Sluggish crop in older hen

[cate1124]

Hello all: I have a speckled Sussex, just turned 6, who I think has a chronically sluggish crop. She quit laying at 4, and her comb generally appears small and more blue than red. She also has mild chronic rales that have not responded to antibiotics and may be related to a slow crop. In short, she has failed to thrive while managing to stay alive and generally enjoy chicken life for the last couple of years, which I'm trying to support.

Her crop did not empty last night, so I will be massaging several times a day, will withhold scratch (which I'm guilty of overfeeding, especially in winter) and treats and make sure there's grit available, as the flock is coop bound until snow recedes. I thought I would also offer a little olive oil atop wet mash. Any other home remedy thoughts? I don't think her crop is sour or impacted, and I want to do what I can to keep either from occurring.

Thank you.

 

[Debbie292d]

Have you tried some probiotics? Especially given that you've given her an antibiotic, she would need them to straighten out her flora from that. Probiotics may help her crop issues.

We now use Kalmbach's Lifeguard granules mostly, but I've also got several probiotic powders for their water. Greek yogurt is good too.

Here are a couple of crop articles detailing many different ailments and how to treat them. If you have time to read one or both, you may come up with another idea to try too.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

I hope she improves! Keep us posted.

 

[cate1124]

Have you tried some probiotics? Especially given that you've given her an antibiotic, she would need them to straighten out her flora from that. Probiotics may help her crop issues.

We now use Kalmbach's Lifeguard granules mostly, but I've also got several probiotic powders for their water. Greek yogurt is good too.

Here are a couple of crop articles detailing many different ailments and how to treat them. If you have time to read one or both, you may come up with another idea to try too.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

I hope she improves! Keep us posted.

Yes, I regularly add powdered probiotics to their feed, and sometimes a vitamin/electrolyte powder with lactobacillus to their water. Poultry NutriDrench every few days. I will read the articles; thanks for the links.

 

[Eggcessive]

In older hens a slow crop is common when they have a reproductive disorder (salpingitis or egg yolk peritonitis) or water belly. Is her lower belly under her vent enlarged? Water belly can also cause labored breathing. Many times we don’t know the exact cause until after they die and a necropsy can be done to view the abdominal organs.

 

[cate1124]

In older hens a slow crop is common when they have a reproductive disorder (salpingitis or egg yolk peritonitis) or water belly. Is her lower belly under her vent enlarged? Water belly can also cause labored breathing. Many times we don’t know the exact cause until after they die and a necropsy can be done to view the abdominal organs.

Thank you; you have been so kind to me over the years with your responsiveness and expertise. Ev does not have palpable water belly, while her Sussex sister, who has long had significant ascites, is active, eating, has a well-oxygenated comb and just laid her first egg of the season today (though I begged her to retire). Go figure. I do think Ev is nauseated, as she is doing a bit of beak clapping. I've been giving her crop massages hourly, and I think material is moving through, just very slowly. Last year crop massages were nearly miraculous; her comb plumped and reddened and she obviously felt better and was more active. This year, not so much.

I know ascites usually -- though not always -- manifests with progressive liver/heart conditions, which I would suspect in Ev, given that she has been less than robust for a couple years. My wonderful mobile poultry vet is going to try to fit us in today or tomorrow.

I should add that I live at 6,500 feet, and understand high altitude is a risk factor for heart conditions in poultry. I lost a barred rock to a heart murmur, but then she was 9, so something was bound to get her.