Smelly clear liquid dripping out of hens beak- sour crop???

[kristamarie]

I have been treating a silkie chicken with a pretty bad case of bumble foot. While she was lying on her back and I was changing her foot bandage a clear liquid slowly dripped out of her beak. She had just drank water so I thought maybe thats what it was but it was a little thicker than water and smelled terrible.

I immediately thought sour crop, so i checked her crop and it wasn't swollen at all.

is a gross smelling clear liquid an early sign of sour crop?

thanks for your help, you guys are the best.

 

[Erica]

If the crop is filling and emptying normally, I'd suggest it's probably nothing to worry about. If you tip a bird over shortly after drinking, liquid will come out. However it probably shouldn't smell like that, so keep an eye on her.

Sometimes if you've given antibiotics or if there's another stressor the bird's crop can start to develop an overgrowth of the wrong organisms. Watch her for any other signs.

Good luck,
Erica