Sour Crop Not Resolving, crop not emptying... Crop Blockage? Treatment?

[tori729]

This is a continuation of the orginal thread which I didn't think I needed but of course I did because I'm apparently awful at curing chickens, 0 for 6 or so at this point.
Original thread for reference: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/delete-nvm.1680775/

Initially noticed a week or two ago chicken presenting with sour crop: trying to eat but hanging back, shaking head and opening mouth, sour smell. Separated chicken, was leaving for holiday so left instructions with friend to change water/food. Got back, same symptoms, started massaging crop and offering grit which was eaten some. For a week she hasn't drank water on her own or eaten anything other than grit and she ate a little rice last week.
Crop is squishy but not huge, I can feel grit in it. When I massage, it results in gurgling sounds like I'm moving things around but no change. Gave some yogurt, acv in water and straight, now on day 4-5 of monistat cream. No change. She still is shaking her head, she open mouth breathes when I feed her. I think something is obstructed.
I've given her water with epsom salts but she won't take a lot at once, hates it, shakes her head and water goes everywhere. I try to get her to take at least 4ml a day so she stays alive but she's not getting better.

She is young, 30ish weeks, hasn't laid yet (neither have her two seemingly healthy sisters), she's an olive egger/Marans mix. No other chickens are exhibiting symptoms, she hasn't had poop in several days, when she did it was white like the yogurt I was giving her or small and brown. Help! I would love to actually help a chicken recover but I don't know what else to do!

ETA: I tried coconut oil last week with massages - maybe I need to go back to that to get it to clear?

 

[tori729]

Did I mention she HATES when I feed her ANYthing. I'm actually thankful she opens her mouth to breathe when I hold her because that's the only way anything gets down. For a bird who hasn't eaten or drank in several days, she still has a lot of spunk!

 

[Eggcessive]

You can give the coconut daily 1 tsp cut into small pieces until her crop feels empty early in the morning. I would offer ner some watery egg. You can massage her crop several times a day if it is firm or doughy, but not if it is squishy or full of fluid.

 

[Shadrach]

It may not be a crop problem. Something may be lodged between the crop exit and the gizzard.

 

[tori729]

You can give the coconut daily 1 tsp cut into small pieces until her crop feels empty early in the morning. I would offer ner some watery egg. You can massage her crop several times a day if it is firm or doughy, but not if it is squishy or full of fluid.

So don't massage it if it's squishy? Why not?

It may not be a crop problem. Something may be lodged between the crop exit and the gizzard.

So what would I do then? Surgery is not an option, vet also not (I don't have one).

 

[Eggcessive]

If the crop is full of liquid or squishy/puffy, it can force crop contents back up into the throat and cause choking. Do you provide poultry grit every day?

 

[Shadrach]

So what would I do then? Surgery is not an option, vet also not (I don't have one).

If a vet isn't an option (there aren't many that would even attempt to clear an obstruction) in the proventriculus then I would hesitate to recommend you try.
I've had two hens with blockages at the neck of the proventriculus. My vet inserted a flexible tube down the esophagus past the crop and into the neck of the proventriculus and drew out with a little suction provided be suck on the end of the tube most of the vegetation that had accumulated around the blockage (suspected whole piece of corn) Once the accumulation of muck had been dragged up and i expect the piece of corn nudged loose in the process, the blockage moved.

I doubt I would attempt it myself. I was amazed the vet managed it. However, it seems from my experiences that it is possible.

You can give the coconut daily 1 tsp cut into small pieces until her crop feels empty early in the morning.

I think this is the best way forward. Coconut oil left in the fridge to solidify I've found easiest to administer. Some chickens even seem to like the stuff.
I hope the coconut oil works out for you and your hen.

 

[tori729]

If the crop is full of liquid or squishy/puffy, it can force crop contents back up into the throat and cause choking. Do you provide poultry grit every day?

Yes they have free access to it in the run.

So I found another thread with a blocked crop and she tried some enzyme vitamins so I'm trying that. I sprinkled it on coconut oil and gave it to her. She probably got 1/2 t down today and I might try some more one more time tonight.