My chicken has sour crop. What should I do if natural remedies fail?

Problems with the crop are seldom due to the crop itself, but are often indicative of a problem further down the GI tract. Occasionally, the use of antifungal and/or antibacterial drugs can be useful if the problem is crop-related, but if not, typically other diagnostics are necessary to resolve the problem effectively.

You should have the chicks or parents examined by your veterinarian or an experienced avian vet. A culture may identify bacteria. If you are hand feeding, use fresh food for each clutch. Clean and sanitize all equipment between feedings or clutches. Clean and sanitize all cages, bowls, toys nest boxes and perches. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Change cage paper daily. Make sure the chicks are kept warm and are emptying their crops regularly. Sour crop, or crop stasis, can result in a hard crop full of spoiled food and bacteria or fungi. This can kill young chicks if left untreated.

It does sound as if Garf is pretty ill and needs to be seen by a vet in person. Sour crop can be caused by a number of things including infections, obstructions, etc, and if he can't keep any food down and is vomiting, vet care is needed to clear the crop and get him started on medications. Your question cut off, however, if you are having trouble affording vet care, this site may help give you some ideas so Garf can get the help he needs: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/having-trouble-affording-veterinary-care

Thanks for reaching out about your pigeon. Crop problems can be infections (bacterial, fungal, yeast), a crop foreign body or other problem, so a veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Monitor appetite and water consumption. If you look into the mouth, can you see a white film, do you smell anything? Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about your bird and including photos. A crop infection with a yeast (Candida) is highly likely, but bacteria could also be a component. Without medication, recovery is unlikely. Supply heat support in the 80-85 F range for immune support. Schedule a veterinary visit for prescription of medications. Good luck.

There may be a mass in the crop or it could be severely impacted. Have him examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating birds. Hopefully, it will be something treatable. The vet can also assess the feathers to rule out infection or parasites. In the meantime, clean and sanitize the cage. Sanitize bowls, toys and perches. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Change the paper or substrate daily. Keep him warm and as stress free as possible until he sees the vet.

Thanks for reaching out about Rick and including a photo. An over-sized crop can be due to over-eating or a disease. Crop infections (bacteria, fungal), ingested foreign bodies and obstructions, systemic illness are all possibilities. Check and correct husbandry, as baby birds need to be kept warm. If the crop appears firm, offering small amounts of water and massaging the crop might help. If Rick appears ill, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.