Sour Crop, or Candidiasis, is caused by an overgrowth of Candida albicans. Simply put, it is a yeast infection inside the bird’s crop. It causes the mucus membranes within the crop to swell giving the bird the appearance of having something the size of an apple lodged in its neck. This overgrowth of yeast can also create lesions in the crop, esophagus and mouth.
In a true case of sour crop, the swollen area
will feel squishy and a bad smell can be detected from the beak when pressure
is applied to the crop. If the crop is hard, it may be an impacted crop and not
sour crop, so please be sure to inspect the crop area thoroughly before
treating.
What our
contributors have to say about treating a true case of sour crop:
Vicki Says:
- Withhold water for the first 12 hours
- Withhold food for 24 hours
- After the first 12 hours, give only clear, clean water with no additives
- At this point I release the bird but I continue observation
- I give the bird only clean water and try to get the crop empty to start treatment
- Do not feed the bird any solid food at all until the crop is empty. If it is not empty there is a reason. Adding more volume (food) is not going to help
- Use a dropper to give olive or coconut oil
- Massage the crop
- Confine the bird to the coop
- I again withhold water for 12 hours and food for 24 hours - you need that crop emptied for treatment to work.
- I massage the crop if it feels hard and impacted. If it is squishy I do a little massaging to get things moving.
After the crop empties:
- I feed them eggs with a tablespoon of plain yogurt. I just smash the whole egg… shells and all - and stir in the yogurt.
- I observe for the next 24 hours.
- They are offered plain fresh water at all times.
- After 24 hours, if the crop has emptied, I add plain grain to the eggs.
- I observe for another 24 hours.
I
do not do much messing with sour crop. Sometimes they get something lodged in
there that needs time to get out. I can usually feel it from the outside and massage
it out.
If
you are sure it is sour crop, there are many things that can be done to treat
this kind of thrush naturally. The key to curing thrush naturally and
permanently is to kill the yeast with natural means and also to cure the
underlying deficiency or imbalance that allowed the yeast to grow out of
control in the first place. You treat all you want, but if the bird is to get
better it is imperative to find the core of the issue.
I
offer Oregano, tea tree oil, lavender, and a few cloves to all my birds
regularly. Usually this time of year birds develop sour crop from over
eating all the lush greens they didn’t have over the winter. I have two that
are pooping pure green from the wild strawberries and blossoms. They come in at
night and look like they are going to blow up. (They look normal by morning, so
I know it’s not a thrush issue.)
I
have culled one bird for a chronic crop problem. She just loved to eat the
oddest things. I had cut up old pie tins and put them in my garden to deter
birds and bunnies, and she loved to eat them. Loved shiny things. Found all my husband’s
lost nails, nuts and bolts. She was very odd. If she came across a nail head in
a door jam or window, she would spend hours trying to get it out.
A normal, healthy crop.
Justine Says:
Here
is what has worked for me –
Cut
out all ACV
Give
yoghurt with probiotics
Eggs
are also good
No sugar at all - so no fruits, breads, etc.
Massage
crop
When
I first noticed that my hen Ruby had Sour Crop, she was bending over to eat and
regurgitating. That stuff STANK. Like spoiled milk. Her crop was huge. I took
her off food and offered her only water while I did some research. I then
bought some plain, sugar free, yoghurt and offered it to her with eggs. She
gobbled it up. I massaged her crop twice a day and continued to offer her
yoghurt in addition to their regular feed for a week. No treats. She was better
after a few days and back to normal after a week.
aaggig Says:
The
one thing that I found after searching the internet was Red Wine... You
MUST withhold food or grain based food - as Justine says it’s a yeast infection
and sugars feed yeast. Give the chicken a dropper full of Red Wine and
wait. Massage the crop in a downward motion. Check the chicken later and if it
is not gone give them more Red wine and some plain, organic yogurt. The chicken
should be cured in 12-24 hours.
Another
chicken owner had the same problem and I told her about the wine. At first she
was skeptical but emailed the next day say it was a miracle! So that’s my
2 cents....
