My golden campine has SOUR CROP! "UPDATED"

[FlockMama]

Hi all,

The day before yesterday I noticed my Golden Campine hen Porkus's crop was blown up like a balloon. My first reaction was that is was an Impacted Crop. I did a lot of research on the internet for impacted crop and sour crop. Yesterday morning I had brought her into the house in a "hospital cage". At this time I kept an eye on her to see how she acted. She was moving her neck like she was trying to get something down. Her crop was very blown up and mushy. Her breath was very sour (I will never forget the smell

). I rubbed her crop and noticed she would make gurgling noises then she would act like it was in her mouth.

Yesterday I gave her some ACV water but then realized that it isn't the kind you buy from the store.

I also gave her a few pieces of bread with olive oil on it.

Her attitude is fine and she is being a great chicken. Her comp seems a little like it is falling over but is still bright red. Her eyes are clear and look good but maybe a little worried. Her feathers are nice and I don't think she has lost too much weight. She is a pretty small bird as it is. She has been pooping and it almost looks grassy colored green and kinda firm, almost normal but not quite.She hasn't eaten today but wants to really bad. I don't think it has went down this morning, mabey just a little.
I don't know if maybe it started out as an impacted crop and has become a sour crop. She recently has been getting some whole kernel corn as a treat, like the corn you would give to birds, but it is hard and she is small. But being she is pooping I am wondering if maybe it was never impacted or it made it's way through. Right now she is in the hospital cage ready for action. I know she wants to be outside with her buddies, but she is also being a good girl inside too.

So here are my questions:
1. What do I do for sour crop.
2. I have been reading about flushing the crop and would like to know your opions and how to as well. I am pretty scared to do it!

3. Will the stuff in her crop eventually pass on its own or do I need to get it out of there.
4. Would she be pooping if it was impacted?
5. Should I be giving her yougart? I do usually once a week or so but haven't been in awhile.

Thanks for any imput on what to do in this situation. I think I have caught it early and would like to try and deal with it without going to the vet.

 

[NancyinAlaska]

In the Chicken Health Handbook it tells how to do surgery for this...I'd sure give it a go if I were you, if you absolutly can't cut into her yourself, get her to a vet ASAP. I have 2 golden campines and they are such friendly chatty girls I absolutly adore mine. Best of Luck....................Nancy

 

[FlockMama]

Thanks for the info but I am not ready to do surgery..... I was mostly wondering if I should flush it or try and get the sour crop to pass through her stomach. I don't really know what to do. I am calling around to vets etc and can't get any advice.

She is standing there waiting to be fed or let our or fixed and I don't know what to do.

Any more advice would really help.

(yes they are very chatty chickens, funny too!

)

 

[NancyinAlaska]

How's she doing? From everything I've read, you're going to have to cut her open.

ruth
Golden Feather Member

From: Woodville, MS
Registered: 07/08/2007
Posts: 3341
PM Website
View My BYC Page Re: Abcess....HELP!!I've treated that type of abcessed wound on many hens. I call them the "love bite" wounds. Make a small incision and dig out the "gunk". It will look like cooked egg yolk that has turned rubbery. Sometimes you can grab hold with a pair of tweezers and the whole hunk comes out as one piece. Then rinse out the wound, put some Neosporin in it, add a stitch or two to close (or superglue) and put her in a cage or kennel for a few days till the incision closes up. I've never treated with antibiotics and they always heal just fine.

It is just as others have said, they get abcessed pus that turns to "gunk" that must be dug out. The good news is that it doesn't continue "leaking" so once it's dug out, it doesn't normally reoccur (at least that's been experience over the past two years and I've treated LOTS of chickens). Since I have over 200, and they all freerange, someone's always got a boo boo.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Behold the fowls of the air...your heavenly Father feedeth them."
The Book of Ruth
The Chick Shell-A
The Residents of The Chick Shell-A


I copied this from a response I got when I had a problem with a hen. This lady told me how to do the surgery and treat my chicken. I even called her, got her # off her web-site, 601-888-7680, and she was happy to talk to me. She's in Mississippi, so 3 or 4 hrs behind us out here. www.bethelplantation.com Her screen name is Ruth, and you'll find out her real name for yourself. She really knows alot about treating it yourself. Keep me posted and I hope everything turns out well.

