Troubleshooting sour crop

[juniperz]

This is my first time dealing with sour crop! Chicken in question is a 4 year old Easter Egger hen. I discovered the problem yesterday. I was able to get her to vomit up quite a bit. Then I brought her indoors, without any food or water.

This morning she was a little more perky and had pooped twice (very watery and soft). Her crop is back to being as swollen and squishy as it was pre-vomiting last night.

In late morning it looked like she had thrown up on her own, and was back to acting more lethargic.

Just now I gave her water again (was withheld for about 18 hours). She drank three times, then hunkered down again. Crop still swollen and squishy. I've been massaging it every few hours.

Do I make her vomit again to help empty the crop? Or leave it be and give olive or coconut oil in an eye dropper (saw this recommended a few times)? Should I continue to withhold food - for how long?

 

[aart]

Do I make her vomit again to help empty the crop?

No!
They can aspirate the fluid and 'drown'.

Coconut oil is best for impacted crop.
Miconazole for sour crop.

(Crop Treatment by Azygous ) (Crop Treatment by TwoCrows )

 

[juniperz]

Thank you, but one of the articles you linked says not to vomit the bird and the other says to do it daily...
Either way, I can stop by the pharmacy this evening to pick up miconazole.

 

[aart]

Thank you, but one of the articles you linked says not to vomit the bird and the other says to do it daily...

I guess I've been sharing those blindly.
Go with the one that does not vomit the bird.

 

[juniperz]

The chicken died overnight. She had gotten a few doses of miconazole, drank a little water, and eaten a very small amount of scrambled egg. Seems like the sour crop was too far along before I found her. Bummer.