NEED HELP chickens crop will not empty, beginning of sour crop

[guest226]

I the lump fixed or floating? Does it feel like something deep in the tissue or just under the outer skin?

What did the vet tell you the antibiotic was supposed to treat? What is the antibiotic?

It is fixed. It feels like a bit of bloating, rather than a lump, now that I think of it. It is soft and feels like gas buildup. Does not feel necesarilly deep into the tissue, but also doesnt feel right under the skin. I can massage it and push it down but she seems in pain when I do that.

The antibiotic was to treat any underlying crop/gut infection that could be causing it. They are chicken/exotic pet specialists and recommended me to start, but I have been hesitant.

 

[azygous]

Go ahead and follow your vet's instructions.

The lump may just be poop.

 

[guest226]

Go ahead and follow your vet's instructions.

The lump may just be poop.

Are you sure it wouldn't be gas? And ok, I will. I was just worried i would overdose her as her crop is slow.

 

[azygous]

This is the internet. I and the others on this site have never seen your chicken or examined her body, her crop or her abdomen. Any advice we give is purely based on your words written here and our imaginations.

On the other hand, you have had the good fortune to have had a real live vet examine your chicken, her body, her crop. That is, hands down, way better than the internet. Go with your vet's advice.

 

[guest226]

This is the internet. I and the others on this site have never seen your chicken or examined her body, her crop or her abdomen. Any advice we give is purely based on your words written here and our imaginations.

On the other hand, you have had the good fortune to have had a real live vet examine your chicken, her body, her crop. That is, hands down, way better than the internet. Go with your vet's advice.

Got it, i will probably start the antibiotics tomorrow. But from what i can tell she is improving. Her crop no longer stays full and she poops more frequently and in bigger amounts. This was her poop from last night. I’m not really sure why her poop is so gray in one of them, but otherwise they are greenish.

Her energy has become normal and she is drinking water and eating. She’s been drinking a lot of water so her crop feels very watery, but i do not smell any sourness. I’m hoping the belly is just poop/undigested food, or gassy bloating. To be honest it kind of feels like air.

 

[The Oldie]

This is about my molting hen. At first I thought her crop was slow from the feather regrowth, but her crop has been getting more and more full and not emptying fast enough. it doesn't empty overnight.

I've massaged her crop like twice a day for 3-4 days now! No change! She has not eaten any grass or fiberous weeds. She stopped eating but she still acts fine. She drinks a lot of water.

When I massage her crop it is always initially hard, no matter what, but the mass is easily mashable with my fingers. It feels like a lot of food and thats all. I massaged with coconut oil/olive oil (that she drinks voluntarily) for 10 minutes each time. No change. I have digestive enzymes in her water and today I gave her apple cider vinager in her water. I don't smell a four scent from her but I think the food is fermenting, I hear gurgles. No vomit from what I can tell.

Her poops are very watery but not mucusy. I only see small amounts of food matter in it. It is so full with food that it is discolored to be darker than the normal pink color. It is tight and big.

Her crop is huge when I cup my and over it its like a half orange. I need help! I have a vet visit in 2 days but I fear it will get worse and become sour.

What could have caused this? Why isn't it going down if I don't feel a impaction? Why did it happen suddenly?? Please help I'm very confused!!!

Sorry to bother, but I'm in a tough situation where I cannot be monitoring her for many hours in the day. @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock @azygous

My previous thread had more context but I think I need advice now. I'm confused as to why its not draining and why the slow/impacted/sour crop happened overnight.

If it is sour crop, my only experience was a friend who lived way out on Romney Marsh (,look it up!) and she laid the hen out on a table, slit the crop with a razor blade and removed the contents, sewed it up with needle and thread, sprayed it with purple spray. All took three minutes and chicken ran off happily.

 

[sharrielee]

Has this hen ever been wormed? Did the vet happen to do a fecal test with her poop to check for parasites? If not, collect a fresh poop sample, place in a fresh plastic sandwich bag and run it over to the vet and request a fecal float test. The results will come back before the end of the day.

If the hen has worms, it would explain her slow crop, wanting to drink water, and lethargy. Coupled with molt, she's getting doubly hammered if she has worms. And no, you don't have to see worms in her poop for her to have them.

What wormer do you suggest? How to give/dosage please. Is there one I can put in water so all can get it?

 

[azygous]

Safe-Guard® AquaSol must be administered orally to chickens via the drinking water at a daily dose of 1 mg/kg BW (0.5 mg/lb) for 5 consecutive days.

 

[sharrielee]

Safe-Guard® AquaSol must be administered orally to chickens via the drinking water at a daily dose of 1 mg/kg BW (0.5 mg/lb) for 5 consecutive days

I have the Safe-Guard goat wormer. So I can add to the drinking water bowl? Or has to be each individually? I'm scared I will get it down the wrong tube and choke them to death!

 

[sharrielee]

I have the Safe-Guard goat wormer. So I can add to the drinking water bowl? Or has to be each individually? I'm scared I will get it down the wrong tube and choke them to death!

The chicken-safe dosage when using Safe-Guard (usually sold in a 4 oz bottle as Goat Dewormer) is 3 cc per gallon, 3 ml per gallon or roughly ½ teaspoon per gallon.
i found this on line, but not sure if it's true.