My hen has sour crop. Please help! Getting desperate.

[upitty]

Hey guys!
Recently I went on holiday for two nights and came home to a hen with sour crop. We have three beautiful girls and I hope they stay three. My Isa Brown was looking good when we left but when I came home she was all lethargic and didn't do much moving. She was in perfect health when we left so she's had it for 4 or so days. I've done a tonne of research on it so far and I've been feeding her heaps of Greek Style yoghurt and adding AppleC Vinegar to her water. Her crop empties fine so there's nothing stuck. I've tried making her throw up but nothing came out except some clear fluid. I'll try again tomorrow. I've been massaging her crop to get rid of gas bubbles which really stink twice a day a then feeding her the yoghurt. I recently purchased some kefir (really hard to explain so you better look it up; sorry) which should arrive either on Thursday or next week. I read a post saying someone cured their chicken with it. I'm thinking of buying some treatment youghurt but I'm not 100% sure where I should go to get it(I live in Cairns/Australia by the way). Should I go to a feed store or vet? I've also heard of yeast treatments sold at chemists but that's my last resort.

Any comments would be appreciated, even if I mentioned something you have though of, please comment anyway. Really desperate for a cure because my other hen died of impacted crop. The stupid animal ate crusher dust and got a crop the size of a baseball. Don't know why. We have plenty of grit and calcium.

Thanks for any comments!

 

[countrygoddess]

I read a blog entry that said not to give ACV for sour crop because it adds to the acid burden, but to instead use baking soda (bicarbonate of soda). Here it is: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/answers-from-chicken-vet-on-impacted.html

 

[Gretababy]

I noticed my RI Red hen with a bloated crop yesterday and she was not eating and acting lethargic. Once I realized that the crop wasn't clearing I took away all food except soft food such as yogurt and boiled egg yolk. Then I did massage her crop and she did vomit a small amount of solid food - it did seem to give her some relief. Also I've added ACV to her water and she has been drinking allot. Her crop bloated up again with water and I've repeatedly massaged her crop gently and let her vomit up the excess - almost all just water now. She's not doing better today or worse, but still not eating so I have no idea if I'm doing the right thing.

I know she was doing well a few days ago so this has just happened in the past 48 hours. Any advice would be helpful since I'm a novice and this is my first and only hen.

 

[upitty]

My first part of advice, click on the link posted by countrygoddess. It will tell you a lot about crop disorders. By the sound of it, you're not doing too much wrong. Remember, feed her after you make her vomit. If it is impacted crop, try syringing parraffin oil down her throat. Do not use olive oil because it will be absorbed by the chicken whereas parraffin oil will pass out of the chicken. Good luck.

 

[upitty]

Thank you! An appropriate answer! I couldn't get the thought out of my head; wouldn't the vinegar destroy the benifits of the yoghurt? Thank you and will do!

 

[ruthimom]

I recently nursed a hen back to health and in addition to the yogurt mixed with a little feed, I had read on this forum that someone suggested women's Monistat 3 suppositories to treat the yeast infection. Once a day for 3 days, I gave 1/3 of a suppository, and I'm not sure what worked, but she's doing well. It was easy to administer.

 

[iron chicken]

what sour crop?

 

[upitty]

Thanks for the reply. I also read that thread(about Monistat) and did some research on where I could find it but no trace. I was also going to use it as a last resort. The **** kefir was supposed to arrive toady but it didn't arrive. Anyway, maybe it's just my imagination or she might actually be improving. Her comb had started going black at the back which usually is a sign of ill health but has gradually returned back to it's normal colour. She appears a bit more active and doesn't sit around too much. I've been allowing her to eat small amounts of layers mash (because she doesn't eat too much any way) and syringing yoghurt down her throat straight after and massaging the whole lot in her crop. When I come back from school her crop is empty so I'm really happy she doesn't also have impacted crop.

 

[nurse_turtle]

The monistat thing sounds like a good idea although I've never thought of that. The cream could be mixed in yogurt or kibble even. If I had a hen with sour crop, I'd try that. The funky smell may most likely be fungal/yeast in origin.

 

[tomhoogstra]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/613861/how-to-treat-sour-crop
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