poopy butt, brown liquid from mouth, lethargic

[janetk]

i've scoured the website looking for answers. i decided to ask. i have a approx. 3 yr. old red. she's been lethargic about a week. she was eating until yesterday, pellets and scratch, and i saw her drinking. her bottom is brown-poop covered. don't know if she'd laid recently. she's not egg-bound. tonite i brought her inside as it's cold in her coop. when i tipped her upside down a little, a brown liquid poured out. her crop is small and feels like it has air in it. i offered her yogurt and she pecked once at it. i put a little inside her beek. she is just standing with her hindside drooping. i'm not sure what to do next.

 

[KKatknap]

I have no answers, but didn't want your question to get lost...hopefully someone will see and help.

If you have a picture, that may help someone come up with an idea.

 

[tulie13]

Sounds like her crop is not working properly, could be sour or just might not be getting proper signals from the rest of the gut to send stuff down correctly. This can happen with an infection or other upset (ate something rotten or moldy?). Definitely isolate her and keep her warm - if she is fighting something she may not be able to produce proper body heat to keep herself warm. But make sure she can get away from the heat if it's "too warm". Either a light on one side of the bin, or a heating pad on one side (on the side, not on the bottom, so she can lean up next to it but not stand or sit on it).

Make sure her water has some Apple Cider Vinegar in it - 2 Tablespoons per gallon, so if you have a quart waterer use 2 teaspoons, or if a pint 1 teaspoon. Make sure she is actually DRINKING - should be at least 1/2 cup a day, if not, she may not be taking in enough liquids. Either way, you may want to get some ACV directly in her by dribbling some in her beak and letting her take it in or squirting a dropperful down her throat (make sure you are back behind the tongue, they breathe through a hole under the tongue).

Feed soft food, applesauce is good and scrambled egg for protein. If she's still putting food through and her crop is going down regularly (after eating/filling) yogurt can also be beneficial for the bacteria in it, especially if she is having a fungal or bacterial problem in her gut.

 

[Elite Silkies]

Does the liquid have a smell? I think sour crop has a pretty distinguishing smell. I have never had that problem, just read the other post.

There are several post on here about sour crop, you might want to do a search and see what they recommend. I hope she gets better.

 

[janetk]

good. this gives me a place to start. i have brought her inside & she seems comfortable, although she just stands. does sour crop cause stinky poopy behind? i gave her some water w/electrolites in it and she is drinking. i gave her some yogurt this a.m. and she pecked at it. i'm fixing eggs right now and will add applesauce to them. i only have store bought avc, not the one with the 'mother', natural kind. will the store bought still work? also, should i stress her by washing her behind or wait until she looks a little more energetic? and yes, the liquid from her mouth does smell, but not as bad as her bottom.

 

[Elite Silkies]

No, it has to be the kind with mother. The store bought is different. I would clean her up if it were me. Did you find any good post on sour crop and how to treat it?

 

[janetk]

nowhere to get avc organic. and yes, i checked the sour crop info. sounds like you're right on. i will clean her up and keep up the yogurt/applesauce/a little cooked oatmeal/water. she loved the boiled egg i gave her. anyother suggestions than that are welcome. thank you so much for your help.

 

[tulie13]

FYI - If you don't get the great Organic ACV with the "mother" in it (the brown stuff) then just plain ACV from the grocery store is still very good. In fact, I'd use regular grocery store ACV as soon as possible in the case where I needed acidification, before I'd wait 4 hours to make a trip to a specialty store with the Organic stuff. Time for treatment can be critical, and acidification is acidification - PERIOD. If they can get some extra good stuff from the organic ACV, great, but I would give the grocery store stuff if I had it on hand, vs. giving nothing until I could get the organic stuff. Just my opinion, take it or leave it.

 

[janetk]

i'm taking your advice. i have nothing to lose. she's really weak and keeps her eyes closed. i don't know if she'll make it. i did put a couple drops of acv on the tip of her beak. and she swallowed it. i also got antibiotics to try, but i'm afraid i'm too late. she's comfy though-in my dining room in a dog carrier with a heating pad. if she's gonna go-she'll go warm. thank you