What’s the most noticeable symptom of sour crop

[AwesomeChickenGuy]

Or at least how can you tell if a chicken has it? And what other crop issues are common?

 

[chickentrains]

stinky

 

[AwesomeChickenGuy]

Should I check in the morning if the crop still feels full if a chicken has sour crop?

 

[Three Musketeers]

There are various symptoms that are observable in a chicken with sour crop. From my personal experience and some research I would say these are the most noticeable/accepted symptoms :

• *** Squishy/boggy crop - feels as if it full, filled with liquid (balloon-ish) - in comparison to a crop that is rather filled with food and thus will feel harder. This should be an initial indication, specifically in the morning when the crop would be expected to be emptied out. This was my chicken's initial symptom; however, if will discuss that in the latter part of this post. This is a crucial exhibited symptom that differentiates sour crop from an impacted crop. This filled watery-crop will just not seem to go down (specifically in the latter stages) and will simply enlarge. Usually there is brown chunky-liquid in crop (can't be noticed really from the outside, and difficult to notice during overflow - can be observed when making your chicken throw up which will be discussed later on).
• *** Chicken having weird spasms - trying to realign their crop (ducking/twitching of their head). Basically to keep what is in their crop from entering their esophagus. This alteration in my chicken's usual behavior was the most significant symptom that made us fully realize something was off.
• * Foul/putrid smell from breath - smells sour (you will smell this when opening your chicken's beak - place finger in between their beak to aid keep their beak open). However, from personal experience you may fail to notice this early on - and honestly is not always that easy to distinguish as some state. However, it is important to note that this is a notable symptom i.e. disruption in the normal microflora, which may result in a yeast infection (will be discussed, in Unit III).
• *** Decrease in egg production/change in quality of shell (this could be a symptom for other underlying issues that may result in sour crop i.e. cancer). Unfortunately this was noticeable ~year prior; however not a primary concern at that point as we simply thought our chicken was ageing.

SYMPTOMS EXHIBITED LATER - IF FAILED TO NOTICE EARLY ON

NB: Most of the symptoms mentioned prior should still be present, though.

• *** Fluid that will be observable as it comes out of your chicken's beak - caused by overflow of the crop. Please do not confuse this with your chicken overdrinking - this occurs too when chickens drink too much, and their crop is simply full (not in relation with a fungi-infection). In our experience it even degenerated to my chicken ''throwing up'' (yes I know chickens cannot technically throw up - but my poor chicken's overflow/spasms were seriously frightening at certain points, it resembled throwing up).
• *** Gurgling/gassy sounds in your chicken's crop.
• *** Weakness and lethargy - this will absolutely be noticeable the longer you wait (!). Your chicken will refrain from their every day activity and mainly sleep (close their eyes)/exhibit mentioned symptoms. Your chicken will be drowsy and appear quieter than usual. Furthermore, you may notice them in their coop with their backs towards the (turned away from) other chickens to not appear weak.
• *** Weight loss, loss of appetite/thirst this happened slowly concerning our chicken - should have already been a cause of concern prior. We could feel our chicken's breast and keel bone (the sternum) protruding. During the later stages, we noticed our chicken just simply couldn't keep food and water down and this resulted in yet again overflow from the beak. Furthermore the chicken simply didn't eat nor drink.
• *** Chicken being hunched over. From personal experience the feathers near its saddle/tail covers where ruffled and its tail was dropping as time went on.
• *** Pale comb and wattles. Chicken's comb was also becoming deflated and started losing its shape.
• *** Unable to sit - standing constantly.
• Diarrhea (this was not particularly noticeable in our chicken).
  
  (If you want more information regarding this I have a post concerning Sour Crop, hope it helps you out! )