*Please
note – Be cautious when administering liquids and oils by syringe or dropper as
you do not want your bird to aspirate the liquid into the lungs. Here is a
great video on giving chickens medication:
*
My baby chicks are 1 week 1 day old today...they are in a large box with food water and mash and grit and a warming light...they are getting pretty active and pecky toward each other but it's still over cast and coolish out side about 67 degrees ehen can I safely put them in their coop?
ReplyDeleteIf they have a heat source to get under, you can put them in a safe part of your coop now - - just make sure you don't have a fire hazard if you do this. They need a heat source of 90 degrees at 1 week of age, 85 at 2 weeks, 80 at 3 weeks, 75 at 4 weeks... These numbers are just rough and not gospel. Also, the heat source should just be in one area with other areas that are room temperature. If they are too hot all the time, it can cause pasty butt.
DeleteGood luck and I hope all goes well with your chicks!
Leigh
Geeze 67 degrees, that hot compared to New Zealand. We think 25 is boiling and out come the shorts, tee shirts and head to the beach.
Deletethose temps will be fahrenheit, you need to convert to celsius for nz
DeleteChicks should not go out until they are fully feathered and that is about 6 to 8 weeks. When the inside and outside temps are equal, so there is no shock, they can go out.
DeleteMy Chick has sour crop does strawberry or raspberry yogurt work??
ReplyDeleteIt is best to use plain yogurt as the sugars in flavored yogurts can feed yeasts - not what you want.
DeleteLeigh
My older laying hen, Big Red, has sour crop. This is my first bout with hens so I know I caused this...I fed them a shovel full of scratch that had sprouted and gotten tall. I have read and learned that is not good because they do not free range. Yesterday I massaged her a bit and some really foul smelling stuff came out of her mouth...I can feel a small "bundle" of stuff in there. I am going today to get yogurt and try this avenue. Red wine huh? I have that too.....thanks for all your resources...frankie
ReplyDeleteI have found that papaya cures this fast and easy. I've used it when I hand fed baby parrots and it works within a few hours as compared to days for an antibiotic. This morning I found a hen with a crop full of nasty liquid so I emptied it best I could and added some baby food papaya I had in the pantry. I think I caught it early because there is no solid mass in there. This is why it pays to know your chickens and how they act. The sooner you catch something like this the better your outcome. I will let the papaya sit for a few hours and then try giving some fresh water along with some more papaya. No grains today at all, I will wait till tomorrow for that. Yogurt tonight if the papaya goes down.
ReplyDeleteI gave yogurt during the day and red wine at night and occasionally one cooked egg for one week after she was fully recovered i put her in plain grain diet now after 10 days since she is back on grain diet she is sick again with sour crop , letargic and not eatting , now what ??
ReplyDeleteThis info was all so very helpful. Discovered fluid like "sac" on chest of 3 mo old chick & my little daughter was very upset. 1st time raising chicks & at first glance would guess she had a tumor. Will apply recommended treatments & hope they work. Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteI have an old girl that I cured , babies creamed porridge mixed with natural yoghurt sterilized water ,put in syringe and gave to her worked a treat she's living proof and not to mention t tree oil
ReplyDeleteNo one says how to cure the yeast? My hen was on serious antibiotics and has had crop issues since then. Just like us, I'm figuring it is yeast. Is that why some do the ACV? I made her eat and drink last night. She spewed liquid this morning and then I did the ACV/water 50/50 mix a little at 8am and then at 1pm and at 5pm she spewed everywhere with old grass and more "stuff" and I did one more ACV. I will see how it is in the morning and then see if she will eat or drink. Won't I have to force feed since she has had this problem? I noticed it because she looked like she was eating but when I looked closely she wasn't and then she had lost 2 lbs. That's why I'm scared to have her not eating for too long. Just wondering if I can get some feedback? After the peritonitis, I'm afraid she may just not come back to functioning well, but I'd like to try a little longer???
ReplyDeleteI never gave my hen A.C.V. time and a lot of patience , making sure the crop is empty and giving her as much natural yoghurt , baby porridge and what I said before the trusty teatree oil .Doing this at least 4 times a day , she is a picture of health now , keep it up give it time she will pull through best of luck
ReplyDeleteHow do you give tea tree oil? Does the bird ingest it?
ReplyDeleteYes, ingested orally. Using a dropper/syringe.
DeleteHow much Tea Tree oil do you give??
