Sour crop or something else???

[Eggcessive]

We have not seen her pecking at it. But did observe her scratching at it. She is separated in a dog crate in the coop. She appears to be drinking a lot. We put ACV and probiotics in the water. We are massaging the crop twice daily. We both work away from home so that is as often as we can do it. We just got her a little over a week ago. Prior to being with us I'm not sure exactly what she was eating but I think it was hen scratch. When she came to us we were finishing up some hen scratch and transitioning them to an all flock. They have access to feed and oyster shells all day with us. Previously, she and the other 9 we took in, were "hand fed" twice a day. They seemed to be pretty hungry when we got them and ate everything in sight, including some stale bread my chickens hadn't touched. They do free range with us during the day and were limited to a coop previously. We do have access to a vet, but would really prefer to treat ourselves or just put her down. It is improving since we noticed it on Sunday. We have vomited her the last two nights, tonight's substance was much less than last night's. She had been off solid food since Monday evening, tonight I gave her some finely cut up strawberries, bell peppers and boiled egg.I put some triple antibiotic ointment on the wound tonight

I would continue to do what you are doing. The ACV is debated by experts whether it is good or bad in crop problems, so I would skip it just in case. Clean water to drink, no whole grains but just mushy all flock feed mixed with lots of water. As you say, she may have been starving since she did not have access to food all the time, and has stuffed herself, but she may have been suffering from this even before you got her.

 

[tlbmomma]

On a positive note, I found an older thread last night where someone had a hen with similar presentation, no feathers, small wound, etc. They messed with it for a month and a half and had to take the hen to the vet for an impacted crop by the time it was all said and done, but apparently the loss of feathers and wound can occur if the crop gets too big and is really bothering them. They scratch at it and pull their feathers in an attempt to relieve the pressure. Yay! I love knowing what I am dealing with so I can deal with it accordingly. Thanks to you all.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi

and Welcome To BYC

You have recieved some good advice from the others.

Yes, the scratching at the crop is most likely due to her being uncomfortable. I have read that it can be "itchy" and this is an attempt to relieve that itch.

If you do have a vet, it would be a good idea to have a fecal float test performed for Cocci and worms. Sour and slow moving crops can often be a symptom of one of these. Essentially there is something slowing the movement of foods.

Keep up the TLC, I hope she improves

You may have already seen the article linked below, if not you may want to - it has quite a bit of information that may help.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

 

[tlbmomma]

Hi and Welcome To BYC

You have recieved some good advice from the others.

Yes, the scratching at the crop is most likely due to her being uncomfortable.  I have read that it can be "itchy" and this is an attempt to relieve that itch. 

If you do have a vet, it would be a good idea to have a fecal float test performed for Cocci and worms.  Sour and slow moving crops can often be a symptom of one of these.  Essentially there is something slowing the movement of foods.

Keep up the TLC, I hope she improves

You may have already seen the article linked below, if not you may want to - it has quite a bit of information that may help.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

the
THANK YOU! this article was super helpful!

 

[Little Fuzzy]

I wasn't trying to waste anyone's time. I am fairly new to this thread thing so I really wasn't sure it had gone through. Sorry for bothering everyone.

No bother, some people don't have patience with people that aren't computer experts, like me. I've been chastised twice for imperfections while trying to learn the site. Hope your girl gets better.

 

[tlbmomma]

Is it normal for them to walk around like they are drunk or lay down and not stand up whenever you put the crop bra on at first?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is it normal for them to walk around like they are drunk or lay down and not stand up whenever you put the crop bra on at first?

No, I don't think that would be normal behavior. You may want to take the crop bra off.

Can you post some photos of your hen? Or a video of how she acts?

Do you have a vet that can perform a fecal float test to see if she has Cocci or worms? I understand that she is "new" to you and she came from somewhere else, that may have been questionable in housing/feed and possibly sanitation. She may be suffering from internal parasites as well. Sometimes sour/impacted crop is a symptom of underlying problems of worms, cocci or reproductive issues (think - inflammation or partial blockage in the gut/intestines which would slow the digestion process).



