Tränkenwärmer

[stoice]

Poor little love.

I'd noticed sloppy bright green poops over the past few days but both my girls had been perky. Yesterday I noticed Gladys moving her neck as if something was stuck in her throat. Picked her up, she's very skinny under her feathers and had stinky breath. Then I heard a loud gurgle. So i gently tipped her forwards and loads of (Sorry if you're eating, it's gross) brown smelly liquid poured out of her. I did this a few times and then she had some bits of grape covered in probiotic yogurt to see her through the night.

This morning she looks depressed. Tipped her forward again and more gloop poured out of her. I'm at work all day so I've taken her to my mum (Who is on Easter break with the school) so she can take her to the vets. I'm hoping a shot of antibiotics or something will help. What else can be done? She's lost a lot of weight and kept nodding off in the carrier in the car. I said goodbye to her this morning just in case it's the last I see of her. I don't want her to suffer. Has anyone elses chook had sour crop and pulled through?

 

Fingers crossed for my last ex-batt.

 

Stacey x

Edited April 15, 2010 by Guest

[Christian]

Sorry to hear she is unwell Stacey.

 

Details **here** about sour crop. Hopefully the vet will prescribe antifungal powder and probiotics too.

 

Hope she is better soon.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

When Milly had sour crop I followed Christian's instructions and she recovered fully very quickly. Having said that, she wasn't doing odd poos and it was just clear liquid gushing from her beak. But, with the vet's input and yours, your girl certainly has a chance . Good luck .

[stoice]

I've tried looking in the 'odd droppings' thread and ouldn't see anything similar. I googled it and found it could be liver problems in chickens. Hope it's not that. I'm sure it's from no normal food going through, and anything that does would be rancid gloop from her crop. My mum has just given me an update from the trip to the vet. Gladys has been given some medication (Possibly antibiotics?) I have to syringe into her beak for a week. Vet said to make her mash into a porridge so the crop hasn't got to grind anything. She hasn't been too fussed with food, only taking a few pieces of grape then leaving the rest, getting her to eat mash porridge will be tricky. Do you think some scrambled egg and probiotic yogurt would do the trick as i know she loves egg

(Little minx has been eating hers and my other girl mabels eggs - could this have started the sour crop in the first place? I've got a roll away nest box to install this weekend so that problem should be sorted anyway)

[Hen Watch]

My Henny lasted 2 years having crop problems on and off all that time. She may pull through yet Stacey. Fingers crossed.

[Sarahsausage]

Hi Stacey, sounds like you're doing all the right things for Gladys, how is she today? Have you also tried some Apple Cider Vinegar in the water? (Not the sort you get from the supermarket though, the equestrian type).

 

(On a side note, my Betty had been doing bright green poos recently and after sending some off to Retfords for testing it turns out she has candida, she didn't have sour crop symptoms, more eggbound symptoms, though so I'm sure Gladys doesn't have the same but it's worth getting some poop tested).

[stoice]

What was the 'cure' for candida in your chook?

Glad is mostly passing watery poops now as hardly any food is going down. She was quite bright yesterday after i tipped her 'upside down' again and she had some sloppy mash with probiotic yogurt and a few pieces of grape. Tipped her up this morning and more gloop, brown and smelly, then gave her her Baytril but she seemed depressed still, not into food that much. My mum is checking on her this afternoon for me (And tipping her over if needed) so hopefully she'll be ok. How long does the gloop in her crop last?

[Sarahsausage]

I've got to pick up some nystatin on Monday for Betty, she's also been on Baytrill though which is good for bacterial infections I believe so that should hopefully help Gladys. As she isn't eating much have you tried giving her some weetabix soaked in water for a bit of 'roughage'. I think from reading other posts that sour crop should clear up in about a week but can reoccur. One of my hens, Hilda, had crop problems but I think they stemmed from her being a greedy girl and she overstretched her crop which caused sour crop type problems.

[stoice]

I'm not sure what started it in the first place to be honest. The only treats she ever gets is a little corn, some spring greens and the occasional mealworm. I've read giving them bread, even soaked can encourage bad bacteria because of the yeast but she hasn't had any for months. My MIL looked after my girls for a week about a week ago though so she may have had something naughty then that disagreed with her. (Plus they had so much corn they could swim in it! Spoilt madams) I had run out of ACV but usually have it added to their water so will keep up with that now i have some in stock and hopefully we won't have a repeat fiasco. They are such a worry.

Isn't nystatin a human medicine for thrush? Although i suppose it's the same problem isn't it? a yeast infection. How much are you going to dose her with? This may be interesting to know in case Gladys has the same problem (If the green poop symptom are anything to go by)

[Sarahsausage]

I think several things can cause sour crop so it would be hard to pinpoint the actual cause I guess. I'll let you know the dosage of nystatin on Monday as the vet was going to work that out when she ordered it as they didn't have anything in stock

[stoice]

Thanks, you're a star.

