Special sour crop situation

[AWa3785]

Thank you to all contributors that give so much to this forum. It’s so helpful for those of us trying to help our little chicken farms.

I have a girl that definitely had an impaction about a month ago. Got that cleared. She seemed like she bounced back but I wasn’t certain if she had sour crop by the end of the treatment. Well fast forward a month. She chronically struggles with soft shell eggs since last summer. I’ve had to help her recently with extracting them. Suddenly she seemed to decline a bit and wasn’t sure if it was a stuck soft shell or if it was a crop related issue. I’m convinced now it’s a multitude of things to be honest. I was able to find a vet who would write an Rx and give basic advice on chicken health. He said her and her sister had a bacterial infection of sorts. Noted that she was pretty underweight. So off we went and I started treating with Baytril. She’s seemed to decline even worse and now won’t eat. Im syringing nutri drench or rooster booster and bird specific probiotic. I think I’m torn between treating the sour crop first and foremost but following up with the antibiotics afterward. Her abdomen is feeling firm now. I feel like we’re caught between two evils. My question: do I continue treatment with the antibiotics or do I treat the sour crop first and then reintroduce the antibiotics? Today I did let her free range alone in the yard and she was eating earthworms. So that was promising but she was definitely still acting lethargic and uncomfortable.

Thank you for any advice you have on this.

 

[azygous]

Her reproductive issues may be related to the crop issues. And please tell us how you extracted her eggs.

Treating a crop issue while a chicken is on antibiotics can be tricky since the antibiotic may feed crop yeast, but enroflaxin typically doesn't contribute to yeast growth.

Back to the reproductive issues. The history of soft eggs tells us that at some point, an egg may have collapsed inside this hen. This creates an obstruction which can affect crop function, slowing it down so that food doesn't move through consistently, so yeast can start to colonize the static crop.

You certainly should treat the yeasty crop. But you should also treat for a possible blocked oviduct. To do that, give her a calcium citrate tablet each day until you see her behave normally, normal poop, and crop emptying completely overnight. The other hen with the soft egg history should also get the calcium treatment. This is what I recommend as it is digested easily and works fast. Give the tablet whole directly into the beak. Treat the yeasty crop with women's vaginal yeast cream. If you are fuzzy on crop issue treatments here is my article on identify and treating them. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[AWa3785]

You’re the best @azygous

She would strain with the soft shell and eventually would break after straining. So that is where I would help. When I thought she was egg bound I’d check for an egg but not feel anything.

I’m desperate. Once I had to move them all off layer feed because of the rooster impacted by it- it all went south for her ability to have a shell. They have all flock and eggshells available on the side. However, she won’t eat the shells. So then I was like I have to introduce the layer feed back so I mix the all flock and layer feed in hopes it would help. Nope.

So I will pick some of this up. She wont eat it- can I dissolve it in water to syringe?

 

[azygous]

No. Do not dissolve the tablet or dilute it. Pop the whole tablet into her beak. She is used to swallowing things whole. Have you noticed chickens have no teeth?

Be sure to treat the other hen as well. Keep up with the Baytril as she may have an infection from broken egg inside the oviduct.

Oyster shell is fine for maintaining calcium levels in normal hens. Some aren't able to digest enough of it, though, and they become deficient. The citrate form of calcium is more easily absorbed than the oyster shell, so this is how to raise the calcium levels quickly so low calcium doesn't affect the heart function, and it also stimulates contractions to get any leftover egg material expelled from the oviduct.

Go back to oyster shell after these issues have resolved. Try all flock feed and do away with the layer feed for a mixed flock. The oyster shell should keep the hens adequately supplied with calcium under normal circumstances.

 

[AWa3785]

Thank you! The only reason I considered diluting was because trying to get her to eat the broken up 1/3 suppository was a mess because she’d spit it out. I’ve since moved to .25 cc of the cream that comes with the Monistat once I found that that was a suitable option. Overwhelming to think about the days being numbered with her and every day I don’t get it right or make progress is another day closer to the end. Would dosing with meloxicam be helpful at all during this time?

 

[azygous]

I don't see pain relief being an issue here. If she has arthritis, then yes, it can help.

Here's a tip on administering the vaginal cream. Pry open the beak and squeeze out enough to fill her mouth. Easy and quick. Precise doses with this stuff isn't critical. Just be sure to do two doses per day minimum and do the full seven days.

 

[AWa3785]

I don't see pain relief being an issue here. If she has arthritis, then yes, it can help.

Here's a tip on administering the vaginal cream. Pry open the beak and squeeze out enough to fill her mouth. Easy and quick. Precise doses with this stuff isn't critical. Just be sure to do two doses per day minimum and do the full seven days.

Appreciate your time so much. Truly.

 

[AWa3785]

Hi @azygous ! Thank you again for all of your suggestions. I did pick up the calcium citrate this morning and dosed them both with the Baytril, calcium/D3 and monistat cream. My very troubled girl still had a very fluid filled crop this morning which would indicate that the reproductive issue could be causing a blockage of sorts based on what you said. I did try to inspect the vent with lube and a gloved hand. Nothing felt egg wise even if soft. There was some egg yolk looking matter dried around her vent.

Anything else I should consider or try? Should I dose the crop 3 times a day? I bought the citracel petites with the intention of dosing her with them once in the morning and once in the evening. They are 400 mg calcium per 2 so not as robust as your dosing from Equate. I tried to find one like that but not a lot of calcium citrate options in my area. I could give 3 pills throughout the day and dose 3 times with yeast cream.

Thank you for the help! Maybe I should bring her in for an epsom salt bath too?

 

[azygous]

First of all with an obstruction, most of the time you won't be able to feel it if it's higher in the oviduct and especially if it's a collapsed egg or tissue sloughed off the oviduct. I never even try to feel for the egg since if you can feel it, you probably can see it at the cloaca.

Yes, you can double up on the petite tablets. Two a day is sufficient.

Yes, you can triple the times a day you give the vaginal cream if progress seems slow.

You can do a one time soak, but more than that is too stressful. I reserve this for very critical cases only. The calcium does more and it's not stressful.

 

[AWa3785]

Very good. Thank you for the quick response. All I needed to hear so I know I’m doing everything for the best chances for her and not doing more than necessary. Appreciate you.