Something stuck in her throat??? Please help!!!

[dancesWchickens]

Gah, I still don't see anything in her throat this morning. She is still drinking and eating small amounts of soft foods, so I'll keep checking her mouth and throat for lesions. If it is thrush, then it should end up spreading to where I can see it, right? I hate to medicate her unless I know exactly what's wrong - seems like each type of med is counterindicated for some condition (eg antibiotics are bad for fungal infection). I found a recommendation for a vet in Del Mar who is willing to see chickens, so I'm going to take her there tomorrow if I can get an appointment.

 

[dancesWchickens]

Ok so here's the scoop on my chicken's mystery illness: sour crop. So it appears that chickens can get sour crop even when their crop is empty and not swollen. My girl's gaping has been chicken burps, which I never would have guessed. There was no evidence of parasites or intestinal infection in her poop, but a crop swab showed a massive overgrowth of bacteria there. So she's on antibiotics.

So, I'm hoping that this info is useful for someone besides me bc it cost me $180!!! I guess it's worth knowing I don't have a tapeworm problem in my flock, though...or maybe I'll start a "most expensive chicken" contest

 

[basicliving]

What type of treatment did the vet recommend? Did he prescribe antibiotics? What type?

I'm glad you found a vet to see her! I am praying for a speedy recovery.

Penny

 

[Picky Chicky]

Quote:
I'm so relieved to hear that it looks like you were able to find some definitive answers. I couldn't help but grin on the "most expensive chicken" contest remark... I don't have one of those yet, but I can tell you about some cats and dogs that have made it onto their own species expense list.

Good luck!

 

[dancesWchickens]

Bactrim suspension 2x daily. Thanks for the good thoughts! I think I will try to start a $chicken contest ... Hopefully I'm not the winner >-p

 

[Chicken Boo]

I am wondering if she had something stuck in her esophagus that you loosened with the olive oil which had started to rot and gave her the infection. Did the vet offer an opinion?

 

[dancesWchickens]

Wow, that is a good theory about the olive oil loosening up whatever it was. The Dr. didn't offer an explanation other than 'free-range chickens peck at a lot of things' and that a mature chicken's immune system can handle more germs than a young chicken's can. The vet did say that there is a possibility that the hen did swallow a foreign object that is stuck somewhere in her digestive system, a scenario that could cause sour crop because it slows digestion. In the latter case, the antibiotics will help only temporarily, so I'll have to wait and see on that one.

My biggest discovery about this whole process is that sour crop can occur without a distended crop, which is the symptom that seems to define it everywhere I've been able to find. I also had no idea chickens could burp, which is probably why her crop isn't distended: all the gas produced by fermenting bacteria is not accumulating in it. Oh, and that "crunchy" thing I felt in her throat is the larynx. So much for my rudimentary grasp of chicken anatomy :-/

 

[al6517]

Quote:
You did the right thing, just what I would have done. just a little helping hand. now just feed her some softer type food for a day or so maybe oatmeal or mash, just in case her throat is raw, maybe keep some of the oil in her water dish too.

AL

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Eeek. $180??? The things we do for

Does that cost include the drive to Costa Mesa or did you find an avian vet down your way?

I hope she's feeling better soon.

Chicken burps. Who knew?

 

[dancesWchickens]

Only had to drive to Del Mar - about 45 minutes away. I'd estimate another $10 in gas on top of the vet bill. I still can't believe I spent almost $200, but as you say there are things you just do for love that don't make sense or money. I guess that's not as bad as what I did last year, spending $300 to have a mammary tumor removed from our geriatric pet rat. He was a good rat, though.

I did post a most-expensive chicken contest - and some of the posts are really funny!!! $180 seems not-so-bad after all (particularly if someone benefits from what I learned about sour crop). It's so weird: I watch my chickens a lot so I know they fart, but the burps just don't look like what I would have thought! I'll try to get a photo of her doing it tomorrow and post it.