PLEASE HELP!! I THINK MY HEN HAS SOUR CROP

[Chickenchick11]

Please help me . I believe my 11 month old RIR hen has developed sour crop. Yesterday morning I went to feed my flock and she was kind of listless and just not her normal self. I picked her up and her crop was large, like when when she went to roost. I just decided to see what it was like today. I went out today and her crop was no different. I really don't want to lose her. She's one of my favorite and prettiest hens. She is supposed to go to the fair this year. And I don't know if this matters but yesterday night when I went to check on her she decided to roost on a nest box instead of the roosting pole and in the nest box with her was a broken egg and half a shell. Her abdomen didn't feel swollen so I don't think she's egg bound. But her feathers were ruffled. I just don't wanna lose her.

 

[Chickenchick11]

And I massaged her crop this morning. I hope it will help

 

[debster1556]

I'm sorry your chicken isn't feeling well.
There are lots of posts for sour crop. Just type in ""sour crop" in your search area and you will find alot of info and ideas of what you can try to do.

 

[Chickenchick11]

Thanks debster1556, I just don't know what to do. I was trying to massage the contents out of her crop by holding her upside down but nothing was happening. There is so many different opinions on here some people say "give them olive oil" some people say "no no don't give them olive oil". It's all so confusing. I am pretty sure she has sour crop but she has no odor coming from her beak so I'm not sure. I guess if she's no better by tomorrow I'll be calling the vet for advice and possibly bringing her in. That would drastic measures tho. I just hope someone who has dealt with this finds this thread.

 

[debster1556]

I agree. So many different opinions. "vomit" your chicken, no, don't "vomit" your chicken!! I'm sure you would be okay with a little olive oil and keep massaging the crop, just keep her upright when you do it.

Also, I would give her more soft foods, stuff that will pass thru more easily. If you caught it early, you don't want to add to the crop.
Foods like boiled egg, yogurt, just softer food and make sure the water intake is good too.

That's what I would do with my hens. I closely monitor my hens when they're out on the lawn because I don't want them to eat too much grass. I hope I never have to deal with crop issues. So far we,ve had round worms and mites which we've treated both successfully.

 

[Chickenchick11]

I tried to give her a little yogurt with olive oil but she only ate about a half a teaspoon. I gave the rest to the other hens as a heathy treat. Poor thing is getting worse I think. They have access to a large grassy pen that doesn't get mowed as well as a portable run that we move around the yard. She was in the big pen a few days ago and the reed canary grass is about a foot already so I think she may have eaten some long reed canary and that may be the root of the problem. They are going in the portable fence from now on.

 

[debster1556]

Unless you get some other ideas from some other members on this site, I would make that vet appt.

I wish I knew how to help you more. How long has this been going on?

 

[Chickenchick11]

She's had the swollen crop since yesterday. Now that I think about it she has had diarrhea for about 1-2 weeks. I was just thought it was from the heat from drinking a lot of water. She was also a little bit listless when she had the diarrhea.

 

[Chickenchick11]

Here are some pics of her from the last two weeks.

 

[Chickenchick11]

You can see in the pictures her eyes are half closed