Sour Crop Without Sour Smell? Lethargic Hen

[Barredbuzzard34]

I have a ~7 month old Barred Rock that started acting very slow and lethargic at some point late yesterday. She is a bit puffed up, and not very interested in food. I felt her crop, and it feels puffy/squishy and balloon like. The only thing is that when I smell her beak, there is no noticeable sour smell. After taking away her food and water to observe her for the night, her crop still feels puffed up.

She is pooping but it is very watery and yellowish. She appears very uncomfortable and keeps closing her eyes. Should I try giving her Apple cider vinegar as a treatment, as though she really does have sour crop? Does it have to be Apple cider vinegar, or can I use regular white vinegar? Also how much should I dilute it if so?

 

[Barredbuzzard34]

Here is a pic of her and a pic of her poop.

 

[Eggcessive]

She may have a slow crop right now, but it doesn’t seem sour at this point. A slow crop may progress to a sour crop in time. Other illnesses or reproductive problems may slow the crop. Can you look her over for swelling in her lower belly under the vent? Look for lice and mites while you are at it. Has she been laying eggs recently? Can you post a picture of her poop?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would try getting her to drink fluids (plain water) and offer some mushy cooked egg and some plain yogurt (a tablespoonful) for probiotics. Is there any way that your local vet would test some fresh droppings for coccidiosis and worms? Does she lay eggs normally?

 

[Barredbuzzard34]

She may have a slow crop right now, but it doesn’t seem sour at this point. A slow crop may progress to a sour crop in time. Other illnesses or reproductive problems may slow the crop. Can you look her over for swelling in her lower belly under the vent? Look for lice and mites while you are at it. Has she been laying eggs recently? Can you post a picture of her poop?

No lice or mites, body doesn't seem to be buldging. Her recent poops are identical to the one posted before. Gave her water access and she drank for a couple of minutes and seems to want more but the amount she is drinking seems excessive? Thanks for your help. Her head movements are faster (still noticeably slower than other birds), other motor skills are still slow. Of course when you feel her tummy she starts flapping!

 

[Barredbuzzard34]

A quick update, she is closing her eyes a lot while standing up, a bit worrying. Still not giving her solids but giving her access to water. Have her in a box next to the hens in their enclosure.

 

[Barredbuzzard34]

As of this morning her crop is still not completely empty and she is less active. She passed a few small strands of undigested long grass, and then a tiny bit of blood. I am not sure, but because of the blood I am worried about coccidiosis. I went and got some corid and dosed the whole flock. The sick bird is currently drinking her now medicated water. She seems really thirsty, and is drinking more than normal. At this point I am not sure if I should give her some food or not, as I don't know if she has an impacted crop or coccidiosis. Any suggestions are welcome here.

 

[Eggcessive]

Give some soft scrambled egg, and a little plain yogurt if you have some. Watery chicken feed mixed with the medicated water is fine. She really needs to have something other than water, since you have been withholding food for 3 days. I hope that she is feeling better tomorrow. Her crop may be just slow to empty because she is sick. Has she ever laid eggs?

 

[Barredbuzzard34]

Give some soft scrambled egg, and a little plain yogurt if you have some. Watery chicken feed mixed with the medicated water is fine. She really needs to have something other than water, since you have been withholding food for 3 days. I hope that she is feeling better tomorrow. Her crop may be just slow to empty because she is sick. Has she ever laid eggs?

She won't eat the scrambled egg, and was only sipping water off the top of the soaked feed, but I did try giving her some raw egg mixed with her water instead and she drank that right up so hopefully it helps. As far as I know she should be laying, although I have never watched to see her do it. I have a flock of 8 chickens here, and they are all barred rock. It can be hard to tell them apart. I do only get about 5-6 eggs a day tho so maybe she has never laid, but I figure I would probably have seen something before now as the others have been laying a while.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you give some undiluted Corid extra—0.1 ml per pound of weight twice a day for a few days, in addition to the medicated Corid water.