beccauk Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Hi ive got a chicken that seems to have sour crop, it goes to feel liquidy like a water bottle we have held her upside down and massage d the crop to try empty the crop, she had symptoms of her head kind of jerking, wondered if anyone can advise anything as read it can be serious if gets worse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlisonH Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Stop feeding for at least 24hours, restrict water and keep massaging crop upside down to empty it. Make sure you let her breathe in between making her sick. Then feed biotic yoghurt, syring it in if she won't take it. Keep repeating several times a day til crop cleared. Hope she's better soon, mine got better though it took a while as I let her feed too soon when sour crop wasn't gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 My method is slightly different. Unrestricted water only for at least 24 hours, perhaps 48 hours, until the crop is empty and cool. Probiotic yoghurt, about 1 mL, a full 24 hours afterwards. Just treating one now and she is responding well. Just waiting for the crop to empty completely (although it is cool now) and the slimy poos to stop. I never empty a bird's crop by turning them upside down. The risk of suffocation is too high for my liking. All our birds are 'pets' with names. I have used a syringe and tube the vet gave me though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beccauk Posted May 29, 2014 Author Share Posted May 29, 2014 Dont know how easy it would be to nil by beak when they share 1 run and cube , is impacted cropmthe same as sour crop.? OH been googling seems to think it is I seem to think their different ? How can these be identified and also prevented ive read about giving olive oil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlisonH Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 You need to separate, if you let her feed then she won't get rid of the problem. Think you should be able to feel if the crop is impacted by massaging it. Mine too are pets, making her sick was easy and no problem as long as you sit her up after each time of being sick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beccauk Posted June 1, 2014 Author Share Posted June 1, 2014 We are going to put her in a cage to isolate her in the kitchen , is it just to give her water for 24 hours no food at all and how often would you empty the crop, it fells a liquidy crop so I assumd thats a sour crop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlisonH Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 I emptied the crop about 3or4 times a day. Just allow a little drink as she will drink loads if allowed and it doesn't help. I gave the yoghurt after I'd emptied the crop each time to get rid of the bad bacteria. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beccauk Posted June 3, 2014 Author Share Posted June 3, 2014 Ok and nothing to eat for 24 hrs? During that time empty her crop and let her have little water? She seems to be lossing weight as well and crazy to eat anything goes in a frenzy is she not digesting the food is it just sitting in the crop or passing straight through? Would really like to be able to understand more to know what im doing is right as never had this before dont want to do something g to make it worse or leave her to where shes literally dying eating Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckmum6 Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 I really think you must take her to your vet and get help, she may well need antibiotics. If caught quickly and treated properly there can be a positive out come. Your hen has been ill for a week now with no improvement, in fact it sounds like she is getting worse, she needs a vet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 It may be fungal cankers or even a rare 'yeast infection' (only heard of that yesterday) Beccauk. In the latter case antibiotics will make her worse. Treatment of those ailments will have to be by a vet and will need Flagyl, Nystan or Copper Sulphate. If she is still not right after 24 - 48 hours of only water she needs a vet to look at her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beccauk Posted June 4, 2014 Author Share Posted June 4, 2014 Well what ive read sounds like sour crop, her crop goes big snd if you move it sounds like water swishing about, then it will go down to just feeling harder like usual, but she will also occassionall at times get the head movements like a snake.i read on one website thread when someon3 had it the chicken stopped eating , but they used krill oil syringed in from some capsles they take and found that fixed it, also just gave then ACV for 1st 24 hours then some yoghurt. With occasional massaging of the crop, they also have used the probiotic tablets that you can get from health food shops that you keep refrigerated we have some from what we previously got forthe chickens as recommended for natura goodness, has anyone tried this never used i yet does anyone know what doseage you would give? myself and my work so im going to isolate her tonight when I get home as I have booked 2 days off , I dont want to leave her alone without anything, and booked an apt with the vet ready incase no improvement in that time. thanks for all your help and advice becca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 The head movements suggest that she is trying to rearrange the contents of her crop. Often, when massage and drainage don't seem to be helping, it can suggest that there is a