The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: kate. x on June 23, 2012, 02:11:59 pm
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Hi
any thoughts?? I have a 5 yr old blue bell, she keep getting sour crop?? :chook:
I get her well again, with probiotic yogurt and crushed layers. She hasn't had it for about 3 weeks then its back again for 1 day, did the probiotic yogurt, was fine for 2 days and today shes full again.
There isn't anything about that she shouldn't be eating, her food is dry etcetc
Any ideas why it keeps coming bk? Underlying problems?
Even if its a weird and wonderful idea I am happy to listen as I have done all the standard stuff??? ???
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Does she have access to lots of long grass? One of mine was blocked with the stuff, it was grim!
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no, no long grass
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Repeated sour crop can be caused by fungal cankers Katelunn -check the throat for cream coloured growths. Also a pendulous crop that doesn't empty overnight allowing the food to rot. We don't use yoghurt for sour crop as it can go off in the crop and cause it. We use a 'quack remidy' which actually works. Epsom Salts mixed as directed being 1 teaspoon in 250ml water. Then 5ml of that solution dribbled down the back of the throat (throw the rest away) and no feed for 12 hours. Problem is sometimes it messes up the digestive system and you need a small amount (1mL) of probiotic yoghurt to sort it out. We've got a repeat problem at the moment and are trying Beryl's probiotic for the first time. Feedback from others says it is fantastic at sorting out chickens digestion. Rather than having the 1 -4 cultures of yoghurt it has hundreds!
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Hello, we are new to keeping chickens and have a few new pullets. I *think* one of them - a ranger - got hold of some fresh grass clippings and now has sour crop - she did it on Sunday and it's still now very swollen. She's getting enough energy and water to stay upright and fairly perky but obviously I want to help her get through it. I've tried emptying it - lots of nasty fluid came out. My current plan is: seperate her, repeat emtying daily and feed probiotic yoghurt mixed with layers. I'm worried about doing that procedure and risking fluid in her lungs - should I just let her get on with it? Will it pass eventually? ??? Thanks
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Hi - Try some live maggots, chopped tomatoes. Best to leave out the yoghurt until she has cleared the crop. Open her beak and drop some in - they need to go in live to eat the "gunk"!! Do a good spoonful worth. Remember to empty the crop, massage gently then tip upside down and release the "gunk", do not held her upside down for too long! Repear 2-3 times a day. Good luck, hope she gets better soon.
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Thanks!! Okay, that sounds plausible! But it will have to wait until the weekend because can't make it to the fishing shop to get them before then (we work daytimes). Will try a few chopped toms tomorrow.
We emptied her crop again this morning - mainly fluid. This is the fourth day she's been like this, she just seems to be getting on with it but obviously lethargic and with a swollen crop. I hate the idea of the bird being unformfortable.
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Hello! The bird shows no signs of improvement :( , nor deterioration thankfully. When I massage her large, pendulous crop, I feel nothing defined and hard, just a squishy mass which could be fluid or a ball of matted gunk. Tried to empty the crop tonight but nothing would come. May try the maggots tomorrow but am concerned this could be quite an uncomfortable process for her and what if the maggots don't survive and we've just got more nasty stuff in there?
What is the thinking behind tomatoes?
Thanks.
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In all this time it hasn't really smelt sour, and now we know it is definitely impacted. This morning for the first time her crop had gone down enough to let me feel quite clearly the hard little ball of grass in there - this was lost in a mass of fluid before. We administered around 1tsp olive oil by pipette and I was able to massage the lump a little but it is very stiff and feels like it may take a few more treatments to break down. The bird is confined today with 5% ACV water and natural yoghurt. She has lost weight and condition but is still up and about so I feel there is hope.
Cheers
Olly
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:fc: it breaks up quickly.
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Maggots or live mealworms will break up an impaction if she will eat them.
5% ACV water is ridiculous. She can't possibly drink that Olly! If she does it will wreck her digestive flora as it is so acidic. Plain water only ALWAYS for a sick bird.
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Thanks, not to worry she didn't take any so it was back to plain pretty quick. It was actually ACV Poultry Conditioner which I guess must be diluted already because we were just following the bottle instructions...
This morning the impaction has finally broken up and gone following daily crop massaging and confinement without solid food but today she is weak. She stands around sleeping and won't eat or drink. We have fed her some very diluted probitotic yoghurt and honey via a pipette. Fingers crossed she perks up.
It is difficult this, trying to do right by an animal you feel totally responsible for (even though it's "only a chicken") yet all the time like a bystander. Everywhere you turn there's conflicting advice so you just have to go with what seems the most sensible and try to learn from the experience. The best advice and support is on TAS obviously! So thank you one and all.
Olly
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I am sorry to say that the bird was PTS on Friday. Since we are just starting out we thought it best to get a professional opinion and PM to better understand the situation; the verdict was clearly impacted crop, which had almost cleared, but leaving the bird ultimately too weak to have survived a procedure.
Here's what we learned, which may be obvious to many but could be of benefit to others in the future:
1) Do not allow them access to fresh grass clippings. We put them in an area where our compst goes, thinking they would be sensible enough to sift through for the scraps of greens etc. Perhaps they were just too young having only had pellets until then did not know the difference.
2) Figure out whether the crop is sour or impacted. Looking back its obvious now, but the first symptoms where a full, fluidy crop and the impaction was still soft so hard to define.
3) Treat ASAP. We allowed ours a week where we dallied, trying to feed different things and hoping it would get better. Although fluids were getting through, and she was quite with it, all the time she got weaker. If it ever happened again, we would treat straight away, isolating her, off the food and regularly administering a little oil and massaging the impaction, lots. If that hadn't shifted it in a week, we might try the surgical procedure to empty the crop. Either way, its gotta be emptied.
So, it was sad for the little bird and quite a knock for us. But where we have made mistakes, better to reflect upon them, acknowledge what went wrong and share it for the benefit of others. We have a couple of new birds and a happy chicken run outside - long may it stay that way. :wave:
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Sorry to hear that Olly and thanks for the good advice. We've had impacted crops before but never one hidden amongst fluid. We sheet over our grass cuttings so they can't get to them -only because they throw them all over the place! It is difficult to spot sick chickens because they hide things so well. Even more difficult the more you have. We had one who lost her balance ever so slightly as she came down the coop steps. Picked her up immediately and she weighed nothing and was dead next day, despite treatment.