Sour crop (again!) any advice for recurring ailment?

[littlecoopnextdoor]

I'm sorry the vet didn't/couldn't help her. She we are going to buckle ourselves in for the journey ahead. Please answer some questions.

1 Does she eat anything? How much. Try to be accurate.
2 Exactly how much and how often each day are you giving her the miconazole?
3 What does her poop look like now?
4 Do you feel any hard masses in the crop along with the liquid?

1. Yesterday after we got home I was able to coax her into eating about 2 tsp of mashed sardine. I got 3cc of electrolytes into her. She perked up. She had a huge watery yellowish white poop as soon as I took her out of the car.
2. I am giving it to her twice a day, squeezing a beakful in morning and evening
3. poop is very watery and whitish, and not often.
4. yes it feels like there is a ton of grit or small stones in there, especially at the bottom.

yesterday afternoon I got 5cc of mineral oil into her and massaged crop for 15 minutes. I got her to eat about a tbsp of chicken food mash.

this morning she is not interested in any food, even sardines. she perked up slightly after I syringed about 5cc of electrolyte water into her beak, but she is having trouble standing more than a few seconds so she stays lying down. she is also very cool to the touch today, especially on her crop and belly.

 

[azygous]

Thanks for the report. How full of liquid is her crop? Do you think there's room for a fourth of a cup more liquid without over-extending her crop?

Are you up for tube feeding at some point?

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Thanks for the report. How full of liquid is her crop? Do you think there's room for a fourth of a cup more liquid without over-extending her crop?

Are you up for tube feeding at some point?

her crop is so massive so have no idea if more will fit in it but it's not full of liquid. I got in about 5cc of electrolytes this morning. I have syringes with long tips, I could probably syringe in some food if needed. I don't have any tubes.

 

[azygous]

I am going to suggest an Epsom salt flush, but with her crop so full, it will be difficult.

The ideal flush, which may sound excessive but actually energizes the patient, is half a cup of solution twice a day for three days. It's much more gentle than it may seem. But let's try the one dose flush first to see if we can get some of the fluid in the crop to move out.

Mix one teaspoon Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) in one ounce warm water and syringe it all into her crop. All of it. Even if you think she can't accommodate it.

Hopefully this will stimulate lower digestive movement and will draw down the liquid in the crop.

Then once the crop can accommodate more liquid, perhaps tomorrow, we will do the three-day flush.

This is safe, and the hens I've administered this to did very well and seemed to feel much better almost immediately. But with this three-day flush, it's such a high volume of liquid, it's much less stressful for you and your patient to tube it in. So I urge you to consider buying or begging some plastic oxygen or aquarium tubing and a syringe to fit it. Tubing is easy and much safer than syringing. I will instruct you. You may be able to buy a tube feeding kit from your vet for just a few dollars.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

I am going to suggest an Epsom salt flush, but with her crop so full, it will be difficult.

The ideal flush, which may sound excessive but actually energizes the patient, is half a cup of solution twice a day for three days. It's much more gentle than it may seem. But let's try the one dose flush first to see if we can get some of the fluid in the crop to move out.

Mix one teaspoon Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) in one ounce warm water and syringe it all into her crop. All of it. Even if you think she can't accommodate it.

Hopefully this will stimulate lower digestive movement and will draw down the liquid in the crop.

Then once the crop can accommodate more liquid, perhaps tomorrow, we will do the three-day flush.

This is safe, and the hens I've administered this to did very well and seemed to feel much better almost immediately. But with this three-day flush, it's such a high volume of liquid, it's much less stressful for you and your patient to tube it in. So I urge you to consider buying or begging some plastic oxygen or aquarium tubing and a syringe to fit it. Tubing is easy and much safer than syringing. I will instruct you. You may be able to buy a tube feeding kit from your vet for just a few dollars.

thank you for your help. I will ring the vet and see if I can swing by and get a tube feeding kit. I still have covid so I'm staying away from all people, usually I'd otherwise just go into a store and get a tube. thank you. also the only epson salts I have are coconut scented. I probably want plain one, right?

 

[azygous]

I've never heard of coconut scented. Usually, when they put a scent into something, it's some chemical we wouldn't want inside our bodies, so yes, get the plain magnesium sulfate.

 

[Chick3nLover]

Try this ladies regiment, that’s what I’m trying currently for my girl. They lady said that she had one where it kept coming back because she gave her hen ground pellet food to soon.

https://oakabode.com/sour-crop-home-treatment-instructions/

She also has a YouTube video

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

My poor sweet girl died about half an hour ago, in front of me. I pet her til the end. I am feeling very sad. She was so young and so beautiful. The friendliest chatty gal. Her feathers were stunning. I’m sorry i couldn’t do more. RIP Squeak.

 

[azygous]

I'm so sorry. You both put up a valiant fight.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

I'm so sorry. You both put up a valiant fight.

Thanks. I am feeling pretty sad. I buried her under a young pear tree.