DeleteOne of my hens has sour crop :( I massaged her crop and the sour smelling gunk came out. I am giving her molasses-water to strengthen her and plain yogurt. Should I continue to massage her crop?
ReplyDeleteMolasses is sugar, and sugar is food for the yeast.
DeleteHello same anonymous as the one above. Should I give my hen tea tree oil?
ReplyDeleteteatree oil is supposed to be toxic? have read live mealie worms help also
ReplyDeleteChickens usually empty their crops over night. If I give the red wine, I do I know if it is working unless I wait til the next morning to see if her crop has gone down ??
ReplyDeletewhat about kefir i make my own with whole raw milk i get locally( grass fed and grass bred), it is a lot more pro biotics than yogurt as i do not have chickens yet would also like to know if they can have it as a supplement or treat
ReplyDeleteDo anyone has specific info about Tea tree oil? My girl had been sick for 2 weeks, managed to make her puke and she threw up a huge ball of grass, she was fine for a week and got sick again. I gave her activated charcoal pills, make her puke again and then gave her a capsule of olive oil mixed with doTERRA on guard. Fingers crossed that tomorrow is a better day for her!
ReplyDeletehis is my first time i visit here. I found so many entertaining stuff in your blog, especially its discussion. From the tons of comments on your articles, I guess I am not the only one having all the leisure here! Keep up the excellent work.
ReplyDeleteLinda Allensebook
I am sorry .I think I missed somthing what does ACV stand for...Thanks wayne I chicken with sour crop( it had to be the one the grand kids love)
ReplyDeleteACV = Apple Cider Vinegar (unpasteurized is the healthiest!)
DeleteI gave my chicken with sour crop oregano oil with olive oil and plain yogurt. I also emptied her crop for her a few times. Her crop hasn't emptied yet but is much smaller, not gas filled, and her stools are green and wetter than they were. Stools were dry and looked like her crumble feed. I think I'll try the red wine and see how that works. She is definitely acting better with more energy, but she has lost a significant amount of weight with this.
ReplyDeleteYou say you give an egg with shell,is that egg cooked or raw
ReplyDeleteEither way, but many find cooked (scrambled) to be easier to feed.
DeleteOh my goodness, all of this is great ... except the red wine! It's full of sugar and yeast ...
ReplyDeleteThis is my second bought with sour crop, same chicken. She loves to eat, unfortunately things she is not supposed to when I have them free ranging. I got her over it the first time by emptying her crop. By making her vomit- very carefully. She was not walking right and falling before I did this. After, she was able to walk and was much more alert. Then just on water for 24 hrs. Antibiotics and antiyeast for 1 week. I fed her grain in powder form, 1/2 cup at a time. She was drinking water so did not have to worry about that. Once her crop was completely empty in morning I fed her 1/2 cup grain but chopped not in powder form. I used food processor. Did this for a week. Then reg food, still 1/2 cup in morning, 1/2 cup in evening. She was clearing crop each morning, then took the challenge of adding her back to the group. A challenge in itself. She was doing well now for 3 wks has been with other chickens, eating, pooping, still no eggs. Now this morning I found her crop huge. I caught it earlier this time, she was still alert and walking normal. Her crop felt like air this time, not water balloon like last time. I pushed a little on the crop and air came out of her mouth. I went to pick her up and she just started vomiting, without me doing anything to her crop. I held her while she vomited then gave her a moment before I helped her like last time. Her crop felt like it was going to pop. Bigger than the last time probably because still stretched out from last time. I thought she would be ok, but now don't know. She is still underweight from last bought, it took her so long to get to the point she was at. I will try again, hopefully will get her healthy again; but will have to keep her inside all the time? I don't know what she gets that when she is out to cause this problem. I have read about crop bras, if this is a repetitive problem I now understand why people end up losing the chicken.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your hen. It does sound like she has a real issue if she continues to develop it. :( Wishing you (and her) the very best!
