Sour crop

[Mimi13]

Even if her crop is not hard, go ahead and massage it really well after you give her the miconazole. Think of it as working the medicine in really well with the contents of her crop.

I do remember what I think was a specific turning point with my girl was actually giving her grit. Even though her crop felt like it was full of nothing but grit, I gave her a bowl of grit and she scarfed it down. The grit along with water and the miconazole and massage I believe got Gabby going finally.

Now, if your girl is eating and just making her crop bigger, I wonder if she’s pooping. If not, there could be a blockage. @azygous had me do a molasses flush on Gabby to make sure her “pipes” were clear so that the miconazole could work. I did have to tube it in her.
@azygous, I wonder if her girl would benefit from that?

I also agree with @Cryss that your pullet might not start laying until her “problem” has corrected itself. And then again, if there is a blockage it could possibly be all related.

I’ve mentioned a blockage only because it is something to think about. I have done necropsies on two of my girls and all I can say is gosh, golly bum. I don’t see how anything was getting through the body cavity of my second one. They both had tumors, one had them all over her liver and my last girl was eat up with tumors galore, all over every square inch of her innards. I was shocked to put it mildly.

I have linked the two threads that include necropsy pics if you’re interested.

The first one, a 13 mo Columbian Wyandotte, wasn’t having any problems other than difficulty breathing.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/breathing-difficulties.1303148/

The second one, a 3 yo Amberlink, I just found dead one evening. Never did I even realize she was sick at all. Boy was she ever. I honestly don’t know how she was even breathing.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/unexpected-“natural”-death-necropsy-pics.1305670/

I don’t necessarily think either of these is what your little girl is suffering from, but I just wanted to let you know what I was meaning when I mentioned blockage. I know I had absolutely no idea until these two were necropsied.

 

[Rhcecil]

Ya I have been massaging her crop throughout the day. Also I followed her around for a little while to see if she would poop and she did. She scarfs down any food she can find and I have been putting apple cider vinegar in her water.

 

[Rhcecil]

Thank you for all this information. I never knew about all this

 

[Cryss]

If her crop isn't emptying by morning she isn't getting nutrition from anything she eats.
What do the experts/experienced here think about withholding food for a day offering only water? I'm not suggesting you do this, I'm asking this question.

 

[Mimi13]

I don’t know the answer regarding withholding her food, but what I do know is this. When I began giving my girl grit (even though, in my mind’s eye, I didn’t know how putting more mass in her crop would actually help) along with the miconazole, is the day she began getting better. I’m still kind of dumbfounded.

 

[Cryss]

I don’t know the answer regarding withholding her food, but what I do know is this. When I began giving my girl grit (even though, in my mind’s eye, I didn’t know how putting more mass in her crop would actually help) along with the miconazole, is the day she began getting better. I’m still kind of dumbfounded.

Yes, grit is essential because it acts like teeth for chickens and all birds. Without it they will starve cuz they can't chew their food and make it move on.

 

[Rhcecil]

Her crop still looks the same. When I gave her the med this morning and squished around her crop around there was a lot of what sounded like farting noises. Like there is air in there. It’s like she is pumped up with air.

 

[Rhcecil]

She also is not staying with the rest of the flock as much now. Stays back and doesn’t come when I call for food. I have been separating her and giving her eggs with grit in it and today she wasn’t interested in it.

 

[Cryss]

@azygous do you have any insight?

 

[azygous]

Okay. Let's do an experiment to see if pendulous crop is playing a devious role in this.

Hold your hen in a comfortable position for you both. Then support the crop with one hand, raising it up about two inches higher. Then, with the other hand, very, very gently massage the crop in tight little circular motions. Be very careful not to push the contents upward toward her airway or she could suck in some of the sour fluid into her lungs and die.

Do this for about one minute. The crop should feel much less full. Then offer her some soft boiled egg or crumbled tofu. With the crop emptied, she should feel more inclined to eat.

If this experiment works, it's indication she would benefit from a crop bra. You can make one up very quickly just gluing the pieces.