Sour Crop

[BLRanch]

Hey Everyone,
I seem to have bad luck with my hens. Once again, I need this amazing community to help me save one of my girls. Jenny is 1 1/2 old and has some troubling symptoms. I'm sure she has sour crop as her crop is swollen and feels like a water balloon. Its warm to the touch and obviously uncomfortable for her. Fortunately I have found some great information on BYC regarding treatment. I have her "Flushing" her crop with salt water and I've also been giving her 1 cc miconazole cream two times a day. Plus, I have been trying to massage her crop, although she hates it.

I'd love to hear from some others about their experience. Our local vet knows nothing about chickens but is willing to look things up and work with me.

My first question is, my hen also has raspy breathing. It sounds like shes full of liquid. This has been happening for a while, I looked up respiratory infection and was treating as recommended. I started putting vitamins in their water and letting them free range during the day. I also added some grains to their layer mix (maybe I caused the sour crop?). I did this all in hopes to help her heal and get over the raspy breathing. It now seems worse! Am I dealing with two different problems? Or is the raspy breathing something that goes along with sour crop?

Please help! Jenny wants to feel better and go outside with her friends! I can also take a video of her if that will be helpful!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Jenny is 1 1/2 old and has some troubling symptoms. I'm sure she has sour crop as her crop is swollen and feels like a water balloon. Its warm to the touch and obviously uncomfortable for her.

I have her "Flushing" her crop with salt water and I've also been giving her 1 cc miconazole cream two times a day. Plus, I have been trying to massage her crop, although she hates it.

My first question is, my hen also has raspy breathing. It sounds like shes full of liquid. This has been happening for a while, I looked up respiratory infection and was treating as recommended.

I also added some grains to their layer mix (maybe I caused the sour crop?). I did this all in hopes to help her heal and get over the raspy breathing. It now seems worse! Am I dealing with two different problems? Or is the raspy breathing something that goes along with sour crop?

You have been flushing the crop with salt water? How and for how long?
When is the last time she laid an egg? Do you feel any bloat/swelling or fluid in the abdomen?
The raspy breathing, did she start that before or after treatment of crop issues?
What did you use to treat respiratory infection?

I would not offer her any grains until you get the crop cleared. It might be a good idea to withhold any food for 24hrs. Do provide fresh clean plain drinking water for her.
If the crop smells sour, then continue with the Miconazole for the full 7 days.

Photos of Jenny and her poop may be helpful. Video is always welcome too.

 

[BLRanch]

The "flushing" thing came from this source https://the-chicken-chick.com/chicken-anatomy-crop-impacted-crop-sour/ I haven't been forcing it down her I have just been offering it to her in a bowl 2 times a day. Along with the salt water she has access to clean drinking water all the time. Her chest is what is swollen. It feels like a water balloon and fills my hand.

I didn't treat the respiratory thing. I added vitamins and upped the quality of food by mixing in some grains. I also started letting them free range during the day. Again, I googled it and did what others suggested. The raspy breathing never quit but I did think it was improving... until yesterday when it was worse so I caught her and then felt her huge swollen crop.

I have her in a crate and haven't let her have access to the feed or grain. I have been giving her a bit of boiled egg with the Miconazole and a tiny bit of cottage cheese (the internet says yogurt but I don't have any) just to make it all look tasty.

She has been in the crate for a day now and there is at least 3 poops in there. They look good to me. I can take some pictures tomorrow

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My first question is, my hen also has raspy breathing. It sounds like shes full of liquid. This has been happening for a while, I looked up respiratory infection and was treating as recommended.

I didn't treat the respiratory thing.

The "flushing" thing came from this source https://the-chicken-chick.com/chicken-anatomy-crop-impacted-crop-sour/ I haven't been forcing it down her I have just been offering it to her in a bowl 2 times a day. Along with the salt water she has access to clean drinking water all the time. Her chest is what is swollen. It feels like a water balloon and fills my hand.

I added vitamins and upped the quality of food by mixing in some grains.

Yes, I'm familiar with the flush, I was just wondering if she was raspy before the flush was given. A "flush" is usually administered direct dose (as mentioned in the article you referenced)

I understand her crop is swollen. I am asking if her abdomen is swollen or bloated too. When is the last time she laid an egg? She's 1 1/2 yrs of age, she should be laying eggs unless you are in Australia? and it's fall? Often times a crop issue is a symptom of an underlying condition - reproductive disorders are a very common cause of a crop not emptying - this is why I ask. It's like one thing leads to another.

It's good that she's pooping. I would not add grains for her right now.

 

[BLRanch]

When I tried to flush her the first time she grabbed the syringe and ripped it out of my hand. Then went to the bowl and had a big drink. So I've just been letting her drink it, rather than the syringe.

Sorry I misunderstood your question. Her abdomen feels normal, to me. Shes skinny so theres not much there. She laid an egg yesterday. Nothing today but I assume she is stressed from being locked up.

I will definitely keep her off grains until this clears up. She is eating everything I give her. I will pick her up some yogurt tomorrow.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

When I tried to flush her the first time she grabbed the syringe and ripped it out of my hand. Then went to the bowl and had a big drink. So I've just been letting her drink it, rather than the syringe.

Sorry I misunderstood your question. Her abdomen feels normal, to me. Shes skinny so theres not much there. She laid an egg yesterday. Nothing today but I assume she is stressed from being locked up.

I will definitely keep her off grains until this clears up. She is eating everything I give her. I will pick her up some yogurt tomorrow.

LOL Sometimes they will get testy and try to rip the syringe out of the hand. It's good that she drank some of the salt water on her own then.

Even better that she laid an egg yesterday!! That's always a good thing.

O.k. Now. The crop is fluid filled and stinky? I would withhold food for 24hrs and work on the crop. @azygous is the crop guru, she may have some tips for you. In the meantime read her article
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[azygous]

All of the symptoms are associated with a sour crop and trying to massage it. Stop massaging it. Some of the sour liquid will back up and cause respiratory issues and possible death. (You massage an impacted crop. You do not massage a sour crop.)

Adding the grains to the layer feed certainly could have caused an overload of carbs in the crop, and if the crop was slow to begin with, a perfect recipe for yeast to colonize it. (You do not need to add anything to a commercial feed. It's well formulated by experts. No need to "improve" it.)

So, with those rules laid out, continue with the miconazole for an entire seven days, and withhold all carbs during treatment. Yogurt, boiled egg, and occasional greens are permitted. Offer dry feed after a few days as her appetite improves.

If there's no improvement after a few days after monitoring the crop each morning for progress, a crop bra may be needed to assist the crop in emptying.

 

[BLRanch]

Thank you so much! I'm quite new to chickens. She was one of my first chicks! I'm learning as I go.

The raspy breathing happened before I even noticed her crop. Therefore, before any massaging. Although it may very well be the same thing. Just over flow from the crop.

She is a bit less swollen today. I took a video. I will post it. Please look at it as I'm thinking she needs a bra.

 

[BLRanch]

This is the video i just took. She is not actually loose in the coop. I just let her out so I could take it.

 

[azygous]

You really can't determine if a crop needs the support of a bra just by appearance, although she does look a bit heavy in the front seat. After a few days on miconazole, she should be pretty much empty by morning. If not, I would try a crop bra. They are easy to make. Look at my article on crop disorders. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/