 

[cobrien]

I've only had one sour crop experience with a young chick, described here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=172434

I took her to the vet and she got an injection of metoclopramide (Reglan). The vet said it helps "move stuff through". Wonder if you can get some of this and administer yourself?

Before I took her to the vet, I massaged her crop as much as possible in a downward motion (to prevent regurgitation) and gave her ACV.

Good luck.

 

[FlockMama]

Hi and thanks for the responses.

Yesterday I did a "flush" on Porkus's crop. I used baking soda and water. I did it three times. I got a bunch of green smelly stuff out of her crop. I did it all very slowly and she was a really good bird. I was nervous about doing the whole thing so after three flushes I kept it at that. I had got her crop down 3/4 of the way. It didn't feel like a ballon again but I could feel all the gritty stuff in there. After doing this she also had a very good sized poop. Very grassy and green looking.

This morning when getting up (she is still in the house) she had pooped during the night and one of them looked almost normal. Her crop was not as small as last night but it wasn't as big as when I noticed the problem. So I didn't have much time to spend with her this morning before work so I gave her about a tbs of yougart. When coming home from work I could tell she had been drinking water and she also had pooped a bunch, the green and the white stuff. I felt her crop and yes it feels kind of squishy again. Her attitude hasn't changed a bit or her energy or her appetite (She would eat a bunch if I would only let her. ) She looks great too.

So it seems she is passing stuff by pooping. I am thinking I should do the flush one more time. Her breath still smells a little sour. But I don't think her crop is impacted but I think maybe it could have been and we somehow got it to go through but not before it turned to sour crop.

Uggg I really don't know what to do. I love the little girl and she just started giving me beautiful white eggs

I just see a $300.00 vet bill if I bring her in and if I can take care of her at home then I would rather do that. I have called my avian vet but (even though they know me) can't give me advie....

Thanks again and if anyone has any more ideas at this point that would be great.

 

[FlockMama]

Sorry to post again but seems not too many people have much info for me. I have to leave for work today so I can't be online but was hoping someone would have some more advice for me, maybe about the flushing....She looks good this morning but still a little squishy of the crop....Her poops look good though.....

Thanks in advance

 

[NancyinAlaska]

I don't understand the metaclopramide..........I use it in sled dogs when they have bloody stools or lots of diarreah, used for giardia up here anyway, don't understand the use for impacted crop.

 

[NancyinAlaska]

I'm up on the puter at 11pm because I made a mistake, it's metronidazol that I use for the dogs. SORRY...............BRAIN FART!!!

 

[ipana]

FlockMama,

I feel your pain! I, too, am dealing with a bird with sour crop. Hers began on Jan 9 and has struggled up and down since. I took her to the vet who did an aspiration of the fluid to check on yeast and bacteria. There was nothing at that point that was tooooo out of kilter. I brought her home, nursed her a few days, giving her soft food and she did improve. BUT, after I put her back out, her crop enlarged again because I believe she got some grass. She's been back inside for 8 days with little improvement. I've flushed, massaged, given copper sulfate in the water and nystatin but with no improvement. I'm left with the final option...the surgery. A friend is coming later today to assist. While I hate to do this, if I want to save this bird, it is the only choice. Many have given advice and instructions so we'll give it a go.

Now, all that being said, you will need to examine your situation to determine what to do. It does not seem likely that the stuff that is blocking these birds is going to come out on its own. Continuing to flush can be a little dicey for the bird since they could aspirate some of the material. Be sure your hen is getting enough water and food. I have been feeding every 3 hours but I know that's not possible for people who are not home all the time.

I wish I could offer a "magic" cure but, as you are now aware from all the posts about this, there is none. I hope things work out for you.