DeleteI have a hen (2-3 years old) and believe she likely has sour crop. I thought it was vent gleet at first. So I gave her an epsom salt bath. She is the lowest pecking order of 6 and has been slow and left out since we got the hens less than a year ago. I'm thankful for all the good insight on this post since I'd like to take care of things on our own if we can. She had an awful stench and I noticed brownish yellow liquid coming from her beak. I put her in a large cage cat carrier and inside overnight when I saw her sleeping on the floor of the coop rather than on the roost. She is not drinking much water but did eat plain yogurt with DE and some clay mixed in (a friend gave me to use) yesterday. This morning I cautiously/repeatedly induced vomiting until nothing else would come out. I'd never felt for a chicken's crop before so all of this was quite the education. She wouldn't drink so later today I mixed hard boiled egg yolk and olive oil and ground chicken vitamins which she did like. She's a very sweet and docile hen so my heart just hurts for her not feeling well.
ReplyDeleteSo I'm off to the store for red wine. I was hesitant to do no water and no food since prior to noticing this yesterday I don't know how long it's been going on.
Thanks for all the valuable information.
Best wishes for your hen!!
DeleteProbiotics are also sold in capsule form. If she doesn't show signs of improvement, you can pour the probiotic powder out of the capsule into her food.
Hoping she gets better quickly!
wow your wine trick worked for us perfect! Thank you so much
ReplyDeleteSeems sour crop is something all us pet chicken keepers repetitively get.I have a hen who had it in March 2017, since then she gets respiratory problems once a month (probably due to my forcing her to vomit back then)- for which anitbiotics revive her- but every time i think im going to lose her, she gets so bad! Again today Sour crop returns. So all the previous "non vet" attempts- vomit,red wine, olive oil, milk of magnesia, massaging crop, along with withdrawing food 24 hours. Day 4 now- still not right but reassured by her tail still being held high and her desire to preen (i think if dying they dont self clean and the tail droops). From my experience it takes at least a week for any treatment/ non treatment to work. BUT i feel now that a bird that suffers this WILL get it again. None of my other birds ever been affected. She wasnt one of my favourites (i didnt giver her treats) but now she is a permanent house hen :(
ReplyDeletei forgot to check back in on this but for anyone with a hen with sour crop reading this and wondering if it worked- i can report my hen came right, again, and we are all fit and well! Hooray for red wine
DeleteThat's great news! Thank you for the update!
DeleteOldest of our girls Connie has had sour crop for 36-48hrs, managed to get her to bring up half of the contents of a very full crop yesterday, then another smaller load this morning. Have massaged the whole thing, from bottom to top to bring contents up, then from top to bottom to try and get things moving for her. Now the best bit....have kept Connie hydrated with a syringe of water / ACV then read on here about the 'Red Wine' treatment ! After a huge battle with the wife I managed to get an 'egg-cup full' measure of wine and proceeded to very gently dribble it in to Connies beak with a syringe again....amazing !! Less than 2hrs later and she's brighter....over 3hrs and she's after the odd grain of food (layers mash)....can't believe it !! So, maybe it's the wine, maybe the water / ACV, maybe the massaging - maybe all three plus the induced vomiting ??? Who cares, IT WORKED !! Will advise more over the next few days !! THANK YOU ALL (again)!
ReplyDeleteThe day after the 'Red Wine' treatment and all's well ! Connies crop is 'normal size' this morning and apart from some VERY runny and incredibly smelly poos, she seems loads better....walking around, pecking, scratching and even came out of the run onto the allotment with the others ! Again, can't be sure it's all down to the wine or a combination of the other 3 'methods' but the point is she's ok (til the next drama) !!
ReplyDeleteConnie actually back outside just now and eating treats (mealworms then black sunflower seeds & hearts) from my hand - proof she's 'back' ! Actually went to peck the youngest girl (Duffy) as she dared to try and eat what she saw as 'her' treats from me...... Thanks again guys, very happy family here !
ReplyDeleteSo happy to hear Connie is doing better!
DeleteOur hen of 6 months has sour crop. We got her to throw up 2 separate times now. She is isolated and we are withholding food and water until the morning. Her crop is still big and squishy. I’m just wondering what my next step should be?
ReplyDeleteAfter the crop empties:
DeleteI feed them eggs with a tablespoon of plain yogurt. I just smash the whole egg… shells and all - and stir in the yogurt.
I observe for the next 24 hours.
They are offered plain fresh water at all times.
After 24 hours, if the crop has emptied, I add plain grain to the eggs.
