Sour crop advice

[Heather Berg]

My two and a half year old golden sex link started showing some strange behavior yesterday. She would jerk her head/neck side to side. I video taped it and took some pictures at different angles and posted to a local backyard chicken site on Facebook. Based on the information provided it appears like she has a sour crop. It does not feel like food is there rather a soft, squishy feeling when I messaged it.
I have read that apple cider vinegar works well for treating sour crop but I haven't seen a for sure vinegar to water ratio. Any ratio recommendations? Also, can I just put it in a bowl for her or do I have to use the syringe method? Would greatly appreciate any advice and help in the matter.
I will add that this morning she is still moving slowly but it pecking at the ground. She has continued to drink a lot of water.

 

[Poultrybreeder]

Here is a thread that might help you with treatment https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-treat-sour-crop.613861/

 

[Heather Berg]

Here is a thread that might help you with treatment https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-treat-sour-crop.613861/

Here is a thread that might help you with treatment https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-treat-sour-crop.613861/

Thank you so much for the thread!
Thank you, I will

 

[Poultrybreeder]

You're welcome! I hope this helps you and your hen!

 

[rebrascora]

Hi. There are a couple of crop problems that it might be.
Sour crop is one but usually their breath will smell horrid if they have this because of a yeast infection.
Slow or impacted crop is the other possibility. This is usually caused by eating fibrous material (straw and long grass) which gets all ravelled up in the crop and become a soggy mass that plugs the outlet to the gizzard and basically prevents food and sometimes water as well, from going down into the digestive tract. The bird is usually hungry and thirsty because they are essentially starving and dehydrating, despite eating and having a full crop. You will notice that they are usually quite scrawny feeling or even emaciated when you pick them up and sometimes the crop is so full and heavy that it tips them forward and they cannot stay upright for long. The snaking of the neck is an attempt to manipulate the crop so that food can pass.

If your girl doesn't have bad breath, then she is more likely to be impacted than sour. Your first line of treatment would be massaging the crop and restricting access to any fibrous material ie bedding and giving her sloppy food only with vitamin supplements. They will usually enjoy the massage and it needs to be firmly done from the bottom of the crop upwards to try to break up the soggy mass and silted debris that is clogging things up. I normally do 4 massages a day for about 10 mins each time.... consider your chicken to be a stress ball if you like! I give them their regular feed soaked in water until it swells and then more water added to make a gravy type consistency and add a little olive oil to try to lubricate things. Give access to grit and water as well. A few drops in a litre or about 10mls in 5 litres.

If massage and hasn't work after a few days, some people have had success with dulcolax (which I haven't tried myself) or vomiting the chicken which has it's risks but needs to be weighed against the risk if the impaction is not shifted and last resort is crop surgery.

If it is sour crop, you probably need something like Canesten to treat a yeast infection.

 

[Heather Berg]

So I have a question, I have been massaging her crop and I notice a very hard area on her neck. I'll be honest I have no clue what it is, it is almost bone like or like the very firm stick ends of their feathers. It feel like it's inside but I can be too sure. Any thoughts

 

[Poultrybreeder]

It could be like a growth or something related to the sour crop