What The Heck Is This??? Pics

[ChickenWisperer]

If it is "fluid filled" then it is SOUR CROP or crop stasis, NOT impacted crop! This is not normal unless you just gave them fresh water and she drank alot.


If you did not recently give them water when this happened, and it is fluid filled, immediately bring her in the house. Bring her in if she starts acting differently in any way or becomes lethargic, or if you see her "puking" (fluid comming out of the mouth). Smell of her breath - if it is sour, get prepared. Once in, tilt her at a 45-85 degree angle, head down, over the toilet - gently squeeze the crop to get the soured contents out. Do this only small amounts at a time to keep her from choking, bringing her back to regular angle once you get a bit out. Continue to do this once, if possibly twice a day - in the morning and before bed. Do it until the soured contents are out.

Give her access to electrolyte water, and give her activia yogurt (it has stuff in it that will help get the guts moving). They also have little shots of the same "pro biotic" things you can buy; you can buy those and mix it with the yogurt to make it a bit thinner. Make her eat some at least twice a day, but don't make her eat too much.

Continue this routine until she improves.

Although, i hope she just chugged water and there's no need for the explained process.

 

[chickie<3]

She is acting fine and normal...does it eventually affect them if left untreated?

 

[Clay Valley Farmer]

I would hold food off and check if crop is emptying. It should be much smaller in AM before they start to feed. As long as she is getting the food out of the crop at night, eating and pooping normal then no worry she is likely just a piggy eater. Don't try to make your chicken gag unless you are sure there is a crop problem that can't be worked down as there is a significant risk of getting food or liquid down into air sacks/lungs which is bad news.

 

[ChickenWisperer]

chickie<3 :

She is acting fine and normal...does it eventually affect them if left untreated?

If it is, then yes - she will die from it if left untreated.


If the problem is not going away then it is sour crop. It's easy to know if it is, because their breath will be very, very sour. Keeping them in a controlled environment overnight without food or water is also an option - if the crop doesn't go down, then it is sour crop/crop stasis.​

 

[BarkerChickens]

If it isn't going down, then it definitely sounds like sour crop to me as well. It is basically a yeast infection in the crop. A normal crop will fill up with goodies during the day, but overnight, it shrinks back down to normal size. Here at my house, we have had good luck treating sour crop as follows:

Separate the bird from the flock and withhold food (more food will just ferment in the crop, which isn't helping the situation)

Give water with ACV (as recommended by others on here)...the ACV kills the yeast infection.

Regularly massage the crop in a downward motion (not upward as it can push fluid upward and into the lungs, which can cause the hen to choke and aspirate). When you massage the crop, you will likely hear gas bubbles popping and she may burp something really foul smelling...this is a good thing. When I massage the crop, I usually give an irrigation syringe full of 1/2 water - 1/2 ACV (or more ACV....one hen would open her beak for 1/3 water - 2/3 ACV since it made her feel better). You will have the add a little on the beak until they will open up to drink it (if ever...some aren't to keen on being "bottle" fed). The stronger ACV will help kill yeast and it seems to make a huge difference when massaging the crop. The one hen that would open her beak for strong ACV would push her chest against our hand to massage it. She was fine and back with the flock in 3-4 days.

 

[ChickenWisperer]

I never tried to flush, as I was more worried that that would cause my girl to aspirate than the forcing out of the soured liquid - I was just very careful about how much we forced out of her crop at once. The "puking" remedy with activia yogurt worked well; it took us over 2 months with one relapse, but she is a wonderful, happy, beautiful chookin now that happily goes about her day and lays me beautiful eggs. The 2 months of hard work, no telling how many hours of making her puke and forcing her food, was well worth it.

 

[chickie<3]

THANK YOU EVERYONE...so this morning it went down significantly..after breakfast..a bit of a bulge again...she is acting fine and normal eating and drinking..Im thinking she just may be a lil piggy and because her feathers are tight to her it is more noticable...I HOPE.. Ill keep an eye on her and see what happens..giving her yogurt with probiotic for dinner and adding ACV to their water

 

[ChickenWisperer]

chickie<3 :

THANK YOU EVERYONE...so this morning it went down significantly..after breakfast..a bit of a bulge again...she is acting fine and normal eating and drinking..Im thinking she just may be a lil piggy and because her feathers are tight to her it is more noticable...I HOPE.. Ill keep an eye on her and see what happens..giving her yogurt with probiotic for dinner and adding ACV to their water

Yay! Congrats. It's normal - many times my chooks pig out and run around with giant lumps on their chests.

Just be sure to check her crop at least twice every day.​

 

[tammye]

Have you ever ate to much and ended up with a big fat belly? well that's what your girl did, she looks healthy to me

 

[blueseal]

i have a 6 month old rhode island red pullet with this same problem . noticed it today she looks exactly like the chicken in that picture with her chest all bulged out soft and squishy . i held her upside down today a couple times and she vommited out quite a bit each time as i massaged her. she is roosting with the others tonight . should i try the apple cider water and yogurt and keep her isolated for a few days . she isnt laying eggs yet either so young hope i dont lose her.