Another hen with sour crop

My tiny flock seems plagued with sour crop. In January, I lost one (miconazole seemed to be helping then she relapsed on day 6 of treatment). This time it's the other red sex link that I got at the same time. About 2 years old. She was not as interested in food, and lethargic- when I picked her up sour fluid came out of a squishy full crop. Whole blueberries (which has been eaten the previous day) came out with the clear liquid.

I brought her in to isolate, offered scrambled eggs, with softened pellets and meal worms. Started miconazole and coconut oil. She perked up considerably, drank water but didn't care about food. Passed some yellow/green tinted liquid, but not really pooping. But at least liquid is moving through her, so I treated her twice am, midday and returned her to the flock. Last night reread the article on crops, and gave her calcium citrate with more miconazole and coconut oil after dark. This morning she fought fiercely- each time I'd open her mouth (wattles or prying open) she shakes her head violently. The crop was full enough that this was spewing sour liquid. Despite knowing it's not recommended, I tipped her a few times to lower the fluid level. The fluid is not opaque and rust colored (as was the case with the other hen). It's mild outside, so I left her with the flock. Tonight will be cold, so I'll likely bring her in. Planning to treat with more miconazole and more coconut oil, at least 3x/day (more often when she's caged). I've melted some coconut oil to which I've added calcium citrate and nutridrench- so once it's solid I can get more good stuff in her with less of her being able to sling it everywhere.

I'm concerned because now I've had several cases. They have oyster shell and grit out. They have NEVER seemed to touch the grit. But they do go out all day in a 30' by 65' fenced yard. They are likely getting some gritty stuff outside? But they have zero interest in grit. They only have occasional interest in oyster shell-- they used to eat it enthusiastically when I bought it from Scratch & Peck, but they've been out for a long time. The oyster shell I've gotten other places does not have the same appeal for them. But it does gradually disappear.

This hen was laying a few weeks ago, but stopped. That doesn't surprise me, it's been 80 degrees then 20 degrees.

Questions: How many days do I give the calcium citrate? (I know miconazole is 7 days). Will massaging her crop (ie pushing up to encourage emptying) help? Or at least not hurt? I'm thinking go with as much coconut oil as I can get in her, both for calories and for lubing things-- but there is no hard mass in her crop. I'm worried the issue is further down. Is there anything else I should be doing/trying?

When so many chickens are having yeasty crop issues, you need to look for a possible source of mold as it would be a reason for multiple chickens suffering sour crop. Blueberries are notorious for becoming moldy in a short time, and their blue color may prevent us from noticing the berries are starting to go moldy.

I don't quite understand why you are giving calcium citrate for a crop issue unless you believe the crop issue is associated with egg binding. Perhaps you can enlighten us as to your reasons.

Miconazole twice a day, minimum, for seven full days is required to treat a sour crop. If you are doing it twice a day with no results, increase it to three times a day.

It's just day 2, so maybe too soon to hope for results. She will definitely have miconazole at least 3x a day.
Last night I was re-reading articles as well as some forum threads on sour crop. I got the impression that in some cases, it's secondary to another issue, and that giving the calcium citrate will help if it's an egg issue, and won't hurt if it's not. I had Citrical in the cabinet, so dissolved one and gave it. Should I not continue?

She has a messy butt (a bit of crusty white poo) but is not blocked. I have not seen any sign of her being egg bound-- not walking like a penguin, no eggish discharge. Basically I was just trying to cover all bases. A couple weeks ago one of my geriatrics looked "off" and I brought her in for the night. Next day the cage floor and her bottom had a broken egg-- and she's been fine since but I guess the egg thing was on my mind.

I do remember after a rain recently there was some mold on the ground where they had thrown pellets out of the feeder. I scuffed up the ground, and moved the feeder but she absolutely could have gotten into a bit of mold.

I'll continue with miconazole and coconut oil, and hold off on more calcium.

Calcium citrate never hurts if you suspect an egg issue. I was just wanting to understand your treatment program and what symptoms you're seeing.

Mold may be an annoying thing to us humans when we encounter it, but mold is toxic to chickens in even small amounts. What you describe could very well be the source of their crop infections. Inspect their tongues and inside of mouths. Do you see any ulceration? This sometimes occurs with mold ingestion.

What I recommend is to go out and rake the ground thoroughly where you found the feed moldering on the ground and remove as much of the loose contaminated soil as you can. Dispose of it where the chickens will not scratch around and recover it, then spray a chlorine bleach solution, one cup bleach to a gallon of water, on the ground where the moldy feed was to get any leftover spores.

