sorry for the late reply! I don’t think it’s as particularly hard as some I’ve seen… but it’s hard on her for sure. But it’s also hard to tell… right now she looks like a pokey drowned rat, lol. Her poop shows she’s dehydrated… same as last year when we dealt with this. Ugh

My hen's crop just feels super full of feed. I'm planning on fasting her and giving her a liquid only diet for now, also I might take her into the house for the day. I might start Copper sulfate treatment!

Is your hens poop very watery or very dry?

For some reason, my hen started having a pale/purplish comb... I don't think she has breathing issues, but I suppose nutritional deficiencies can make circulation bad. I'm gonna bring her inside because it is pretty cold outside, and she seems chilly

 

[TinaRew]

My hen's crop just feels super full of feed. I'm planning on fasting her and giving her a liquid only diet for now, also I might take her into the house for the day. I might start Copper sulfate treatment!

Is your hens poop very watery or very dry?

For some reason, my hen started having a pale/purplish comb... I don't think she has breathing issues, but I suppose nutritional deficiencies can make circulation bad. I'm gonna bring her inside because it is pretty cold outside, and she seems chilly

My girl’s poop is very watery, and she also has a purple comb. Last year when we went through this with her before, it went purple and shrunk up. I think it’s not as common, but it does happen! Part of it could be because all the blood is directed at the molting, but there’s no breathing issues with her that make me think it’s anything else.

 

[guest226]

My girl’s poop is very watery, and she also has a purple comb. Last year when we went through this with her before, it went purple and shrunk up. I think it’s not as common, but it does happen! Part of it could be because all the blood is directed at the molting, but there’s no breathing issues with her that make me think it’s anything else.

It’s relieving that we have the same experience I think it might be linked to lack of nutrients too. My hen finished growing back her feathers so that’s why i was a bit concerned

 

[TinaRew]

It’s possible! They definitely get malnourished… at least this one girl does anyway!

 

[guest226]

It’s possible! They definitely get malnourished… at least this one girl does anyway!

My girls comb today was pretty purple, so I took her inside and she is acting tired. I stopped copper sulfate because i didn’t know if it would make her issues worse of is she was handling it poorly. She’s on probiotics and vitamins in her water and she hasn’t pooped all day.

 

[TinaRew]

My girls comb today was pretty purple, so I took her inside and she is acting tired. I stopped copper sulfate because i didn’t know if it would make her issues worse of is she was handling it poorly. She’s on probiotics and vitamins in her water and she hasn’t pooped all day.

I’m so sorry. But don’t give up hope! We thought our girl was gonna die multiple times, but she’s been pretty resilient. You could stop the ACS for now and just do the Monistat instead - that is if you’re sure she’s sour crop? Does it feel more like an impaction? I would try giving the stool softener gel before bedtime, puncture it before giving to her, and then wait like 10 min and massage her crop for a few minutes before bed. That may help too. I find that has been helpful when I do it for our girl. She will have random days she’s empty by morning, but then I think she overeats her feed because I let her back with the others, and then she’s impacted again the next day. You can also try a cellulase enzyme or papaya enzyme to see if that helps. But if she’s impacted, causing the sour crop, you gotta address the sour first and then the impaction.

 

[guest226]

I’m so sorry. But don’t give up hope! We thought our girl was gonna die multiple times, but she’s been pretty resilient. You could stop the ACS for now and just do the Monistat instead - that is if you’re sure she’s sour crop? Does it feel more like an impaction? I would try giving the stool softener gel before bedtime, puncture it before giving to her, and then wait like 10 min and massage her crop for a few minutes before bed. That may help too. I find that has been helpful when I do it for our girl. She will have random days she’s empty by morning, but then I think she overeats her feed because I let her back with the others, and then she’s impacted again the next day. You can also try a cellulase enzyme or papaya enzyme to see if that helps. But if she’s impacted, causing the sour crop, you gotta address the sour first and then the impaction.

Unfortunately I don’t have monistat or any antifungal cream Her crop doesn’t feel sour, but sometimes it smells a bit sour. She has not had liquidy or gassy crop and has never vomited.

Her crop feels full and firm, but I do not feel an impaction. If anything it might be somewhere else. It’s hard to tell, though. I’m keeping her away from hard feed and only giving her soft stuff, and she’s being hand fed water with probiotics and electrolytes in it.