Sour crop

[kpenn26]

Hi,

Since this seems to be a repetative issue, I'd keep them on added probiotics. You can either get powders for treating their water, or they make crumbles to mix in their feed. We use some Kalmbach's makes.

For your current patient, here are the two best crop articles in BYC. They might give you some other ideas.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

And here's a reply from the author of that second article, to a new member post referencing using Acidified Copper Sulfate to knock out sour crop.

Thank you for your response. I had read the first article you mentioned and found it helpful. I had not read the second one yet, so thanks for that link.

 

[kpenn26]

Before giving up, please try Enzymedica Digest Gold. You can get it at CVS. I have a 4-year old speckled sussex that had crop issues and I tried motility meds and everything else. I thought I was going to lose her at Christmas. I stopped the aspiration from the fermented crop gasses coming up and making her aspirate with Infant Gas drops (simethicone), and I fixed her crop issues with Enzymedica Gold Digest. As you know, crop issues are almost always a symptom of a another issue. At 4, she could have reproductive disease, and other issues that are just showing themselves as crop issues.
View attachment 4311771

Our CVS did not have this in stock but I ordered it online and it should arrive tomorrow morning. Mrs. Weasley seems to be in stable condition--she has not deteriorated but her crop seems mostly unchanged. I've been doing crop massages every hour and administering warm coconut oil and dosing with Monistat twice a day on top of warm scrambled egg. She still wants to eat, and is still up and moving. I've restricted all other food for now. She has access to fresh water with ACV, and access to grit.

 

[kpenn26]

How do you know it is sour crop? It could be crop stasis. With crop stasis you will get fermentation just because everything is not moving through fast enough. The advice I just gave @cate1124, I give to you. Go to CVS and get simethicone (infant gas drops), and Enzymedica Digest Gold. Use 1/16 of the capsule of Enzymedica Digest Gold to put over food. Use the infant gas drops (has to have simethicone), to prevent a fatal aspiration from the fermented food in the crop gasses. .25ml
View attachment 4311776

I've ordered both of these things and they should be here by 7am tomorrow morning. While her crop has not gotten smaller, it has not gotten any bigger so I'm hopeful that it's slowly draining with the massages and coconut oil. And you're right, it could be crop stasis. I assumed it was sour crop because of how squishy it is and how gurgly it sounds, but I can't smell anything sour coming off of her. Thank you for your advice.

 

[kpenn26]

Hi,

Since this seems to be a repetative issue, I'd keep them on added probiotics. You can either get powders for treating their water, or they make crumbles to mix in their feed. We use some Kalmbach's makes.

For your current patient, here are the two best crop articles in BYC. They might give you some other ideas.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

And here's a reply from the author of that second article, to a new member post referencing using Acidified Copper Sulfate to knock out sour crop.

Thank you!

 

[kpenn26]

So sorry you are dealing with this. The first linked article, by Azygous, is as good advice as you are likely to receive.

Crop stasis is often a symptom of an underlying issue that cannot be easily resolved. I am about to lose a speckled Sussex, 6, who abruptly went out of production at 4, and has since had a poorly oxygenated comb and less energy than the others. She responded beautifully to crop massage and probiotics last summer, with a slow-emptying but not sour crop I did not connect with her chronic respiratory issues. I have no idea why, but the same measures are having no effect this year and now she has additional symptoms, and her crop has soured. Vet suspects body cavity tumor.

Definitely try the miconazole/monistat protocol; it seemed to help one of my hens through a crop episode some years ago. But sometimes we cannot resolve crop dysfunction, or seem to only to have it recur if there is an underlying condition.

Wishing you the best with your gal.

Thank you for your input and advice. I know we all face chicken heartbreak at times. It's nice to have the support and advice of other chicken lovers.

 

[triciayoung]

You mention putting the digestive enzymes on food at a certain dose, but do not say how to administer the drops ( at .25 ml). If on food, see below. If directly into the beak, see below.

It seems your Lucy kept eating, and probably also was not showing the profound lethargy -- mostly sitting, and a wide, slow (something in abdominal cavity?) gait when she does walk -- I am seeing with Ev. These additional symptoms would align with an underlying problem. I did not see them in the only other hen I've treated (miconazole/ACS water) for sour crop; she fully recovered and lived several more years.

Ev is nauseated and not eating. That is the reason for not trying, as I would have to force her, which I don't want to do when my vet expresses no doubt she is terminal. (I did actually mention your idea to her.) If you can help me get around that, I'm all ears.

I hope your Lucy stays well and gets to be at least 6, my girl's age. Unfortunately, we both understand that this kind of issue is apt to recur -- especially with older hens -- if there is an underlying problem. I hope that's not the case with Lucy.

My vet told me unequivocally there was no treatment for my Henrietta and that she had a month to live at best. She wanted to euthanize. I did my own research and Henrietta lived another year. I just wrote an article about it.

Just like with Lucy, you have to get her a little stable first. You can do subcutaneous fluids and emergency food, or just water down some ground feed and give it to her in a syringe. You can put 1/16 of the powder from the enzyme in the syringe. You don't have to be exact with it.

