I recently lost one of my hens, Nellie. She was a large, beautiful Black Copper Marans, with feathered feet, though she had no copper on her neck. She had a condition called Sour Crop, where food gets stuck inside the crop instead of being digested. The mass gets larger & larger, and feels like a sandbag. After doing much research on the subject, I decided to use a dropper to force a mixture of water & Apple Cider Vinegar down her throat. Then I tried helping her to regurgitate, to get the gunk out of her crop. Unfortunately, as she had so much food stuck in her crop she choked when I regurgitated her, and she died in my arms.
Female that I am, I cried like a baby. I’ve experienced death before, but never like this. Watching the life get sucked out of Nellie's little body was so hard to see. I felt so responsible. I should have noticed there was something wrong with her.
Dad was sad about it too. I think we were more upset that it could’ve been prevented. I’m still not sure exactly how it happened, but it appears she ate some long blades of grass. According to what I read, the grass gets tangled up in the crop, and keeps other food from being digested, thus creating the huge mass in the crop. This mass then breeds bacteria, and the hen will emit a foul smell, which is where Sour Crop gets its name.
I have mourned, and rallied. Now I'm a little wiser for the experience. I will certainly watch my girls a little more closely, so I can be aware of any health concerns.
Live & Learn
Nellie:
