really BIG crop

[aussie chick]

Hello, I have been enjoying byc from australia for nearly a year but have never put up a post. There seems to be some VERY smart people out there when it comes to chook problems and my chook has a BIG problem. I am really concerned about my isa brown hen, Blinky (she has a permanent film over her left eyeball, hence the name!). In about the past 7 days I have noticed that she has been lethargic and not really eating even though she comes over when I put bread or lettuce, or catelope innards in their yard. Her comb is getting droopier and darker by the day and I don't know what to do! Her crop is about 2-3 times bigger than a normal full crop but blinky's crop is really squishy like it is full of liquid and gas. I have tried massaging it but it only make a bad smell come out of her beak and she also seems to get fluid up her throat. She is very skinny now and does not look like she is long for this world. Hopefully someone can help me as I cannot afford to take her to the vet.
Aussie chick

 

[FisherMOM]

This is a sour crop and needs immediate attention. First of all separate her if you can, so that she can rest. You may have to make her throw up..(yuck) Then your best bet is to buy yogurt with live cultures in it. I mixed yogurt with smushed up canned spinach. Just a little spinach and a ittle yogurt at a time, maybe 1/4 cup.

There are more things that you can so too.

Search here in this forum for Impacted crop or sour crop!


Good luck with your chook... it is so sad when they are sick, I know. I am nursing a soup crop chook back right now.

here is my thread..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=91576

and here is another...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=90233

 

[MissPrissy]

Sounds like a sour and impacted crop.

I would suggest moving her to a dark place with limited bedding so she can't eat any straw or hay, etc.

For the next 12 hours only give her water with raw apple cifer vinegar added and massage the crop periodically to see if you can get things moving. When massaging do not push the crop upwards. You don't want this yuck coming back up in her beak. She could asperate and it be fatal. (The apple cider vinegar will inhibity yeast and fungus and other bad bacteria from growing in the crop and causing the sour smell.

After 12 hours of the water and vinegar if she is still sour smelling you can give a tiny bit 1/4 tsp if mylanta for her acid ingestion that results from the sour crop. It should help alleviate some of her issues. Don't get carried away. This is a one time doseage.

After you make note of what is happening to the crop (it should be trying to empty) give her pieces of bread soaked with olive oil over the next 24 hours and make sure she has plenty of fresh water available. No other foods, no treats, no laying pellets or other chicken feed. Only oil soaked bread. Continue with a very gentle massage to the crop.

Hopefully you will start see some serious poops and the crop considerably more empty.

At this point you should be able to start her up again with cooked rice, a bit of plain yogurt even a little scrambled egg. The next day move to some her feed soaked in water. Soft foods easily digested to give her crop time to shrink and get back to normal.

Keep her warm, in a dim place during this time. She should be quiet and resting.

You must note that a sour/impacted crop can be fatal. Some hens need surgery to correct it. Your hen may be too far gone for the suggested therapy to work.

 

[FisherMOM]

WOW Miss Prisy.. I am so lucky. I started my girl on the yogurt the next day. She would not drink the ACV water.

I am printing your info OUT!

Also, what about grit? When the crop seems to have emptied, then give grit? That is what I did.

 

[MissPrissy]

If you are giving soft foods and lots of liquid you don't need grit right away. Grit is for grinding as things pass through the gizzard. If the foods are the consistancy of yogurt and mush there is nothing to grind in the gizzard.

 

[FisherMOM]

Thanks Miss Prissy. my Crystal is still so so. Hubby is kicking her out of the house tonight. Chicken poop stinks. I think I am going to put her sister in with her in the dog crate in the garage so she is not alone. SHe needs to still rest some more I believe.

 

[MissPrissy]

Oh - the apple cider vinegar -

If you mix the ACV in their water and they don't have a choice to drink anything else they will begin to drink the ACV water.

 

[FisherMOM]

She won't drink it. She hasn't drank in 2 days, but her poop is watery. She must get the water from the yogurt.

(Of course I do not offer her ACV and yogurt simultaneously.

She does sometimes act like she has the hiccups or has to burp after she eats? She acts hungry all the time too. I have to keep cleaning her poop from the cage.

 

[FisherMOM]

oh, and I only had a little ACV in the water.. it wasnt overkill.

 

[MissPrissy]

While yogurt is very good probiotics for chicken when they have a sour crop it isn't good for them right off in the beginning of treatment.

The crop is sour because things stuck in there have begun to ferment and there is unhealthy bacteria, fungus and yeast growing in the materials stuck in there.

The ACV inhibits the growth and begin to kill off the bacteria/virus/yeasts etc. If you don't think she is drink at all use a syringe and give her liquids.

Then by giving the oil soaked bread you are creating a very slippery slope for things to start sliding down and on its way to be eliminated by the body.

Only after you have emptied the crop should begin offering the other foods. Other wise you can exacerbate the issues.

If you have read Speckledhen's thread on Velvet her hen died in her arms before she could intervene.

I use 1 tbsp organic raw unfiltered ACV with the mother to 1 quart of water for illness treatments. For crop issues I would strengthen the dose and give the initial supplement by syringe by beak - 1/4 teaspoon of organic raw unfiltered ACV with the mother for the properties of killing off the bacteria/yeast/fungus.