Solitary chicken - need advice

[heather_hedgehog]

My lovely Goldline hen Marjory has a major sour crop problem. She had it first in September last year, I spent around £200 on her with several vet visits she seemed to get a bit better but not completely. I decided to stop as it was getting ridiculously expensive. (The vet I took her too had a poultry specialist and I was happy with her treatment).

 

The problem eased but is now back with a vengeance and I am desperate to make her better! She seems her happy self and is still laying but her crop is larger than it should be and squidgy in the morning and her breath smells, she also weaves her head as if she is a little uncomfortable at times. She has pulled out her feathers on her crop too.

 

The main problem is that she NEVER eats grit so her food is not digesting properly. This is causing her sour crop. I try to give her grit mixed with yogurt or tucked into corn. Any suggestions on how much grit a hen should eat and ideas on how to give it to her appreciated? Her eggs are also very delicate and thin.

 

I occasionally drain her crop by tipping her but and careful to do this in very small bursts so she can recover and not choke.

 

I have now bought some flowers of sulphur and added a teaspoon to a small pot of pro biotic yogurt and fed her a teaspoon of it this morning. I am not sure whether I have the right doseage as it is new to me.

 

I have also bought some Avipro and Daktarin oral gel but not sure how to give these to her and how much, any ideas?

 

I want to say that I will take her to the vet if she seems unhappy but she is so full of life and happy despite her problems. I would not want a hen to suffer. I know if I take her to the vet, they may ease it with drugs but the main problem is her reluctance to eat grit!

Any advice is much appreciated - thank you!

[mullethunter]

I successfully treated a mild bout of sour crop by starving for 36 hours, then introducing water and small amounts of pellet mash, and dosing with a small blob of Daktarin (not licensed for use in poultry) twice a day for three days.

 

I initially fed yoghurt too, but after finding out that chickens aren't able to digest dairy products (why would they be able to really?) I switched to avipro avian in he water instead.

 

This worked for Bernie but although it was fairly persistent at the time, she didn't have it especially badly.

 

Good luck.

[heather_hedgehog]

Mullethunter thanks for sharing your story. It is not really possible for me to starve Marjory as she is in a WIR with another hen. I have stopped giving them vegetables etc so they are only getting layers pellets at the moment.

 

When you say you gave a small dose of Daktarin did you put it directly into Bernie's beak or give it on some food?

 

Good point about the yogurt!

[mullethunter]

I sort of wiped it a bit at a time on the side of her beak so she had to lick it off

[The Dogmother]

It is easy enough to treat, although you should bear in mind that chronic sour crop can be indicative of another, underlying issue.

 

Drain the crop as much as is possible.

 

Starve for 24 hours

 

Give water containing poultry tonic (you can double-dose this with no ill effects).

 

Give 2mls neat ACV, syringed into her beak) twice a day for 3 days

 

Generally: make sure that she doesn't over eat, add ACV to the water at least twice/week, don't feed them sweet things such as fruit , nor any processed food.

[heather_hedgehog]

Thanks Mulletlover and Dogmother.

I will try draining her crop as much as poss and starving for the day tomorrow and see, I am sure that my other hen won't mind not having food for a day, any more and I would feel mean to the one who is not Ill.

Her crop was even larger than usual this morning, she hasn't laid an egg for the past 2 days either. She is such a reliable layer too

Fingers crossed for an improvement... I really appreciate both of your advice, thank you

[The Dogmother]

Make sure that she is still pooing so you can be sure that her digestive tract is still working and hasn't got bunged up. Rather than not feeding either of them, codul you ut the one hen in a crate inside the run?

[Lewis]

What did the vet suggest was the problem and what was the treatment?

 

I wouldn't think not eating grit would cause sour crop problems as the grit is mechanical digestion in the gizzard, after the crop, so don't think that is the case as food wouldn't back up it would probably just pass through.

I would stop giving any yoghurt at all as chickens aren't able to digest lactose, the sugars found in milk, so dairy isn't a good idea and that may causing problems.

 

I would pop her in a dog crate if you have or can borrow one for a few days, first day I would withhold feed and just give her water, then for the following days just plain pellets and water. Guessing she's a hybrid and we often think we are spoiling them with lots of treats, yoghurt, supplements etc but they can cause more harm than good.

 

If they free range they will pick up grit and small stones from the ground so she may be self supplementing, as long as there is a pot of grit available they will take it as and when they need it every few days or weeks, they won't need encouraging to eat it

[The Dogmother]

Also have a look at what she is able to access when she is free ranging; I went out this week to look at someone's hen, which was supposed to have sour crop.... it turned out the have a crop full of that fine play sand you can buy for kiddies' sand pits!