 

[triciayoung]

Our CVS did not have this in stock but I ordered it online and it should arrive tomorrow morning. Mrs. Weasley seems to be in stable condition--she has not deteriorated but her crop seems mostly unchanged. I've been doing crop massages every hour and administering warm coconut oil and dosing with Monistat twice a day on top of warm scrambled egg. She still wants to eat, and is still up and moving. I've restricted all other food for now. She has access to fresh water with ACV, and access to grit.

If she is not impacted, coconut oil is not necessary.

 

[cate1124]

Wow, this is so helpful. Thank you.

Ev never came back into production after she turned 4; I've never seen that in another hen; they usually taper with age. At roughly the same time, she developed mild rales, decreased energy and a cyanotic comb/wattles. I knew then her future might not be long or great.

Anyway, thinking the labored breathing might be a mycoplasma flare from presumed exposure as a chick, we treated for the respiratory issue last winter/early spring: Clavamox, later doxycycline; neither had any significant effect. Also dexamethasone to address inflammation. Again, no noticeable improvement.

So she just went on -- at about half-speed -- but enjoying her chicken life. Last April, based on advice here, I commenced crop massages and added probiotic powder to their food. I was astounded at her response: Her comb plumped and reddened, breathing and energy markedly improved, though never matched those other peers. I would never have thought about a connection between a slow crop and her chronic respiratory issues.

Of course her comb size and color reduced with winter, but she seemed generally herself until a few weeks ago. I noticed that her top beak had become significantly overgrown -- a puzzle as the flock has been out a lot this mild winter, with opportunities to groom their beaks. (Apparently, beak overgrowth can be related to liver problems.)

Then she started declining morning scratch, and I could feel her crop was not emptying normally. Massages and probiotics did nothing. Vet gave a shot of tetracycline (we had not used that before), but it did not help. On portable ultrasound a couple days after tetracycline injection, vet saw something that looked suspicious, but it was inconclusive. She did not feel any masses on internal exam, but wonders about a body cavity tumor. Ev is walking much less now, and with that wide stance. I tried miconazole for four doses; she continues to slip and I want to quit pestering her.

It's hard to put together all these various things. But I will get the two products you mention and offer them in food; I just can't bring myself to force her. I appreciate all this good information.

 

[triciayoung]

I've ordered both of these things and they should be here by 7am tomorrow morning. While her crop has not gotten smaller, it has not gotten any bigger so I'm hopeful that it's slowly draining with the massages and coconut oil. And you're right, it could be crop stasis. I assumed it was sour crop because of how squishy it is and how gurgly it sounds, but I can't smell anything sour coming off of her. Thank you for your advice.

I am so happy you are getting both. I fear the gurgling sounds you are hearing is the fermented gasses coming up and then some of it entering the air sacs. That's what it sounded like with Lucy. The simethicone will take care of that so you can focus on whether this is a digestive/malabsorption issue or not. Did you rule out reproductive disease?

 

[triciayoung]

Wow, this is so helpful. Thank you.

Ev never came back into production after she turned 4; I've never seen that in another hen; they usually taper with age. At roughly the same time, she developed mild rales, decreased energy and a cyanotic comb/wattles. I knew then her future might not be long or great.

Anyway, thinking the labored breathing might be a mycoplasma flare from presumed exposure as a chick, we treated for the respiratory issue last winter/early spring: Clavamox, later doxycycline; neither had any significant effect. Also dexamethasone to address inflammation. Again, no noticeable improvement.

So she just went on -- at about half-speed -- but enjoying her chicken life. Last April, based on advice here, I commenced crop massages and added probiotic powder to their food. I was astounded at her response: Her comb plumped and reddened, breathing and energy markedly improved, though never matched those other peers. I would never have thought about a connection between a slow crop and her chronic respiratory issues.

Of course her comb size and color reduced with winter, but she seemed generally herself until a few weeks ago. I noticed that her top beak had become significantly overgrown -- a puzzle as the flock has been out a lot this mild winter, with opportunities to groom their beaks. (Apparently, beak overgrowth can be related to liver problems.)

Then she started declining morning scratch, and I could feel her crop was not emptying normally. Massages and probiotics did nothing. Vet gave a shot of tetracycline (we had not used that before), but it did not help. On portable ultrasound a couple days after tetracycline injection, vet saw something that looked suspicious, but it was inconclusive. She did not feel any masses on internal exam, but wonders about a body cavity tumor. Ev is walking much less now, and with that wide stance. I tried miconazole for four doses; she continues to slip and I want to quit pestering her.

It's hard to put together all these various things. But I will get the two products you mention and offer them in food; I just can't bring myself to force her. I appreciate all this good information.

Can I see a picture of her? Her beak overgrowth can simply be a matter of her not feeling good, and eating less. Do you have milk thistle? It is very powerful for the liver. Again, this is over the counter. It is my opinion you are going to need to force her at first - I had to. Is one of her legs bigger than the other?

I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. We are talking about Ev. I think trying the enzymes and the liver support (milk thistle) and forcing her to do it would be good, and only use the simethicone if she is aspirating from fermentation in her crop.