I observe for another 24 hours.
Some folks say that giving them a little red wine also helps.
Good luck!
So do I need to wait until her crop is flat until I do all of that? This morning it is still there and squishy.
ReplyDeleteGo ahead and treat her. If her crop is inflamed, it won't feel flat.
DeleteCan I give my hen colloidal silver and at what dose
ReplyDeletePeople have reported success using Colliodal Silver at a rate of no more than 1/8 tsp for a large fowl hen and less for smaller birds. Using too much can be toxic, so please use with caution.
DeleteIs that a one time dose or how often do I use the colloidal silver
ReplyDeleteStart with one time and only repeat it if she's not better in 48 hours.
DeleteOk thank you
ReplyDeleteIf you were to give Oregano Oil, how much do you give? Does the wine need to be Dry Wine?
ReplyDeleteThe oregano oil MUST be food grade. If your bird is still eating, would suggest a drop of oregano oil in a teaspoon of yogurt. If it's not eating, then a single drop into her beak.
DeleteAs for the wine - the dryer the better! Get some cheap stuff and give her about a teaspoon full.
Good luck!
Are you sure alcohol is not dangerous for chickens? How wine could help chemically? I don't understand how it works.
ReplyDeleteIf the chicken ate a bone, I guess that nothing works unless you open the crop? Nothing dissolve a bone. I hope it's not what my chicken has, because there are no vets for birds in my area.
My hen molted recently, and got her comb very pale. It's winter and very cold temperature, but I got alerted because she is very greedy about food usually, and she is very picky now, she eats very few, and mostly puffed rice, and a bit of salad, but only if I give her in my hand. She continues to produce droppings, but a bit watery (maybe because of the cold) and with a slightly fermented smell (not very agressive smell, but I think it's worse than usually). I think she has a low crop, it doesn't seem full, but I think it looks a bit more danggling than usual. It's hard to see, because she is a fat hen with a lot of fat (I didn't want to put her in a diet right now, as the temperatures are cold). It's not like I'm sure that she has a crop problem, but I should try to cure her, just in case. First, the fact she continues to produce droppings. Last year, she had a digestive problem, but she didn't produce any droppings, before I lock her up in a box with a heating lamp.
I saw mad advice on some poultry sites (not yours) about making the hen vomiting, but I know it can kill a chicken. Mad advice too about syringes (not on your site, because you warned it can be dangerous).
There are also a lot of advice with olive oil syringe while massaging the crop, but as they are the same site that tell use to make a chicken vomit, I'm a bit suspicious with the advice!
Did someone use homeopathy? Or something else? I will put her on a diet. How long could she be without eating without it being dangerous for her?
I have another question, one of my other chicken once stole a banana skin, and ate it, it's also the one who entered the house (we lock the door now) to steal bones, and I have no idea how is it possible that she ate this without any harm. I know it can be very harmful, but when it's not, how come it can pass the crop hole? How big is its diameter? That's really mysterious.
Thank you for your help.
I am sorry your hen seems ill. Her weight loss and watery droppings worry me - that sounds like an infection. If you can use antibiotics, I would recommend doing so. If you can not get antibiotics for her. please try adding oregano and garlic to her food. This sounds like an infection of her digestive system.
DeleteAs for your question about a chicken who ate a bone - a chicken's crop is filled with gravel and hard things which help break apart bone pieces. These pieces of gravel act like teeth in a way. It is possible for a chicken to eat a piece of bone without being injured. If the bird is doing well, then do not worry.
a pale comb suggests anaemia, are your chickens wormed? it may be an idea to put them on a course as like any animal that eats outside a high worm burden can fill the gut and make eating difficult. I usually give multi vit drops if anyone is off colour/ moulting. As for alcohol i guess it is no more toxic to chickens than us- ie the idea with the red wine was only a small amount (ie 2ml for a large hen). it seems to be the microbes in the drink that is supposed to help. The other alternative is live natural yoghurt. As i live on an island a bottle of red wine will keep longer than a jar of yoghurt!
