Sour Crop and Impacted Crop - Two (Similar) Medical Conditions in Your Backyard Chickens
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ส.ค. 2024
- RSM has a chicken in her backyard flock who has sour crop. This is usually a non-fatal medical condition that has to do with a chiken's unique digestive system. But how do you know if a chicken has it? How do you treat it at home? RSM shows you the best home remedies for sour crop, and also discusses impacted crop (a similar condition). Be prepared for whatever may happen as a Chicken Tender!
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Thank you for your video. I have had success with sour crop by isolating the hen and keeping her just with water. I add 1 Tb of baking soda to a quart of water to keep the pH in the crop right, this way yeast won't develop fast. Massaging the crop every 2 hours helps a lot, this moves the food around keeping the crop from getting stagnate.
Crops are a big issue with chickens, it is the first thing that malfunctions when there is a health problem, however thankfully a lot of times , sour or impacted crops are due to a blockage. Once the crop gets emptied, it is a good idea to keep the hen isolated for a little while longer and start her with lightly watered feed to get the crop working right before turning her back into her yard. These are my 2 cents of experience with my hens thru the years. I did a lot of research and this is what has worked. I truly believe the massage is very important towards the healing of the crop.
Thanks so much! ✌🏼❤️🐓
This was the easiest, most informational, straight to the point, no add or selling anything best video I've watched EVER on 1p years of TH-cam. I'm not even kidding. Thank you very much.
Well hey thanks! I hope it was able to help. ✌🏻❤️🐓
Braggs vinegar was bought out. It’s not the same anymore. Fairchilds ACV is the one to use now.
For a couple of weeks now, I’ve been dealing with an impacted pendulum crop. Massages every two hours for days finally got the hardball size lump broken down into a passable liquid. Added vitamins, minerals and probiotics, along with ACV, to water every day. Gave it to all my birds in fact. She’s still carrying a ball of fluid much like a water balloon in her crop. Still poops, lays eggs, and is a bit sassy. I’ve ordered her a chicken bra. Research shows it can help to hold a pendulum crop in it’s proper position for drainage. We’ll see. Thank you for the video!! Very informative as always!!
Yes I heard of the bra too! I was afraid it would make my girl too hot in our Texas summers but it does seem to help a lot with that muscle tissue (which will never shrink back down unfortunately). And I’m so proud of you! You’ve done great! ✌🏻❤️🐓
I wouldn't use braggs anymore! Katie Perry bought the company in 2019 and now she partnered up with bill Gates used apeel apples!
You want to be sure you get the apple cider vinegar "WITH MOTHER." That's the Braggs apple cider vinegar.
I’m so glad I found your video ❤️I’m dealing with 3 week old chicks with sour crop.
Aaaah it’s such a mess. And especially when they’re so young! Mine is not fully recovered but probably 70-80%. ✌🏼❤️🐓
When I notice their crops getting too big I cut back on food and give more chick grit. It’s cured them in a day.
Thank you! Great information and thoroughly covered.
Thanks so much! It’s a hard balance when I want to be thorough but not overly verbose. ✌🏼❤️🐓
My brahma hen has always been so big and full looking, like she has a big body and her crop never looked or felt big... but the past couple days I noticed her face looked pale. She wasn't as vocal either. So I picked her up and to my horror she had lost so much weight! I could feel her breast bone very prominently and her crop is super swollen like a water balloon! She was ravenously hungry as I offered her some scrambled eggs with garlic, just a few tbsps. She scarfed it down! I started looking up stuff and I'm going to try all youve mentioned.
Thank you! I hope I'm getting to help her in time. I'm so sad I didn't notice this!!
Oh I’m so sorry! Don’t feel guilty. You’re doing a great job. And she wants to live which is a great sign in her recovery! Keep up the good work and let me know how she’s doing. ✌🏼❤️🐓
Thank you for all that excellent information. We finally decided on a coop, after hours of yt videos. I’ve learned so much from you and feel I can always ask questions that you will address. You and your ladies are such dears.
