My chicken is opening her mouth and almost gagging!

[Vanessarae]

hi there, I have a broody hen that has just hatched 5 chicks in the middle of winter! We have brought everyone inside but before we did our hen started moving her neck forward and opening her mouth and trying to swallow. I kind of tipped her forward and all this water came out. Her crop feels like it has quite a bit of fluid in it. I just lost a hen about 2 weeks ago to sour crop and we are just devastated. Is this the beginning of it or am I over reacting?! I don't want to lose another one especially a new momma!

 

[Beer can]

hi there, I have a broody hen that has just hatched 5 chicks in the middle of winter! We have brought everyone inside but before we did our hen started moving her neck forward and opening her mouth and trying to swallow. I kind of tipped her forward and all this water came out. Her crop feels like it has quite a bit of fluid in it. I just lost a hen about 2 weeks ago to sour crop and we are just devastated. Is this the beginning of it or am I over reacting?! I don't want to lose another one especially a new momma!

Hopefully your over reacting, I have no experience with sour crop, but have dealt with a impacted one once. Broody hens can do some funky things, keep in mind she just sat with minimal food and water for weeks. Wouldn't hurt to feed her a little greek yogurt, Chobani is some good stuff, lots of protein and tons of beneficial bacteria. Keep a close eye on her, everything may be just fine, like I said broodies go through a lot and take a while to straighten out after setting, hopefully that's all it is.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

@Hen Pen Jem has a recipe for a crop tincture you can make. It uses a drop of oregano oil, olive and coconut oil and yogurt. I just saw it today.

It does sound like she's blocked from being able to pass her food out of the crop. There's a great article I commented on yesterday that details crop issues and how to treat them. It's really, really good, but I can't seem to find it anywhere.

So hopefully someone knows the one I'm talking about and can post a link here.

 

[Valoradia]

At this time of night her crop would be full from eating all day, they digest overnight . Do you smell anything around her beak? Crop should be firm, is it squishy? Has she been eating and drinking ok?

 

[Vanessarae]

At this time of night her crop would be full from eating all day, they digest overnight . Do you smell anything around her beak? Crop should be firm, is it squishy? Has she been eating and drinking ok?

It is squishy. She has been brooding and her babies only hatched 2 days ago so she has t really eaten to much. No smell yet but my other girl didn't develop a smell for 3 days. And by that point it was to late. I am going to try this recipe. Ugh I hope I'm over reacting.

 

[Vanessarae]

@Hen Pen Jem has a recipe for a crop tincture you can make. It uses a drop of oregano oil, olive and coconut oil and yogurt. I just saw it today.

It does sound like she's blocked from being able to pass her food out of the crop. There's a great article I commented on yesterday that details crop issues and how to treat them. It's really, really good, but I can't seem to find it anywhere.

So hopefully someone knows the one I'm talking about and can post a link here.

Oh I forgot you find it I would love to read it. I will try that recipe first thing tomorrow

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings Vanessarae,

Here is my crop tonic recipe. I hope it is helpful. Hopefully, your little mama will be fine today.

If she is that's great! But, I have found that keeping some Oregano oil, Powdered Goldenseal and Echinacea, are the most valuable herbs to treat many illnesses in poultry, dogs and people, too.

Crop Tonic:
1 tsp. thick yogurt with at least 3 bacteria cultures in it.
1 drop, Oregano Oil
4 drops Coconut Oil, melted or Olive Oil or Grapeseed Oil
4 drops water

Mix in a shot glass, stir well, and administer 1 mL, orally with syringe.

Make sure you purchased Oregano Oil and not Oregano Essential Oil. There is a difference. Oregano Oil is already diluted and ready to use.

You can still use Essential Oil, but it has to be diluted in Olive Oil. You would use 2 drops of Oregano Essential Oil to 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, shake well, save in a glass bottle or container. Now, it is regular Oregano Oil.

Check the bottle to make sure what you have. Oregano Oil is a powerful healing herb. Just the tiniest amount works well, for people and animals.

I have never had to administer the crop tonic more than two times, one dose once a day, two days in a row. The chicken recovered quickly from sour crop.

God Bless.

 

[Vanessarae]

Greetings Vanessarae,

Here is my crop tonic recipe. I hope it is helpful. Hopefully, your little mama will be fine today.

If she is that's great! But, I have found that keeping some Oregano oil, Powdered Goldenseal and Echinacea, are the most valuable herbs to treat many illnesses in poultry, dogs and people, too.

Crop Tonic:
1 tsp. thick yogurt with at least 3 bacteria cultures in it.
1 drop, Oregano Oil
4 drops Coconut Oil, melted or Olive Oil or Grapeseed Oil
4 drops water

Mix in a shot glass, stir well, and administer 1 mL, orally with syringe.

Make sure you purchased Oregano Oil and not Oregano Essential Oil. There is a difference. Oregano Oil is already diluted and ready to use.

You can still use Essential Oil, but it has to be diluted in Olive Oil. You would use 2 drops of Oregano Essential Oil to 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, shake well, save in a glass bottle or container. Now, it is regular Oregano Oil.

Check the bottle to make sure what you have. Oregano Oil is a powerful healing herb. Just the tiniest amount works well, for people and animals.

I have never had to administer the crop tonic more than two times, one dose once a day, two days in a row. The chicken recovered quickly from sour crop.

God Bless.

Thank you very very much!

 

[R1V3R20NG]

i am actually dealing with sour crop right now in one of my hens. I have been treating her with 7 day monistat twice a day at a dose of 0.5 milliliters each dose. Only 3 days of treatment though. It really works! It kills the yeast that is growing in her crop.You give it to her through her beak, its a bit challenging to get them to do that. If your hen is familiar with eating yogurt, just put it right on top so she eats it first. Feed her only yogurt, mealworms, and water based fruits such as melons. Put apple cider vinegar in the water. Best of luck!