Sour crop- is it to late to save her?

[#lovemychickens]

I have a 5 year old Buff Orpington who started acting lethargic about 6 days ago. I thought she was acting this way because it’s been freezing here in MN. The next day she was still acting the same and wouldn’t eat any treats. We brought her in and I noticed her crop was really hard.. so I massaged it and it then became really squishy firm like a water balloon. I didn’t notice any smell from her mouth so I thought we were making progress. The next morning her crop was the same. It didn’t go down but I could feel bits of something in there. I took her food and water away and kept massaging it periodically over 12 hours. It would make a gurgling noise. I gave her the water back and she wasn’t drinking much... I read on a previous post to give her a monistat suppository for yeast infection- giving her a 1/3 of it in the morning and a 1/3 at night. The next morning her crop was less swollen and I could smell a horrible poop smell from her mouth every time I massaged her crop. Her poop is almost non existent and very watery with little bits of dark green.. She was acting extremely lethargic so I gave her scrambled eggs with olive oil and the other 1/3 of the suppository, she seems to have a little bit more energy but not much.. her crop is huge again, full of air and little bits of something in there. I don’t know what to do and I know she’s not feeling well. Is it too late to save her?? Please help me so I can help this little girl.

 

[#lovemychickens]

I just went to check on her and she passed away sometime between 11:30 p.m. and 2:20 a.m. Mixed emotions happening here- It’s a vary sad day but I am almost relieved too because Miss Gracie is no longer suffering. I didn’t have to be the one to end her life and I’m thankful for that. I just hope I didn’t kill her with all of the medication I’ve been giving and I hope I didn’t harm her with the Medstatin. Thank you everyone for your support and guidance with Miss Gracie. I would have been lost without you!

 

[#lovemychickens]

I couldn’t wait to get home from work to see how’s she’s doing and things might be looking up! I don’t want to get my hopes up but I see a little bit of sunshine at the moment. She was standing when I got home, no blood anywhere in her stools, and she drank a lot of water. But as soon as she looked down at the ground a lot of it came back out. Her crop is still the same- large and squishy. Her breath still smells but I feel like it’s not as strong. She even ate about a tsp of meal worms and a few bites of chick feed. So I am going to say it’s a win for today! Let’s hope tomorrow shines brighter!!!

 

[azygous]

You are not alone. I'm here.

The most painful part is between now and when you make the final decision. After that, it isn't as agonizing, and it then begins to hurt less as you mark time from that point.

Just remember, her essential essence cannot be destroyed, only the material that makes up what contains her true essence. Same goes for all life. The package we occupy is temporary, but our essence is immortal. This is what connects all living things.

 

[azygous]

I might just add that for a sour crop full of liquid that fails to empty after one or two days on miconazole, it's probably due to more yeast than the amount of miconazole is able to tackle. Increasing the dose to double the amount or keeping to the same amount but giving it three times a day will usually start conquering the yeast. Once the yeast is reduced, the crop will empty rather dramatically on its own without trying to invert the chicken and making her vomit to empty the crop. Even if you succeed in making a chicken vomit without her aspirating any liquid, it only comes right back because it's the yeast overrunning the crop that is causing it to fill up.

By the way, some say you should withhold food and water. Not necessary. The patient usually doesn't feel like eating or drinking for one thing, and when she feels ready to eat, she will not over indulge to her detriment. Just make her regular feed available with access to fresh water. She will probably enjoy some Greek yogurt since she will crave it to replenish her system with good microbes. Giving a probiotic tablet will help in lieu of yogurt.

 

[#lovemychickens]

I think she’s taken a turn for the worse. I went down to lightly massage her crop. I gently cupped it and barely moved it up and she threw up, coughed, sneezed and laid down. Closed her eyes and her breathing was very labored.. her head was almost laying flat in the ground. Her comb and wattles are a very deep red. Although I don’t want to see her die, I don’t want her to suffer either. All I could do was rub her back and tell her it’s okay to go. I picked her up and then she stood for about a minute and laid back down again. Her breast mass is gone and I can feel her bones. How do you know when it’s time to say your goodbyes and help her end her suffering? Is it selfish of me to keep trying everything to keep her going? I’m struggling and my heart is breaking.

 

[#lovemychickens]

Gracie. Sweet Gracie. No you didn't hurt her with the meds. There just wasn't anything that was going to work for what really caused this.

As @micstrachan pointed out, her cherry red comb and wattles indicated a spike in body temp and that the infection was running wild at that point, and it was then I knew we had probably lost her. This was just bigger than all of us to fight.

I am guessing this was a cancer with a secondary bacterial infection. There isn't much to be done for those foes, even when it hits humans.

Some think I’m crazy to have put that much effort into a chicken but you know what, I’d do it again. They are loveable, sweet and funny little balls of feathers that bring joy to my life. I truly appreciate all of you!

 

[azygous]

No, you didn't cause any damage. Massaging a crop that has mostly liquid in it is just risky is all. Pushing the liquid upward into the throat can cause aspiration. What's really risky is trying to make a sour crop patient vomit. People have caused instant death doing that.

I can't tell you how badly I feel when I come across a sour crop thread too late to head off a post advising vomiting a chicken and then the thread maker next has a post reporting their chicken just died suddenly after they tried to "vomit" her. It's one of the worst of the sometimes misguided advice people try to give, meaning well, but wrong in practice.

 

[vantain]

Coris is tasteless and harmless. Treat the entire flock regardless of whether you know for sure they have coccidiosis.

I wouldn't say it's tasteless. It's very bitter..don't ask me how I know.

 

[azygous]

It's up to your hen. But it's been my experience that these chickens are tougher than we give them credit for. I don't believe she's close to death. A chicken that is going to die will have her eyes closed and she will be lying on her side. When someone posts a photo of a chicken in that posture, I will gently prepare them to expect their chicken to die in under 24 hours, that there's no chance for recovery, the chicken has spent all their reserve energy.

Your girl is weak but still fighting, and the antibiotic is doing its job. We really lucked out that the one you had on hand is the best one for this job. I also believe that, although she took a sudden turn for the worse, you got her on the antibiotic before she lost so much of her reserve energy that the antibiotic wouldn't have been able to help.

Let her rest now. And you rest, too. Unless there's something more going on that I can't picture right now, I think she's going to be better by morning.