Oh that’s so great! Congrats! I’m really happy for you and the kinds words are so appreciated. ✌🏼❤️🐓
Hot in Florida too! Oyster shells and egg shells in food! Thank you
I spent 4
Hours today massaging two of my girls crops,
Lowering their heads, letting the crop empty,
Then a gentle flush with baking soda and water.
One I can feel the grains in there,
The other one she empties with no food.
Yesterday there was grain.
Been a
Very very long day. I guess I bonded with my girls today. Hope tomorrow is better….
I’m so proud of you and I’m so sorry that you’re having to go through this. Do you have an avian vet or a fellow chicken keeper in town who can help?
No vet, no help. 😩 I feel like one wil make it, her crop emptied with no grain yesterday, been dealing with this since Sunday. The other one I can feel the grand stuck. She really needs a good flush, I’m using a dropper, don’t want to aspirate her. This is hard as I’ll be gone all day today and tomorrow.
No vet, no help. 😩 I feel like one wil make it, her crop emptied with no grain yesterday, been dealing with this since Sunday. The other one I can feel the grand stuck. She really needs a good flush, I’m using a dropper, don’t want to aspirate her. This is hard as I’ll be gone all day today and tomorrow.
Thank you for your video it was very informative. I checked my chickens in the morning before they had anything to eat and it seems like it’s empty and there’s no issues. Thankfully.
Have you ever taken a chicken to a vet and do they need to see a vet at times? I give my chickens cooked oatmeal with a little bit of Greek yogurt every morning for breakfast. They love it and gobble it up. I also add vitamins with electrolytes to the water along with a tiny splash of apple cider vinegar daily. I hope this will prevent any of those issues.
Hi! I would do ACV regularly but not daily. Their body does need plain fresh water more than it needs all the additives. Too much ACV can cause issues. And I have taken mine to a vet before - if you’re interested just see if there’s an avian vet in the area. Some people do when necessary and some don’t as they’re “farm animals.” I have videos on my channel of me taking Flopsy in for X-rays etc. ✌🏼❤️🐓
Okay. Thank you 🙏🏼
Excellent information and video. Thank you.
This is so helpful. TY. However, my girl is lethargic, her comb is tilted and losing color & pooing yellow watery poo. Her crop is soft & squishy, hence sour crop. I saw on other Channel to let them fast to try to heal. Do you agree? Also, a chickens have kefir? I have both Greek yogurt and kefir. Is one better than the other for them. Thx in advance for your help.
Hi! I’m so sorry that she feels terrible. Greek yogurt is great but you can also try to have her fast (still provide clean fresh water). There’s also remedies people recommend that include apple cider vinegar, really gentle crop massage, or oil of oregano. Kefir I’m not sure about. So as much as it sucks, I would do some more research and then choose the remedy that you think sounds the best. The fasting could make sense to let everything drain, I would also isolate her in a dog crate or something so you can closely monitor her and control what she has access to. ✌🏻❤️🐓
Thank you for making this video. I’m somewhat new at caring for chickens. I’m really glad I found your channel. I hope to never have to deal with crop issues like these but if I do, I’ll know where to find guidance for helping the girls. Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge.
You’re so welcome! I did have chickens for years before I had to deal with this. I’m proud of you for doing your research, and I’m here to help. ✌🏻❤️🐓 theMama@realsimplemama.com
Is oyster shell good for grit? Plus in their coop is course sand. .. surely they use that for grit?
The grit that I’ve seen commonly sold is actually crushed granite stone. They cannot digest it. I believe they do digest the oyster shells.
Right! Oyster shell is sold for calcium, grit is usually crushed granite. BUT like I said they’ll find little bits of things in coarse sand, dirt, etc. So you’re both right! ✌🏼❤️🐓
What breed is Minnie? She’s beautiful! I hope she recovered fully!
Hi! She’s a Java hen - I have a breed video on here as well as an update, as she has a condition called pendulous crop but she’s hanging in there just fine.
Hello, and thank you for this informational video! I really appreciate all you've gone into about the differences between sour crop and impacted crop.
I am currently housing one of my little feather dolls indoors for what i perceive is a mass in her crop that was about to take her life. I think i found her in time. Her crop isnt empty in the mornings. It has shrunk some over the past 2 days, but there is about a golfball sized mass that i can smash like i could some warm clay. She has been pooping some solids, though half a pinky finger amount. Im trying to keep her from starving, while at the same time limiting her to garlic/A.C.V. water and wet bread. I'm wondering, if she pulls through this, will that mass eventually dissolve and pass?
