sour crop - sneezing

[CHSchxLady]

I watched a couple videos to help relieve sour crop from my Americana, Jess, she did well. And I fed her water, .... it was fluid but more food than anything. she choked at one point and then got it out. There was a chunk of food. it definitely smelled bad. I gave her water afterwards and she moved quickly to under the stairs in the dark. I finally was able to craw in and see where she was and if she was ok. What I saw: she is standing, there are a couple of chickens under the stairs as well, seems to just be moving her mouth and tongue around and sneezing. Is everything ok? Should I go to the emergency vet? What are my next steps to getting her healthy again and eating/digesting foods?

I saw minced garlic, greek yogurt, and probiotic/ACV/water mix-- is that correct?

 

[Debbie292d]

Yes, probiotics help crop and digestive issues. I also ferment grains and other stuff in addition to most of what you mentioned. You could also try wetting her crumbles/pellets and make a mash out of it. Beats me why but our chickens think that's a treat.

The sneezing I assume is due to that chunk of food or something coming back up into her nostrils. By now she should be okay in that respect?

 

[CHSchxLady]

Update: I have tried draining her crop afterwards feeding her garlic water with ACV through a syringe. then she escapes and winds up gorging food and her crop continuously gets big. Over a month later and I've had to do this a few times. However, this past weekend I have quarantined her in a dog crate with a flat roosting bar. no food or water for 24 hours, during the day yesterday I left her in my bathroom where there are a lot of windows, so I opened them and just tried to let her poop out what she could. at first they were whole poops towards the end they were mushy with liquid. at night I put her in the crate and this morning would be 37 hours no food. What do I do now? I've contacted the local exotic vet (who does poultry) but it's Thanksgiving weekend, so not holding my breath on healing her with them this weekend. What are my next steps here, chicken family?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Update: I have tried draining her crop afterwards feeding her garlic water with ACV through a syringe. then she escapes and winds up gorging food and her crop continuously gets big. Over a month later and I've had to do this a few times. However, this past weekend I have quarantined her in a dog crate with a flat roosting bar. no food or water for 24 hours, during the day yesterday I left her in my bathroom where there are a lot of windows, so I opened them and just tried to let her poop out what she could. at first they were whole poops towards the end they were mushy with liquid. at night I put her in the crate and this morning would be 37 hours no food. What do I do now? I've contacted the local exotic vet (who does poultry) but it's Thanksgiving weekend, so not holding my breath on healing her with them this weekend. What are my next steps here, chicken family?

Don't withhold water during waking hours, provide water so she doesn't get dehydrated.

Offer her wet mushy feed.

Have you treated the crop with any medications?

A crop should get big when the hen eats, the worry is if the crop does not empty overnight (after a full night's sleep). The best way to gauge crop function is to check the crop first thing in the morning before she's had anything to eat or drink overnight. If the crop is not empty, then begin treatment.

This article is what I use when treating crop problems. Keep in mind that sometimes there's an underlying condition that causes the crop to slow (worms, reproductive disorders, infection, etc.). Consider getting a fecal float to see if she needs deworming.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/


What do you feed, including treats? Do you provide crushed granite (Grit) for your hens?

 

[CHSchxLady]

I provide regular hen laying feed, grit on the side, fresh water daily, and one recover 911 waterer with probiotics. I've given her yogurt daily, crushed garlic, did 1-2mL tomato juice 2-3x a day for 24 hours. No actual medication just homeopathic stuff. But every morning it is big even though she poops a lot. when I hold her it makes a gargle noise, and seems to drain from her crop to tummy. but shortly after I put her down it grows to get big again

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I provide regular hen laying feed, grit on the side, fresh water daily, and one recover 911 waterer with probiotics. I've given her yogurt daily, crushed garlic, did 1-2mL tomato juice 2-3x a day for 24 hours. No actual medication just homeopathic stuff. But every morning it is big even though she poops a lot. when I hold her it makes a gargle noise, and seems to drain from her crop to tummy. but shortly after I put her down it grows to get big again

I'd try treating her according to the article and see if that makes a difference.

 

[CHSchxLady]

I wound up taking her to the exotic vet. They wound up doing xrays. They thought it was egg bound, but there's a mass in her reproductive organs. also a now stretched out crop. My poor baby.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I wound up taking her to the exotic vet. They wound up doing xrays. They thought it was egg bound, but there's a mass in her reproductive organs. also a now stretched out crop. My poor baby.

Sorry to hear about your hen.
Sadly finding a mass or something going wrong with the reproductive system is common in laying hens.
Crop problems often go hand in hand with these conditions.
Often all you can do is address symptoms, offer supportive care and see how it goes.

This article is what I use when treating crop problems. Keep in mind that sometimes there's an underlying condition that causes the crop to slow (worms, reproductive disorders, infection, etc.). Consider getting a fecal float to see if she needs deworming.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[CHSchxLady]

We've been doing a crop bra for her from Birdy Bra (Shoutout to Tobi for being amazing and helpful) and giving her homemade feed with sweet potato, mashed apples, oats, bananas, cabbage/kale leaves and Metamucil and sprinkled probiotic from the vet and she's on a medicine to help with GI track 3x daily. Her feed has no grit or filler just high fiber to keep it flowing. And she's been an indoor baby and outdoor to scratch.

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

Yes, probiotics help crop and digestive issues. I also ferment grains and other stuff in addition to most of what you mentioned. You could also try wetting her crumbles/pellets and make a mash out of it. Beats me why but our chickens think that's a treat.

The sneezing I assume is due to that chunk of food or something coming back up into her nostrils. By now she should be okay in that respect?

x2