blockage further down. This could be caused by strands of grass or other thick vegetation, foreign bodies such as cable ties, or tumours. I would continue with the massage, and have her on water with bicarbonate of soda in it. ACV will increase the acidity, not lessen it. I would also have her to the vet if she shows no sign of improvement, as she will slowly starve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beccauk Posted June 4, 2014 Author Share Posted June 4, 2014 Yes thats what im concerned about happening. Ive made apt for saturday morning if no improvement, how much bicarbonate of soda would u put with the water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Is she pooing anything solid Beccauk and how much massaging are you doing? We've had several instances where apparent sour crop turned out to be crop impaction. When the fluid around had gone through a hard lump remained, which took a lot of massaging to break up. The hard lump of food had also gone rotten causing the sourness to keep repeating. Have you checked her mouth and throat for cankers? These are cream coloured cheese-like growths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Yes thats what im concerned about happening. Ive made apt for saturday morning if no improvement, how much bicarbonate of soda would u put with the water? 1tablespoonful per gallon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beccauk Posted June 4, 2014 Author Share Posted June 4, 2014 Is she pooing anything solid Beccauk and how much massaging are you doing?n We've had several instances where apparent sour crop turned out to be crop impaction. When the fluid around had gone through a hard lump remained, which took a lot of massaging to break up. The hard lump of food had also gone rotten causing the sourness to keep repeating. Have you checked her mouth and throat for cankers? These are cream coloured cheese-like growths. I cannot see any cream coloured growths, and droppings hard to say as shes been with the others in a run , but we have isloated her tonight, ive put some water and bicarbonate of soda in with her and no food , is it no food at all for 24 hours? Just want to thank you all again for advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Absolutely no food. If she doesn't drink you may need to syringe it in. We use Epsom salts in extreme cases, but that's confusing the issue. Give her 24 hours or so and if no improvement she needs to get to the vet. Don't forget the crop massaging. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beccauk Posted June 4, 2014 Author Share Posted June 4, 2014 I can confirm shes just had one dropping which looked normal and her crop tonight doesnt feel watery like it has before unless it fills up after a couple days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beccauk Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 Can she have yoghurt of any thing to eat she seems hungry this morning had to take newspaper out as she started to try to eat droppings, and looking for any crumb on the floor, the dropping which again seemed normal they were soft but formed of like butter cream , normal colour she hasnt had any water with the bicarbonate of soda which is all she has, if she doesnt drink anything in the next hour il syringe alittle into her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beccauk Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 Ok nadnt seen the post for no eating , thoug tj hsd been last to reply back , yes il massage and syringe some water, how long should I massage for and in any particular motion, ive just gently held the crop and massaged .was going to massage every hour? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 I would take her to a vet for a definitive opinion. You can't beat a proper examination by a qualified person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beccauk Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 Sorry about the bombard of messages she has just done another dropping I know they can vary and they get a runny one like every 10 they do, so I was told, but this is all one colour slight thickness the one near it was the one she had just done as I had just taken the newspaper out before that so it was all clean newspaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beccauk Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 I would take her to a vet for a definitive opinion. You can't beat a proper examination by a qualified person. Yes I will do, saturday unless she gets worse as that vet has had chickens, they dont seem to have a wide knowledge of chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Good news is she has her appetite back Beccauk. Not sure about that slimy poo though (we vary rarely see anything like that), but it could be she is blowing out all the bad stuff. I'd hold her on water and massage lightly every hour until you are sure the crop is absolutely empty. Another few hours at least I think. Then let her eat and drink as normal and watch her poos carefully. This may mean identifying where on the coop perch she is at night and checking the area under her in the morning. You will be watching for slimy watery poos returning, in which case she wasn't cured this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beccauk Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 Ok thank you bean tree, justmassged the crop not much there it felt warm , warmer then the rest of her body, and there are some noises every now and then bit like a hunger grumble or digestive system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