Thank you for any helpful words. 💜
Hi! If it’s malleable like you said (like clay) then yes I definitely think so. I’d skip the bread and give her something that’s more sustaining like scrambled eggs or plain Greek yogurt. I also say skip the garlic and do ACV water for 12 hours, then plain water for 12. I’m not a vet but in my experience it may take up to a week for her to feel up to normal. Email me if I can help more! ✌🏻❤️🐓 theMama@realsimplemama.com
The vet. I couldn’t do that other way
Agreed. I ain’t cutting and doing surgery on my girls.
I use braggs too
Thank you for this much needed info. Will crushed egg shells work as grit?
Hi! I usually categorize them only as calcium since we need to pulverize them pretty darn small for chickens to digest. Eggshells are a great supplement to offer separately though. And if you can have your chickens free range, they often pick up plenty of gritty things on their own anyway! ✌🏼❤️🐓
Hi! Thanks for this video. I’m new to chickens. My 6-week old silkie had a big crop this morning but I’m not sure exactly what it is. Her poop still looks normal. Do they stop pooping with sour crop? Thank you.
Hi! It depends. If it’s a really bad case then they might stop - the fact that she still is, is a good thing. Maybe confine her for a few days with just basic chicken feed and water so you can monitor her and control what she eats. Remember I’m not a vet - good luck! ✌🏻❤️🐓
Thank you for this. Unrelated question: What's the bush with the where it looks like purple flowers on them?
Hi! I have a few so see which you think it is: mystic spires salvia; Silverado sage; Mexican bush sage. I also have a list of plants on my website and a playlist here called “Chickens and your garden.” ✌🏻❤️🐓
Can a chicken have sour crop that doesn’t smell bad at all? I think mine has had it for a while and this morning she was almost dead. 😭 She has never had bad smelling breath so I didn’t think it was that but her crop does feel squishy like a water balloon. She also poops almost just liquid water every time.
Hmm. I’m not a vet but that does still sound like sour crop to me. I would isolate her and monitor her closely - always give her water but I’d try to give her apple cider vinegar and really soft foods like scrambled eggs or Greek yogurt. I’m here for you and will help all I can. ✌🏻❤️🐓 theMama@realsimplemama.com
I came home yesterday to a chicken that did not go into the coop. It was getting dark so I thought that was weird. So I picked her up which was weird cause she does not let me pick her up, and I put her in the coop. I closed the door then did some clean up and went back and she was just standing in the same spot. So I felt her crop and it was squishy. It was not that big. Since she was acting weird I brought her inside the house and put her in a crate. She just looked around but never moved or made any sound. This morning she was still sitting there. I felt her crop and it was the same, squishy. After about 30 minutes, while cooking breakfast she made a noise. I got excited and ran to her, but she was having some sort of seizure. A little liquid came out of her mouth then she died. I am wondering if she might have choked? Would her behavior indicate that she was sick or just sour crop? This was very traumatic.
Oh my gosh. I am so sorry. The liquid coming out of her beak can indicate that she did have sour crop, there was definitely something going on with her. I’m so proud of you for doing all you could for her. But it could have been sour crop, shock from something, poison… I’m just not sure. Again I’m so sorry. Please email me if I can help more. ✌🏼❤️🐓
Thank you
Same thing happened to my chicken. I had counted them on was missing found her in the coop just standing. She had the big bulge in her crop. I turned her upside a few seconds only down and a large amount of liquid came our. I done this 2 times. I wonder now if that was the right thing. She would not it drank a lot of water with Mothers vinegar and pro biopics. I got up this morning , I heard a noise from her and she had died a large amount of liquid was around her lead. I guess the noise was excess air after she died. Not really sure I wish I had answers like you. I wonder if I should not have turned her upside down but, I read that is what you do. I feel she may have aspirated. I feel I could have done more. 😢 sorry for your lose to.
Real simple momma , we have a question ….