 

I've looked up nystatin and it's prescription only, but there's daktarin gel (it contains micanazole and is also an oral thrush treatment) that one can buy over the shelf, i wonder if that'd do the same thing?

[Christian]

Many people have recommended Daktarin gel as an effective way to treat sour crop Stoice

[sandyhas3chucks]

oral daktarin mind one pea size blob 3 trimes a day was what I did for mine it is not licenced for poutry mind.

Citricidal is said to be good, probiotic yoghurt. pureed apples (could always by baby food)

I have this vague feeling it was on here that flowers of sulpher also helps clear it up.

I had a very mild case in a greedy girl with a softtee slowing her system I gave her FOS Iin PLAIN LIVE Yogurt. no idea if it was that or the egg passing that sorted her!

Good luck.

You could always ask your vet for Oral Nystatin as she has already been seen, they might leave some out for you.

Good luick.

Oh ready brek made with water often goes down gratefully!

[Sarahsausage]

Hi Stacey, only just remembered about the nystatin! I'm currently giving Betty 3ml twice a day and it's for fungal treatments.

[stoice]

Thanks Sarah

 

Gladys seems perkier the last two days and not 'vomiting' when i tip her over any more so fingers crossed. She even ran away with a mealworm to defend it against Mabel so she's definitely on the mend. I wasn't sure if i should administer anything medical while she was also on baytril so may still give her a dose of daktarin gel after thursday (When the week course is over). I've got her Avipro and Critical Care formula to try to put weight back on her as she's a little wobbly and very thin, poor love. But at least she's perky. Thanks again

 

stacey x

[Ain't Nobody Here]

That sounds hopeful . So glad to hear it .

 

I used the Daktarin Oral Gel on Milly. Whether that was what cured her I don't know but it's so easy to get hold of and administer, it's certainly worth a try.

[stoice]

Gladys passed away in my arms this morning.

Poor little love. Last night i came home from work to see her hunched and sleepy and very weak. I got baytril in her beak and she didn't even attempt to swallow it. I syringed some more avipro and CCF formula in her too but it wasn't looking good. I tucked her up in the her house and found her in the same place this morning. Picking her up she 'burped' a foul smell but i couldn't get any more gloop out of her. (Hadn't been able to for the past three days really, so i thought she was improving) She took her last breaths in my arms and fell asleep for the last time. Then loads of gloop pored out of her. Was very upsetting but at least she had a great retirement. She was my last ex-batt rescued two years ago.

 

Bye bye Glad. Miss you.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Oh no, I'm so sad to head that, I really thought she'd turned the corner . You did all you could, I'm so sorry .

[Egluntyne]

Sorry to hear it.

[Chucky Mama]

What a shame, I am sorry.

[staceychristie]

Sorry Stacey

I'm sure you did all you can. The thing about Ex-Batts, is that they really are hardy souls, and the moment you think somethings up, it's too late. I think you've done very well keeping her going so long.

Well done you for noticing, but sorry once again for your news.

 

Huggles Stacey X

[stoice]

Thanks everyone

 

It's the 'are you going to curry her?' remarks from the guys at work that really rub me up the wrong way. I'd never suggest someone eat their dead dog if it happened, why do they think a dead chicken, my pet, is funny? Rah.

 

*Breathe*

 

She was never especially fond of a cuddle and like you say, they are good at hiding symptoms until things are really bad. She was just so skinny. I think in future I'm going to task myself with regular chicken cuddles for my new girls, which has got to be a win-win situation. They'll get a regular check over (Every couple of days instead of one every couple of weeks), plus I get some lovely cuddles too (And hopefully a tamer chicken).

[staceychristie]

You'll need to keep Mabel company now anyway. Keep an eye on her, as she may find the loss of Gladys more upsetting than you (Flock creatures you see).

People are complete burks when it's the end of a rabbit, hamster bird etc etc. Just ignore them, and remember who not to give the eggs to next time - the good ones at least

 

Hugs Stacey

[Seagazer]

I'm so sorry, thats so sad.

[Sarahsausage]

Oh Stacey! I've only just caught up with this, I'm so sorry you lost Gladys, poor little love. At least she's not suffering now and she's had two wonderful years of freedom and love with you. Try and remember the nice times and big (((hug)))

 

PS I had similar remarks from the idiots where I work when I lost Hilda, they're just ignorant! Also, as I little side note, I've had crop problems in the past so I've got into the routine of just giving them all a quick 'feel' when I let them out in the morning