Sour crop support needed

[cnj-tx50]

Does she need the grit now or when she goes on regular food. Grit is available to them at all times plus what ever is in he ground. I am thinking that she got into something in the mulch pile that did not agree with her. No one else got got sick but I do think that is where this came from. It may have to be off limits for now.

 

[Pampered Hen]

Thyme's crop is still "slushy" and after this morning "puking session" she was so weak that she wouldn't stand on her own. I had to leave her for about 4 hours I left her with a bowl of cooked and soft veggies swimming in plain water. She had eaten it all and was much perkier upon my return. I decided to refrain from making her vomit for a while and resorted to massaging her crop hoping to get thing moving. I'm now giving her small amounts of high protein powder mixed with milk water and a tad of olive oil for added calories and Acidophyllus cultures. She has been eating willingly!!! I took her inside and had her on my lap massaging her sloppy crop. She was not the friendliest chicken before this ordeal, but has become quite comfortable with being handled by me. She sat on my lap talking a bit and just looking around and pecking at stuff. She also pooped while I prepared the crate for her. Not being a "Poopologist" myself although striving for the title

I was wondering if any one of you might have some kind of opinion on it. I attached a link to a couple shots I made. Generally, I would consider it to be diarrhea and the color was more or less green.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/a7ubTk683IGN_vEl_n_ZqA?feat=directlink

 

[cnj-tx50]

Not too sure about the poop. There is a poop chart on here somewhere. Little Miss has continued to poop but it has been very firm although small amounts.

 

[Pampered Hen]

I actually had a poop page bookmarked: http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0
I'm still not sure what Thyme's dropping might be telling me....

 

[Quillgirl]

Be careful massaging the crop with grit in it. You can get some slices and nicks inside that can get infected. Once you've emptied the crop of the first bad goops and begun treatment, don't worry about emptying/vomiting again unless it becomes engorged again. Chickens can't naturally vomit so you are forcing something unnatural. She needs to process some of her food for the nutrients. Consider babyfood meat as another protein food option. Make sure the veggies you are giving her aren't too much fiber and are not sweet. Scrambled egg, yogurt, baby food meat, vitamins, electrolytes, ACV, water. Be strict until the problem is resolved.

So long as the food is very soft, you can get away with no grit, but grit is necessary for proper digestion otherwise. (It's a bird's teeth!)

That poop looks pretty normal for a bird that ate lots of watery veg. Just extra watery, otherwise pretty normal looking IMO.

 

[upthecreek]

If her droppings are green you need to call "First State Veterinary Supply" and ask to speak to "Peter Brown" , he will tell you what to do 1-800-950-8387 1-410-546-6137

I'm thinking green(bad news) is something you need to medicate for . My memory is not working right now but he/they can tell you what it is and what needs to be done .

Best to you,
Shannon



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[cnj-tx50]

I am thinking that I am finally seeing a turn around in my girl. She has eaten 3 times today and it seems to be going somewhere. If her crop is flat tomorrow I am hoping to give her a little oatmeal or should I wait another day just in case. I am a little scared to give her anything as I seemed to have hurried her last week when this whole thing started. I am planning on getting the baby food at the store in the morning so I can add that tomorrow.

 

[Pampered Hen]

Upthecreek: Isn't all chickenpoop green? That dark deep forest green? That is the color of of the droppings I see around for the most part (including my healthy 10 birds)

Quillgirl: I see your concern about grit and massaging the crop. She had grit in the coop, where I kept her until today. I don't think we took any. I don't feel anything gritty in her crop. I have not provided any with all the soft stuff she has been getting this afternoon. I added applesauce to the soft and easily digestible mix of foods and she likes it. What is your opinion of sweet potato? Too starchy? I'm steaming one at the moment and it will be ready shortly. BTW, her breath as well as her vomit has ceased for days to smell sour. I think we are over the typical phase of sour crop - I think. At this moment I'm battling to get her crop back into motion. I'm so concerned with stuffing her crop, but not getting farther into her digestive system...
Oh she pooped again, makes me hope that some stuff passes through at least. Anyone know how fast food is digested in a chickens gut and how long it might take to journey from beak to vent (and then my bathroom floor... psst, don't tell my man

 

[ultasol]

I read somewhere (when I had a bird with a sour crop issue) that it can be related to an upset in digestion- this is why I decided to restrict food and make sure that, while her crop was reestablishing normal conditions, I fed her the easily digested food with the probios.

I took out food at night, if her crop was full and squishy in the am I emptied it (with this I went slowly, little bit at a time with breaks to breathe and relax in the hopes of preventing choking). I then replaced water and fed her a small amount in the afternoon a couple times, and then again in the evening.

I still see no signs of a relapse, and the bird is quite the peppy little brat. I hope your bird heals well- I do think there is time/patience needed as I believe the crop/digestive system needed time to recover. I am assuming that there is a hormone or chemical signal that allows the crop to slowly empty- and if this is not happening there is something wrong further down the line?

Is anyone here a chicken physiologist? Now I am curious as to the physiology of crop function.

 

[upthecreek]

I'm actually partially color blind (my wife says i'm color blind) but on another chicken site all of the people talk about green droppings being bad . All it takes is just a phone call to Peter Brown and you can know if there's a problem with it or not .
I had rather come down on the caution side everytime when it comes to my animals .
Shannon


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