Have you ever put new baby chicks with and older hen , did the hen except them and raise them ??? Just wondering if hens will adopt new chicks ??
Hi! Yes it’s quite possible. I’d set Mama up in a good zone first, like a kiddie pool or a crate, and get her comfortable. Then I’d put the babies under her BUT keep a close eye for a while. Chickens can also be cannibalistic. I’m here if you’d like more help! ✌🏻❤️🐓 theMama@realsimplemama.com
@@realsimplemama oh ty so much ! I just think chicken people are the best 🥰 🐥Joanna
What are good plants to have in ur chicken yard? I'd like to put some in my yard but not sure what...I do have lemon balm I want to plant around the outside, but what CAN you have planted IN the yard...I know wheat grass, what others are safe? Thank you in advance
Hi! I have a whole playlist here called “Chickens and your garden” where I talk about this. I also have a list you can search for in an article published on RealSimpleMama.com ✌🏻❤️🐓 most herbs are ok, lots of perennials and bushes, fruit trees, some vining plants…
Could you also tell me if you put a table spoon of acv in a gallon of water how many cloves of garlic do i use in the same gallon with the acv? Thanks
Hey I would do 2-3 cloves of garlic. Make sure to change the water daily too. Good luck! ✌🏻❤️🐓
Great video. My hen has a golf ball size hard lump. It is not down in the lower crop location, but high near the beginning of her throat. Is that am impacted thorax? She is not going to make it i think.
Hey there. I’m so sorry about this. I honestly am not sure what she has - I would get her to an avian vet if possible. Good luck ✌🏻❤️🐓
Can broodiness lead to this?
I have a girl who’s gone broody and since it’s been near 102° in Houston for 2 weeks, I can’t seem to break her of it. I can kick her out of the nest box and get her to eat and drink, but she doesn’t really walk around much. She just wants to go back and sit on the eggs that the other girls lay. Her crop feels large and soft (and hot). I haven’t been able to accurately tell how much she’s pooping.
Hmmm. It’s not a normal correlation but it could make sense if she’s dehydrated. I’d quarantine her in a dog kennel or small pen. She’d still potentially be able to sit on her own egg, but collect it daily asap. It’ll also give her a chance to catch up on her nutrition and hydration. It’s a crazy fixation and in some individuals/breeds can get pretty nuts. Yes even in the heat of summer 🤦🏻♀️
You mentioned making a small incision to take out impacted material. Have you done this yourself?
Hi! No I have not. It can be done by a vet or by a chicken tender you trust. I have read of others in my area who are able to do it on their own, and then use a small tool like a crochet hook to start slowly pulling out material. Unfortunately it’s a lot like unclogging a drain but you have to go slowly and be quite careful. Usually you’ll find things like string/plastic, rope, long grass, etc.
@@realsimplemama LOL, I didn't know how I felt about doing that. My girl had sour crop. Now she has a more solid crop that I've been massaging and giving a few doses of olive oil throughout the day. I also have her water with Braggs ACV and garlic. I have tried giving her greek yogurt and scrambled eggs, but she did not go for it. Thank you for your input.
Is this for impacted crop only? Or for draining sour crop? Thanks
All of those methods would work for both conditions! I’m not a vet but to me those are very low-risk… meaning that they may not fix the issue 100% but there’s not really a chance that they’ll harm your bird.
whats the prognosis if the vinigar does not work and you opt out of back yard surgury?
You can add food with probiotics like Greek yogurt, isolate the chicken in a cool dark place like in a dog crate, and consider massaging the crop. The risk there is you don’t want them to aspirate. ✌🏻❤️🐓 Remember that I’m not a vet but that’s what I recommend off hand.
Hi! You have an ac for your girls! I will be needing an air conditioner for my coop this summer. What kind would you recommend???
Hi! No it wasn’t an air conditioner, it was a fan which was solar powered. So it would circulate the air but technically not cool it. I’m actually leery to suggest one since I personally am uncomfortable having a lot of electricity in the chicken coop. Too much risk of them pecking it, shorting out, mice biting through it, fire, etc. But I’ll continue posting about other strategies! ✌🏻❤️🐓
@@realsimplemama oh! Ok. Thank you for your reply!!!!
