What to do next time?

[WeatheredWings]

My 10 wk old Salmon Faverolle rooster, Mister, just passed away. He was showing symptoms of sour crop, he's been in the house for observation since yesterday and has not eaten for over a day at least. Only 1 small poop since yesterday. Drinking a lot. Yesterday I massaged his crop and did get a bit out. Today he was more lethargic, so tried massaging again, when he started shaking his head hard and I think choked, stretched out and died within seconds.....I did a necropsy and found long grass, whole kernel corn, grity material and soft mashed feed. Should I have instead done the oil first? Should we not give whole kernel corn as we have for 5 years with no problems? What could I do differently? Any advise? I want to at least learn something from this sweet boys death, to try and help another in the future. Also, he was not good about grooming himself like my other chickens, could there have been something else going on as well?

 

[Judy]

Here is a post with some advice from someone with a lot more experience than I:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/614951/help-me-with-sour-crop-please/0_20#post_8158813

 

[Eggcessive]

Did he have all the symptoms of sour crop including a sour or foul odor, or a balloon-like squishy crop? Was the mass of grass decayed and stuck inside the crop? It's good that you did the necropsy to look for what was wrong. Sometimes they can get blockages farther down the GI tract in the proventriculous, gizzard, or intestines. Oil does nothing to help crop problems, even though many use it in impacted crop. Water and flushing is the best treatment, or crop surgery done by a vet. Sour crop usually results after impacted crop that has been going on for awhile, causing a bacterial or fungal (or both) infection. Vomiting chickens is very risky, and recently I read an article about how risky it can be to massage a full crop, since it can also cause choking. I'm sorry for your loss especially since I also have 5 faverolles, and love their temperament.

 

[WeatheredWings]

Did he have all the symptoms of sour crop including a sour or foul odor, or a balloon-like squishy crop? Was the mass of grass decayed and stuck inside the crop? It's good that you did the necropsy to look for what was wrong. Sometimes they can get blockages farther down the GI tract in the proventriculous, gizzard, or intestines. Oil does nothing to help crop problems, even though many use it in impacted crop. Water and flushing is the best treatment, or crop surgery done by a vet. Sour crop usually results after impacted crop that has been going on for awhile, causing a bacterial or fungal (or both) infection. Vomiting chickens is very risky, and recently I read an article about how risky it can be to massage a full crop, since it can also cause choking. I'm sorry for your loss especially since I also have 5 faverolles, and love their temperament.

Yes, there was a foul odor, ballooned squishy crop. There was a balled up tangle of long grass. I read articles on making them vomit and thought that I was doing what was going to help him and instead he ended up choking and passing away....I even tried mouth to beak resuscitation.( I put my hand around his beak so my mouth wasn't actually making contact with his beak) He was my 1st faverolle and I absolutely adored him, he really seemed like he was going to be a great rooster

 

[Eggcessive]

I'm sorry about your cockerel. Vomiting chickens is what most people do to empty out the crop, unless they have the vet do surgery. Unfortunately, it is pretty dangerous, and I have read other accounts here on BYC by people where their chickens have choked and died or developed pneumonia after getting them to throw up, or from massaging a full crop. Illnesses in chickens are difficult since vets usually aren't available, and we all have to learn as we go. Don't beat yourself up over this because sour crop is very hard to cure anyway, so there is no telling if he would have gotten better. If you lived close to me I would give you my rooster and a couple of hens. We keep them in our yard loose with our dogs and cats, since my other rooster wouldn't accept him. Take care.

 

[WeatheredWings]

We live in WI and I am going to try to find another SF roo, preferably around 5 weeks old, so he can join the youngest of my chicks, 2 blue laced red Wyandottes. Our chickens free range too on 40 acres, although they don't venture too far from the coop, yard and house vicinity.

 

[Eggcessive]

Faverolles can be bullied by others in a mixed flock because they are so gentle and easy going. My wyandotte girls used to bully my first faverolles rooster that later died, so I gave the hens away. My 3 other faverolles hens are very low in the pecking order of my mixed flock, and then I keep 2 hens in the yard with Sam.