Another hen with sour crop

My1stChickens · Mar 9, 2022

Day 5. Not eating well inside so put her back out. She's active, alert, ate some outside. Didn't want scratch grains at dusk, even though the rest were greedy about it. Since in general she eats better outside, she's staying outside, with miconazole 3x/day. tomorrow morning I'll fix eggs & oatmeal for their breakfast, and hopefully she'll eat a good bit of that.

My1stChickens · Mar 10, 2022

Day 6-- the day I've been dreading since her sister deteriorated drastically on day 6 of miconazole. She was bright and perky this morning. Showed interest in breakfast but decided she wasn't sure she liked what was offered. Gave her miconazole, and released-- and she threw up a minute later. It looked like she just stuck her head down and released liquid! I did not see the miconzole in the mix, and it did not have a sour smell. She was bright eyed and tail up. I sighed, and gave her more miconazole just in case. She nibbled a bit, and happily went out to play. At lunch I tossed some scratch into the yard, mostly to assess her attitude. She ran over, showed interest, ate a couple morsels. Head down, spit out some clear liquid, kept going like it was no big deal. Crop is not full and squishy. She's not puffed up. Comb is nice and red, upright. Attitude is good. It's a sunny day, just letting her be and hoping for the best. The spitting up is odd, but everything else is looking favorable.

addctd2plnts · Mar 10, 2022

I am ot a chicken person, so maybe somebody can chime in here, but I read that when you have multiple chickens with crop issues to ALWAYS deworm them with real dewormers (not natural methods). When was the last time you dewormed your chickens? That article may have been here on BYC, but I don't have it bookmarked.

My1stChickens · Mar 11, 2022

Day 7. She's eating, bright, and I think she's started to gain a bit of weight. I'm feeling like treatment has been successful, but will give one more day "just in case" (since she had a molasses drench). I left her with the flock even though it was bitter cold today, because she's just happier with them.

My1stChickens · Mar 11, 2022

addctd2plnts said:
I am ot a chicken person, so maybe somebody can chime in here, but I read that when you have multiple chickens with crop issues to ALWAYS deworm them with real dewormers (not natural methods). When was the last time you dewormed your chickens? That article may have been here on BYC, but I don't have it bookmarked.

Hi, it's been quite some time since I've dewormed them. The last time I dewormed, I used Wazine and I ended up losing a couple hens. No one passed any worms, but right after I dewormed, one was sick/floppy comb and passed. Then a week or so later the same thing happened to a second hen. It's sort of spooked me on deworming.

Lavender6 · Apr 21, 2022

My1stChickens said:
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?

I have the same problem. I have tried Everything I could find on the internet. I have been fighting it for months. Mine started from an overload of worms. I bought the hens as pullets and was new to chickens. I had no idea about this stuff. At any rate, my chickens had red and fowl mites, lice, sour crop, respiratory infections, coccidiosis and had an overload of worms. I solved all issues except sour crop.
My cousin in another state told me a that she has used ACIDIFIED copper sulfate for years. I was reluctant to use it. I reseached and found mixed reviews. Some said it would posion my chicken, some said it was great. So, I figured what the heck. I have tried everything else, she is skinny as she can be and can't go much longer. So, I bit the bullet and bought it.
Now, every morning I felt her crop, it was like a balloon and very squishy. I would give her the monistat for 7 days. Some morning it would be almost flat but was NEVER truly empty. I let her eat, knowing she would soon die if she didn't get food. She had water with probiotic, vitamins, yogurt all that had been recommended. Yesterday was my first dose and this morning her crop was FLAT. I felt nothing. She only had the ACS (1/4 tsp to one gallon of water) all day. Before she went to roost I mixed about an 1/8 cup of her mash with yogurt. She ate most of it. My cousin said give it to her for 3 days. I will be excited if it is empty in the morning.
I am not suggesting you try it, I am merely telling you what I did. It was the last option. I figure I will loose her soon so I am going to exhaust every avenue. I will update in the next couple of days. I hope your issues are settled.

kimdillingham · May 12, 2022

My1stChickens said:
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.

How much is a dose of miconazole? And was it in the cream form from a store like Walmart? Needing to get a hen on this asap. But not sure how to proceed.

Wyorp Rock · May 12, 2022

kimdillingham said:
How much is a dose of miconazole? And was it in the cream form from a store like Walmart? Needing to get a hen on this asap. But not sure how to proceed.

The person you quoted hasn't been on in a while, so they may not respond.
I see you have started a thread, I'll take a look and respond there.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sour-crop-and-monostat.1526255/

Lavender6 · May 15, 2022

I have tried everything over 8 months. Garlic, monistat, copper sulfate, tylan powder , ASV, baking soda, epson salt, cipro, now on my 3rd day of Baytril. Absolutely NOTHING is working. I am at a loss but cannot bring myself to kill her. IDK what to do.

Wyorp Rock said:
The person you quoted hasn't been on in a while, so they may not respond.
I see you have started a thread, I'll take a look and respond there.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sour-crop-and-monostat.1526255/

azygous · May 15, 2022

Lavender6 said:
I have tried everything over 8 months. Garlic, monistat, copper sulfate, tylan powder , ASV, baking soda, epson salt, cipro, now on my 3rd day of Baytril. Absolutely NOTHING is working. I am at a loss but cannot bring myself to kill her. IDK what to do.

It's best to start your own thread so we might explore your hen's case. Be aware that some crop disorders are a result of an underlying health issue such as chronic reproductive infection and cancer.

Another hen with sour crop

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My1stChickens

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My1stChickens

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addctd2plnts

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My1stChickens

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My1stChickens

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Lavender6

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kimdillingham

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Lavender6

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