My hens crop feels more like a bean bag. I gave her a couple syringes of water and tried the upside down massage thing to make her throw up but no luck. The smell is horrible. I read that when doing that water can get in their lungs and be fatal. So now I’m super scared for her. She. Isn’t roosting and walking slowly but still eating and drinking. Any suggestions?
Hey there. I’m so sorry I know it’s scary. Yes never make them throw up as they normally can’t so you do run the risk of aspiration. I say let her be tonight, as their crop normally empties through the night. Then grab her in the morning before she can eat, and gently feel it again. Email me and I’ll help as much as I can! ✌🏻❤️🐓 theMama@realsimplemama.com
Hi I've been dealing with sour crop for a week. I was told to give her generic monistat 7. Have you heard of this? Her crop feels mushy with little pebbles in it. When i picked her up a bunch of yellow smelly liquid came out like a faucet. So i put her in a cat carrier and isolated her. What else should i do for her? I pretty sure it was caused from feed them grass.
Hey there - I’ve heard of the Monistat but have never tried it. I would continue to offer her soft foods like scrambled eggs, oatmeal, yogurt, etc. and monitor to see if it goes down each day. ✌🏻❤️🐓
Thank you. I just noticed it feels like a rock or something to j her chest. She is eating though. More like a hard bone. Is there another way to check? She doesn’t seem swollen in that area either.
Hi! You could look up chicken anatomy, there’s the crop “sack” and then her breastbone in that area. I would also not worry about checking at night when she’s full, check in early morning before she’s had a chance to eat. That’s when she should be empty. ✌🏻❤️🐓
I have a chicken I’ve been treating for I think vent gleet, I have to clean her bottom daily or she can not poop(which sounds like pasty butt). Now I’m wondering if it’s sour crop or a combo?
I would think if she’s having issues on that end, it is probably vent gleet. Hopefully you can isolate her for a while and really focus on how much she’s eating and drinking versus how much she’s pooping.
Hi ! Love your videos ! Do you chop up or blend the raw garlic and then put it in the water ? And how much do you put in the water ?
Hi! I use about a clove per gallon. And you just smash it enough that the oil can come out. Make sure you change the water daily so that it doesn’t get gross! ✌🏼❤️🐓
Should the garlic float? I think I cut it too small
It might! Don’t worry, what matters is that the oils get into the water. ✌🏻❤️🐓
I need help. I have a very sick chicken- she was fine one day and super sick the next. Felt her crop and it was very squishy and she smelled sour- so I thought sour crop. She also will not open her eyes- I think the other hens were pecking her eyes, but I tube fed her a solution of Epsom salt and water and then later that day a solution of ACV/water solution- she did poop some that night, but did not completely evacuate her crop. I've been massaging her crop too- took her to the vet- and they evacuated her crop by holding her upside down- she seemed a little more alert (still not opening her eyes and still very lethargic) - that was yesterday- she is worse today- and I feel like fluid is filling up her crop. Could she have a blockage in her gizzard causing a back up in her crop?
I don’t know enough to say yes or no - in my opinion don’t flip her over at all or use a syringe as there’s a huge risk of aspiration which can be fatal. Is it possible to quarantine her and see how well it empties after 12 hours? You could also see her droppings. I’d also check the premises and see if it’s possible she’s eaten something toxic, and check with neighbors if someone’s been using pesticide. Email me and I can try to help more but remember I’m not a vet. ✌🏼❤️🐓 theMama@realsimplemama.com
I’m dealing with sour crop also, she’s been isolated for a week and still no improvement. I’ve given her acv also I’m lost as to what else to do 😢
I’m so sorry. I know it’s frustrating. Can you give her some plain Greek yogurt? Otherwise I would stop food for a good 12-18 hours (just once!), and see how well it goes down. Continue to offer clean water and make sure she’s able to poop. ✌🏼❤️🐓 theMama@realsimplemama.com
@@realsimplemama yeah I’ll try plain Greek yogurt today and stop all food, just didn’t want her starving seeing it’s been a week so I gave her crumble with water. But will stop that again for another 24 hours
My 7 week old has sour crop and have her isolated poop comes out with lots of water. I gave her water vinegar with olive oil for 24 hours.
