clucky h Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Hello, I have a hen with a sour crop. We emptied it yesterday evening and had to do the same again this morning. I've fed her a little yoghurt and she seems not too poorly, although found the crop-emptying upsetting, poor thing. So, here's my question, I have a feeling it might be a really stupid one. I've been reading on here that the most effective treatment for sour crop is flowers of sulphur mixed with yoghurt. Now, I have a pot of pure sulphur which we bought from the (for humans) pharmacy here and used to treat depluming mite a couple of months ago. This pot says firmly that it's for external use only. However, as far as I am able to tell from looking on the internet, flowers of sulphur IS pure sulphur. Does anybody have any further information about this? I want to get on with treating Audrey as quickly as possible while she's still strong, but I don't want to poison her. Thanks very much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pikey Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Hi....Flowers of sulphur is just a fine powder of pure sulphur. It is used in agriculture. It can be obtained from some garden centres. Found really good site for homeopathic remedies. http://www.kingbirdfarm.com/Layerhealthcompendium.pdf Emptying their crop is horrible experience......but it does work and they do get better after you've done it. Sour group is like thrush so would go for yogurt and garlic as these are the best things for this type of infection. Hope shes ok soon. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucky h Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share Posted October 15, 2009 Hello Pikey Thank you so much for replying and clarifying that! I'll give her a dose this afternoon and see how that goes. I didn't know that garlic was also good so will give her some crushed-up cloves too. I am quite hopeful, Audrey is a feisty little beast and only eight months old. Thanks also for the homeopathic booklet - it looks really interesting and useful. Oh dear, that doesn't look a very enthusiastic response, but it is and I'm saving it in my chicken folder for future reference. This forum is such a lifesaver! (Literally in some cases I'm sure.) Thanks again x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pikey Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Glad you found it useful....how is the little lady now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Good luck with her. FOS worked for my hen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucky h Posted October 17, 2009 Author Share Posted October 17, 2009 Hello and thank you for your replies. The sulphur worked brilliantly! I mixed half a teaspoon with 2 tsp yoghurt, as I read on here, and the next morning - no sour crop! (Although I have to say Audrey herself is a bit whiffy.) So I am really pleased about that and grateful for your help. Unfortunately, the cause of all this is an impacted crop and I'm having less success with that. I gave her lots of maggots yesterday, and some olive oil and massage, but her crop was still full this morning. I am persevering. I wondered if the sulphur might kill the maggots and stop them eating through the blockage? Does anyone know? Apart from that, this is the second time her crop has impacted in her short life so there is probably an underlying problem with the muscle tone. My partner says if the crop won't empty in the next couple of days, it will be cruel to keep her going. It's just so difficult, she doesn't appear to be suffering (although I can't know) and apart from her full crop is lively, bright-eyed and chatty, it doesn't seem right and I am struggling with this. Still, I will keep on trying and perhaps it won't come to that, this time at any rate. Thanks again, x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 try feeding the maggots few...dozen or so a few times a day. more than 3 if possible. only feed wet food no pellets, try pureed apples, keep up with the oil and massage and try & get her to drink, it is possible that the blockage doesn't get to clear properly. fingers crossed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucky h Posted October 19, 2009 Author Share Posted October 19, 2009 Thanks Sandy, I really appreciated your message and kind thoughts. Unfortunately Audrey died yesterday morning. All the massaging and maggots were making not the slightest bit of difference to the blockage - every morning it was as big and hard as ever. Audrey herself refused to eat and drink (although she did eat maggots) on Saturday and in the afternoon seemed to be weakening, I think that she was starting to suffer. So it seemed the kindest thing to put a stop to it all. I know that we made the right decision for poor Audrey although just typing this makes me upset again. I also know that this problem was just going to keep recurring until it got her in the end because she just didn't have the muscle tone in her crop. However, I do think if I'd picked it up sooner this time, we might have been able to treat it successfully and give her a few more months of happy life, and I feel very guilty about that. Sorry for wittering on, but what I mean to say is please, if anyone does read this, keep an eye on your hens' crops when you let them out in the morning. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Hi Clucky H, I'm so sorry to hear about Audrey, RIP little one . I have read your post with my own little impacted cropper sitting on my lap, she's now snuggled up on DD's lap whilst we wait for the bait shop to open for a batch of maggots to be bought......... I must locate the lid of our maggot box This is also the second bout for Buffie, and I can't help feeling that it might be kinder for her to join Audrey too, but I will persevere for today with the maggot/oil/apple sauce treatment & see what tomorrow brings. The last bout she suffered was whilst she had tiny chicks, so I treated her for much longer than perhaps was kind or sensible, but the babies needed her and she has had several more happy healthy months both with the Bufflings and back with the big girls............I couldn't put her or the family through that again though Please don't feel guilty, chooks are very good at hiding ailments, the first signs we see are usually fairly well advanced in the symptoms stakes Take care, Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucky h Posted October 19, 2009 Author Share Posted October 19, 2009 Hello Sha, thank you so much for your post. I am feeling better really, and I know that you're right, it was a comfort to read. I do hope that Buffie's treatment is successful - it IS hard to know how long to continue but you obviously did the right thing last time for the sake of the chicks and maybe Buffie will pull through again this time, it looks as if she's getting lots of love and the best of care so has a good chance. I have my fingers crossed for you. And yes, find that maggot box