ReplyDeleteMaking a chicken sick is very dangerous (inhalation pneumonia) but i have used it as a last chance option if nothing else has worked (like you no vets here). Bulldogma has it on the nail about the action of the crop and it can only work well if the bird has access to grit so she can swallow stones of the right size to enable her to grind her food up. Hope she feels better soon, never a good time to be ill but the winter always feels worse. :(
I have a question, my Chicken Little has had the expanded crop without the horrible smell, and I have manually emptied it a few times. I have also tried the yogurt and taken food away. Today I have her ground up starter feed mixed with grit, she cannot seem to get enough of the grit, how much is to much grit for her to have?
ReplyDeleteThis morning when I emptied her she was mostly liquid with one kernel of corn, she has not had corn in about 3 days so I am hoping we are getting down to the bottom.
My main question is how much is to much grit, and how much would be to much wine?
Thank you
We are fairly new at raising laying hens. On Dec. 23 I went to the coop as usual to open the door and let them free range. They haven’t been wondering far from the coop because of the snow. One of my hens came down the ramp and I noticed she was bleeding from her bum. She is molting so I figured it had something to do with that. I immediately isolated her in a pet cage and put her in our garage so I could monitor her closely. She really had a foul odour. It looked like white liquid coming from her bum. I have been giving her epsom salt baths every other day and that area seems to be better, no more bleeding and looks like feathers are starting to grow back. But when I picked her up to put her in her bath this morning she vomited and again when I was finished bathing her I picked her up to put her back in pen and she vomited again. I immediately searched internet and found this site. I’m thinking she has sour crop. Totally new to me. Please help.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you are dealing with two separate issues.
DeleteUnfortunately the bloody vent sounds like she may have a broken egg inside her. You did the right thing with the warm water soaks. There isn't much we can do for them in these cases, but antibiotics help some birds that don't seem to be getting better. In other cases, the oviduct can develop scar tissue following an issue like this and nothing can be done to save the bird if they develop an issue with internal laying. Just keep an eye for abdominal swelling and discomfort.
It is normal for chickens to have runny stuff come out of their beak if they are handled shortly after drinking. Usually it's nothing to worry about. If there is an issue with sour crop, it will usually feel like a water balloon in their neck/chest area that doesn't get smaller after a few hours. An impacted crop will feel like your bird swallowed a baseball or softball.
If your bird's crop is emptying regularly, there is nothing to worry about.
i agree this sounds like 2 separate issues- remember tho that chickens have 2 types of poop- one more solid with black matter and one more watery and white- make sure you see them doing both kinds to know their guts are working as they should (white liquid only suggests a gut issue). Blood- now could be a broken egg internally but that would prob cause swelling, pain and a v poorly hen if it is not expelled. Ive never had an egg bound hen so hopefully someone here will advise how to treat that. If your hen is moulting tho, she is prob not in lay as they can not do the 2 things at the same time. Some hens are attracted to new feather growth and pluck them off their moulting flock mates, causing bleeding in the process so check that none of you hens are doing this to each other.
DeleteRe the vomiting- chickens, like many of the farm animals can not naturally vomit, but if the crop is full of fluid and they lower their head, or are handled it can be "regurgitated". HAve a feel of the crop- its the pouch at the front of the neck/ chest where the food they swallow gets collected before it goes to the gizzard. It is just an expandable pouch- if a hen has gorged on eg seeds it will swell massively and you will feel the contects by palpating it. If the crop is swollen but full of fluid rather than solid food that would suggest sour crop. If full of hard feed, but 24 hours later has not gone down in size then an impacted crop may be the issue. Both are different problems- sour crop needs the bad bacteria killing and good bacteria promoting. I usually start by evacuating the crop of its contects (this is dangerous as the hen can aspirate but if you try it, hold the hen round her body and tip her so her head faces down then quickly massage the crop from base to top (nearest beak) to encourage her to throw up. Do not do this for too long- she can not breathe while "vomiting". You may need to repeat. After give the hen time to catch her breathe. The next step is to use a syringe if you have one to administer live natural yoghurt (id say 5ml, and repeat every few hours). Leave hen in a warm isolation area, with only water no grain for 24 hours. If, like me, you do not have ready access to live yoghurt i have had success with red wine- i gave 5 ml to a large hen and (maybe it was the withdrawal of food more than anything) her crop was normal and her appetite back after 24 hours. Good luck