If anyone can offer any comments, insights, suggestions I’d appreciate it.
I put down my favorite pullet today after agonizing over the decision. She had a very pendulous crop. It was so big and baggy that it looked like she had two saggy boobs, not just a lump higher up on the chest. She was having a really hard time moving around. After seeing her struggle to climb the ladder to the coop, I just couldn’t watch her live like that anymore.
I didn’t know what I was doing or what to look out for and I didn’t catch it at a point that I felt like surgery would have been successful.
(At this point feel free to assume the best or the worst about me, whatever. I’m not going in to all the details here.)
We decided to cut her open to see what was going on. Everything in her crop just poured out. There were not clumps of grass or anything else that seemed like it would have been causing a blockage. We rinsed the crop out and couldn’t see anything blocking the rest of the tract.
What else could keep a crop from emptying besides an impaction?
Hey there. I am so so sorry. I am proud of you for respecting her quality of life and I know sometimes it really sucks to do the right thing. I’m not a vet, I do have a few thoughts, and you’re welcome to email me too. Here for you, no judging. theMama@realsimplemama.com
First, it’s possible that she did have something jammed in there that eventually dissolved - unfortunately once the crop stretches out it won’t bounce back like a rubber band. It’ll remain stretched our forever.
I don’t know that something could cause it to be inflamed like an allergic reaction internally? Or something else to agitate her crop so it doesn’t drain normally.
What do you suggest if they stop pooping with an impacted crop?
Hey there, I’d try to get them to eat any kind of mash with oats, scrambled eggs, etc. You can also look into giving them olive oil or other things but I’m not a vet and am not sure what the dosage would be. If you’re not doing the warm soaks and massage I’d try that too. ✌🏻❤️🐓
I’ll add that some people will try to force vomiting but that can lead to aspiration (the vomit goes into the lungs and it’s fatal). So do a bit more research when you can and see what your thoughts are.
Do u use Vinegar and raw garlic in the same water for when it’s impacted crop is sauerkraut
Yep!
Do you smash the garlics and extract the garlic juice and then add the juice to the vinegar?
You don’t have to! I just lightly crush the garlic and put the whole clove in.
My chicken has had sour crop for 3 day's now she won't eat yogurt what can I do
Oh I’m sorry. If you can get them to a vet, I would. Are they pooping? Will they eat regular food with water (make it into a mash) or scrambled eggs? Are they drinking? Remember I’m not a vet
I have done all this it don’t work and the chickens try to kill her . I have to separate her. I have tried for 2 wks started with no food 24 hrs olive oil then yogurt etc plus messages most what I read to do nothing has worked I think the muscle is stretched. It’s full but, massages it it changes from hard to soft. I ordered her a bra be her tomorrow. My concern is the other chickens pick on her so she is isolated now for 2 wks. I tried again to add her back by letting her in a fence area by them they still pick on her. Should I euthanize her for more humane?
Oh no I’m so sorry. You have a few options. You could cull her if you need to. If she seems happy and like she wants to live, I’d consider either getting her some buddies who stay in her area with her, or even making her a house chicken (or seeing if someone can adjust her as such). The bra should make a difference in that poor stretched muscle. Good luck! I’m here for you. ✌🏻❤️🐓 theMama@realsimplemama.com
I did all this but, the chicken died what else can a person do? 😢
I’m so sorry. ✌🏻❤️🐓
A SPIDER is on you protecting the egg sac.
Spiders and I are on the same team 😎🕸🕷
Are you on Instagram?
Hi! No I am not on social media. ✌🏻❤️🐓
Totally not the point of the video, but what kind of chicken is that on the left at the beginning of your video?! She’s beautiful. She looks like a Speckled Sussex, but black and white!
Hi! I bet you mean Lacie who is a silver laced Wyandotte. I have a breed video here in my channel but she’s sweet and smart, very vocal and very chill. Not the best layer because she’s a hybrid bird (made for meat and eggs) but I adore her. All Wyandottes are gorgeous! ✌🏻❤️🐓
Sour crop not Sauerkraut
Vinegar, garlic, and sauerkraut. Yummy. Freshens the breath too.