Sour crop??? Help!!!

[HoosierPullet]

this is my first thread on BYC and I am in need of some help. My beautiful barred rock hen who is about 2.5 years old seems to have sour crop. She hasn't been eating but has been drinking water supplemented with acv. I have her isolated by herself away from her sisters. She seems very week and won't lift her tail up at all. she has only been interested in scrambled eggs and yogurt. We were able to get her to vomit yesterday and it was pretty foul. Her comb has also darkend quite a bit. Any suggestions to help me out??? Thanks!!

 

[GitaBooks]

First off, welcome to the forum!!
I'm sorry to hear about your hen. I sounds like something more serious than just sour crop. Laying hens above the age of about 1.5 years tend to go down-hill pretty fast. I've lost a lot of them to their bodies just unable to handle all the laying. It could be something like water belly or internal laying or a cold/virus (which are way more common during the winter).

However, it could also just be she is entering molt. Some birds stop eating and just stand around, uncomfortable, during the molt. After a few weeks they grow their feathers in and feel better.

Could you post a picture of her?

 

[HoosierPullet]

Thanks GitaBrooks for your reply!

She has just finished her molt and her feathers look great. She is keeping her tail down and we have noticed if looks down she will vomit on the spot. Very terrible smelling to the point that I have to walk away to get fresh air! The picture is not the greatest to to the distant heat lamp

 

[HoosierPullet]

 

[GitaBooks]

It does sound like it could be sour crop. I would treat it as such. Other than that, keeping her warm, comfortable and hydrated is the best thing you can do.

 

[ladyearth]

one crop issue article on here said..... said Gyna Lotrim the other Monistat..store brand good enough

 

[Sara Ranch]

I have read that some people believe hens will munch on the hay and develop sour crop/impacted crop.

Would you consider something else for bedding?

When I bring in chickens to sick bay (yes,THAT is what I call one of the areas), they lay on an old towel or on a rubber back mat. I change out the bedding daily.

When I bring chickens in that have a darkening or drooping comb, I apply my magic lotion or my homemade lip balm to it. In all of my situations, it seemed to have helped.

Is she under the heat lamp or away from the heat lamp? Hard to tell with the picture.

I hope she gets better quickly!!

 

[HoosierPullet]

Thanks for your reply! She is under a heat lamp but not directly under it. Just enough to keep the chill off. I actually just switched her to a towel so that is pretty ironic! She seems to improving. I let her in the yard to walk around and she passed a runny yellow/green poo. (Sorry!) And her crop seems to be about half the size it was yesterday sp I'm hoping she is on the mend!

 

[rebrascora]

You need to massage to break down the blockage that is causing the contents to turn sour. I recommend massaging 4x a day for about 10 mins. Often the problem is a soggy mass of fibrous material like long grass/hay/straw that gets knotted up inside the crop and plugs the outlet preventing food and eventually even fluids from passing. It has usually been a problem for quite a while before it becomes obvious they are sick and the bird will often have lost a lot of body condition because they are essentially starving. Green poop is usually an indication that there is nothing going through the digestive tract and it is basically just bile. You need to get things moving before it shuts down. Remove access to anything but very sloppy food and massage regularly. Probably best if you keep her in a warm environment as she has nothing inside her to keep herself warm and it also makes it convenient to massage her and monitor food intake and output.
Sometimes the act of inverting them and massaging to make them vomit helps to dislodge the plug of gunk and allow some food fluids through before it settles back into place. If there is a notable improvement after vomiting, it may be worth repeating daily for a few days, as eventually it should help to break the debris up.

Good luck with her and don't give up until that crop is completely emptying.

 

[ladyearth]

she is prob worse . Her crop is still soft and squishy but not real large but its large enough to feel.we gave her 1 cc i of the generic Gyne Lotrim for three days. None today cause Hubby had dental problems and had to see treatment.
Hubby keeps letting her out some. He said she was trying to jump at the glass doors to be let out. yesterday morning.Luckily its been unseasonable warm and dry till today
when I saw her out couple daus ago she was just standing around the others or with just one other girl. This is getting too much. She is suffering . She drank a lot today this morning. the electolyte an vitamin water.. I didnot see her till later ths morning... Hubby said she threw up when she tried to pick at a little egg he had put in a dish for her... She was on the floor while ago for a bit. Her poo is 98 percent WATER clear water. Maybe occ a little green and white. I offered her some cooked quoia flakes w a little almond meal mixed in > with a little collidial silver.
she took just a peck or three of it... she mostly wants to sleep hubby put the electrolyes and vitamins in her water...
I dont see how syringing food in her crop will help because her crop is squishy. s how can see pass it.?
we are at wits end and cant find anyone to euthnize her . Im not going to let her be disfigured. she is a beautuful soul... Help please