Make sure she is drinking plenty of water - add some poultry vitamins if you have them. Only give wet poultry feed - you can give a little chopped hard boiled egg as a treat. Avoid any seeds, corn, scratch, etc. (things that are harder to digest). I do recommend that you offer poultry grit (crushed granite) free choice as well.

Let us know how she is doing.

 

[tlbmomma]

I won't be able to post any pictures or video today, but will as soon as I can. She is acting completely fine as long as she doesn't have the crop bra on. I was hoping maybe she just needed to get used to it. When i put it on her she'll try to take a few steps, wobbles and then just hunkers down and wont move. She was all to happy to be out of "jail" yesterday for a little while. She ate, drank and went to roost with the other girls.
Her crop issue seems to be improving but she does still scratch at it some when out.
We do have a vet that I could take her, or her poop, to. Would it hurt anything to just assume that they all have worms or Cocci and treat accordingly? I have not done any research on Cocci, but I assume chickens should be wormed regularly just like any other animal.
What do you use to worm/treat Cocci? Are the eggs still idible after treatment or do we need to avoid them for a period of time?
I will add that she has not laid an egg since we've had her in jail. We have not checked to see if she is egg bound, we will tonight. She does not seem in distress, other than the huge crop, which she seems less concerned about than I am, lol. I can't be 100% certain she was laying when we got her though.
She seems otherwise happy, bright eyed, still interested in food and water.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I won't be able to post any pictures or video today, but will as soon as I can. She is acting completely fine as long as she doesn't have the crop bra on. I was hoping maybe she just needed to get used to it. When i put it on her she'll try to take a few steps, wobbles and then just hunkers down and wont move. She was all to happy to be out of "jail" yesterday for a little while. She ate, drank and went to roost with the other girls.
Her crop issue seems to be improving but she does still scratch at it some when out.
We do have a vet that I could take her, or her poop, to. Would it hurt anything to just assume that they all have worms or Cocci and treat accordingly? I have not done any research on Cocci, but I assume chickens should be wormed regularly just like any other animal.
What do you use to worm/treat Cocci? Are the eggs still idible after treatment or do we need to avoid them for a period of time?
I will add that she has not laid an egg since we've had her in jail. We have not checked to see if she is egg bound, we will tonight. She does not seem in distress, other than the huge crop, which she seems less concerned about than I am, lol. I can't be 100% certain she was laying when we got her though.
She seems otherwise happy, bright eyed, still interested in food and water.

Is the crop emptying overnight? Check it when she goes to roost (bedtime) then first thing in the morning before eating/drinking. It should be full at night and empty/flat in the am.
My only guess with the crop bra is that she is uncomfortable in it, she is afraid or it may be pressing to much on her crop. Give her some time to get used to being in her new home, continue to treat her for sour/impacted crop if you find it is not emptying overnight.

Treating for cocci and/or worms won't necessarily hurt her. Cocci treatment is with Corid which can be found at the feed store - look in the cattle section.
Corid dosage is 1 1/2 teaspoons Corid powder per gallon or 2 teaspoons of 9.6% Corid liquid per gallon.
Give for 5-7 days - make sure this is the ONLY water available during that time period. Mix a fresh batch at least once a day.
After they finish treatment offer some poultry vitamins and probiotics/plain yogurt. If you are giving Corid, stop any vitamin treatments so their is not a conflict. Corid is a Thiamine blocker, so vitamins containing Thiamine would be contradictory. Corid has no egg withdrawal and is considered a safe and gentle medication.

For worming you can use Valbazen 1/2 ml orally and then repeated in 10 days for each chicken or Fenbendazole (Safeguard, Panacur) at 1/4 ml per pound for 5 days in a row. Withdrawal is generally 14days after last treatment (throw away the eggs, do not feed them back to the chickens or give to a dog, etc.)



Here's more information on worms:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2015/11/control-treatment-of-worms-in-chickens.html

 

[tlbmomma]

Thanks so much! Her crop is less full in the morning than the evening, but it's not empty or flat. It is improving from Sunday when we noticed it. We will continue to treat her until it is resolved.