lid! Or get some hens in to act as maggot hoovers... x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Buffie's just devoured the best part of a ramekin of maggots and is now outside with her sisters, I'll bring her back in in a while & see if nature is working it's magic ...I need to get some cleaning done & she wouldn't like that one little bit.......I'm not that keen either but Buffie squitty "not eating properly" poo needs a carpet cleaner not a dustpan & brush !! My DD is doing some of the nursing this time round, last time only I did it as Buffie & the babies got very distressed whenever lesser known people came into their run. DD has to do a months worth of pet care for a cub badge, so I'm exploiting that over half term Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 ooo er! what happened to my post? oh well here goes again. really sorry she didn't make it. RIP little one. I too check crops daily I guess personal experience can make you OCD about some things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pikey Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 sorry to hear about Audrey....you did your best to make her get better...... try not to feel guillty x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucky h Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 Thanks Pikey and Sandy for your messages - I am feeling a lot better now. I think you're absolutely right Sandy about getting OCD about these things! I shall try and strike a balance. Wild Mum - how is Buffie today? Glad you have a whole team of would-be nurses to help out! x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Unfortunately once they've had an impacted crop a couple of times, the walls of the crop slacken and it's more likely to happen again. Just make sure that she has access to plenty of water and that there's no stringy grass or vegetation around. The crop itself doesn't have any muscles to keep it in shape, so it's easy for it to get baggy and not shrink back afterwards. It's more common in greedy hybrids than in pure breeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Buffie is back on top form thank you:clap: , she had a second batch of maggots late yesterday & I syringed some more avipro water in her beak to ensure she had at least some water that I knew of...anything self-drunk would then be a bonus....bedfore bed I syringed in some more & tucked her into the nestbox again to sleep....this morning, there was the most enormous amount of proper poo and she was happily snaffling around in the grub and then in the pile of leaves I'd dumped in the run for them to dig over............when I grabbed her for a grapple, her crop was beautifully small and soft, just what I would expect from a breakfast of pellets I think she may have picked up something which caused the problem whilst foraging in the veg patch at the weekend.they haven't been out there all summer & no doubt OD'd on stuff they don't normally get Buttercup was very off colour yesterday too & I suspected sour crop ......I tried upending her, with no success, so syringed some avipro water into her too, offered her some maggots which she declined......def not well!!.....tucked her into the lovely cat basket I bought the other day & put her in my cubby to sleep in safety & peace away from the dogs......this morning, she chatted to me all the way into the house & waited impatiently at the door to be let out of the basket, stuck her head into a bowl of weetabix & avipro water and once the back door was opened strode over to the WIR to go indoors with the big girls. Her crop was also wonderfully normal Sometimes I think they are just a little under-par & with a little instant TLC they recover & carry on as normal...it's nice to have all well chooks again, fortunately they don't get poorly very often, but last time Buffie had impacted crop following her starvation diet whilst feeding the Bufflings, Hazel had sour crop too, as they were in different runs & houses they weren't connected in any way. Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Unfortunately once they've had an impacted crop a couple of times, the walls of the crop slacken and it's more likely to happen again. Just make sure that she has access to plenty of water and that there's no stringy grass or vegetation around. The crop itself doesn't have any muscles to keep it in shape, so it's easy for it to get baggy and not shrink back afterwards. It's more common in greedy hybrids than in pure breeds. OCD and not worryin about it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucky h Posted October 21, 2009 Author Share Posted October 21, 2009 Sha, so pleased about Buffie's recovery, and Buttercup's too. Well done to you all! Claret, I always thought that the crop had muscles which helped push the food through, thank you very much for explaining that. Although now I'm thinking - should we have given Audrey a few more days? Might she have recovered with more time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Clucky, you know your chook and she had deteriorated to a stage which you felt could not be continued for her own health and happiness....you made the right decision, don't go back through the guilt Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I know how you feel.... i still feel that way about my "special" girl. Best try not dwell on it. We did what we thought was best at the time, how would we both have felt if we let them suffer for a few more days, we know how horrid it is Just join me in the OCD checking them crops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucky h Posted October 22, 2009 Author Share Posted October 22, 2009 Thank you both so much, your messages really made a world of difference to me. I know I was just being silly and morbid, but it's hard to know what's for the best sometimes and I know I don't always make good decisions. So I have a wobble now and again. Not helped by being pregnant and hormonal! Sandy, I'm sad that you lost your special girl. I hope that every day it gets easier. Anyway, I am getting a lot of pleasure from the antics of the remaining hens, and OCDing, and getting on with life generally. I hope that all is well and happy with you both, and thank you again for all your kindness, it's been a great comfort. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peepie Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 So sorry to hear your news. One of ours died a few weeks ago and she had a few bouts of sour/impacted crop - like you we decided to let her go in the end as she kept being ill. I think there must have been an underlying problem with her that was never going to recover fully. xxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucky h Posted October 22, 2009 Author Share Posted October 22, 2009 Thanks peepie - sorry to hear about your chook too. It's a hard decision to make, isn't it? Sounds like you definitely made the right one for your hen. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