To counter the effects of toxic mold in your chickens' systems since mold toxicity can lead to death, give them an Epsom salt/molasses solution to drink for the rest of today and tomorrow all day. Mix it one teaspoon molasses and one teaspoon Epsom salt to one cup of water for each chicken and let them drink it as their only water source. This will bind to the mold in their systems and flush it out. This may cause watery poop and that's okay.

azygous said:

Calcium citrate never hurts if you suspect an egg issue. I was just wanting to understand your treatment program and what symptoms you're seeing.

Mold may be an annoying thing to us humans when we encounter it, but mold is toxic to chickens in even small amounts. What you describe could very well be the source of their crop infections. Inspect their tongues and inside of mouths. Do you see any ulceration? This sometimes occurs with mold ingestion.

What I recommend is to go out and rake the ground thoroughly where you found the feed moldering on the ground and remove as much of the loose contaminated soil as you can. Dispose of it where the chickens will not scratch around and recover it, then spray a chlorine bleach solution, one cup bleach to a gallon of water, on the ground where the moldy feed was to get any leftover spores.

To counter the effects of toxic mold in your chickens' systems since mold toxicity can lead to death, give them an Epsom salt/molasses solution to drink for the rest of today and tomorrow all day. Mix it one teaspoon molasses and one teaspoon Epsom salt to one cup of water for each chicken and let them drink it as their only water source. This will bind to the mold in their systems and flush it out. This may cause watery poop and that's okay.

Click to expand...

A couple of things to clarify. The mold I saw was literally 2-3 weeks ago. I'll still do as you describe, just in case.

I will check the mouths on the others. If I don't see anything in their mouths, should I still do the epsom/molasses solution? Ie, is there any downside? Finally, should I do the same solution for the one I'm treating for sour crop, or no-- since molasses/sugar would feed yeast?

Thank you so much. I've never done the molasses and epsom thing. Good to know that they will get watery poop, so I'm prepared and don't freak out LOL

Update! Just dosed her with more miconazole. She's looking brighter, comb is perfectly upright, nice and red (it was TOO red earlier and starting to lean). She still wanted no part of meds, but I got a good dose in her (and she's pretty much wearing the equivalent of the other dose) Afterwards she went to one of the feed dishes and she's eating enthusiastically. YAY! Crop is down from where it was this morning, could still smell the sour when her mouth was open. Checked two other birds mouths, no sores or ulcers, just very angry hens.

Feeling encouraged. I know there's no guarantees, but will stay the course and try.

Even though the mold was weeks ago, the chickens can continue to scratch around and pick up spores, thus the infected crops. Ulceration inside the mouth and tongue is associated with long term exposure. Finding it or not has no bearing on treating with the flush solution. If any chicken has it, it's just one more confirmation we're dealing with mold exposure.

This solution is perfectly safe, non-toxic, and is a precaution to head off more serious complications of mold ingestion. It's only for a 24 hour period, and it shouldn't have any significant effect on the yeasty crops. At worst, it may delay recovery of sour crop by a day.

azygous said:

Even though the mold was weeks ago, the chickens can continue to scratch around and pick up spores, thus the infected crops. Ulceration inside the mouth and tongue is associated with long term exposure. Finding it or not has no bearing on treating with the flush solution. If any chicken has it, it's just one more confirmation we're dealing with mold exposure.

This solution is perfectly safe, non-toxic, and is a precaution to head off more serious complications of mold ingestion. It's only for a 24 hour period, and it shouldn't have any significant effect on the yeasty crops. At worst, it may delay recovery of sour crop by a day.

Click to expand...

thank you, will mix it up now, and use it for Ms Sour Crop as well.

Day 3. Hens all had the molasses/epsom drench. Last night Ms Sour Crop was eating enthusiastically, and this morning her crop was empty! AND she ate enthusiastically. Feeling really encouraged.

We've settled into a different routine for getting a good glob of miconazole in her pretty efficiently. She's had two doses today, will have one more this evening.

Tonight when I picked her up, her crop was NOT squishy, and I could tell she's lost weight, she's quite thin. It's getting really cold tonight, so I've brought her in for the night. She ate some scrambled egg, and has pellets, coconut oil, mealworms and egg available. I was happy to see her eat scrambled egg- great protein for her.

Thanks for being our "lifeline" when somethings not right. So appreciated!

Day 4. She did not eat as well today while she was in. Maybe she eats better with the flock. Once it warmed up a bit, I put her out with the flock. 4 more doses of miconazole. No squishy crop, and the sour smell has faded away. Comb is an odd (too) dark red but her eyes are alert. She's really thin. I'm hoping the meds are working, and she is just needs to recover. She's still passing mostly fluid, but today there's also a small soft dark green poop in each large wet spot. Progress!
She's in for the night since temps are dropping into the low 20's.