Ailments Such

Sour Crop: the hard facts

The Chook Doctor explains:

[Sour Crop] is a common problem with hens, especially if they are allowed to graze on grass when they are first released. These birds are not used to eating such natural foods, so they tend not to know how to do it properly. Long strands of grass in the crops of such birds often are unable to pass through the digestive system, [so they] bind in the crop and ferment.

A quick method of telling whether a chicken has Sour Crop or not is to gently squeeze it and sniff the air that’s expelled from its mouth. If the bird has Sour Crop then the air will smell awful, if not… well, I don’t suppose a chicken smells very nice anyway, but apparently la différence d’odeur is marked. (Of course, sniffing chickens is also one of the eight sure-fire ways of being marked down as a looney, but we’ll put that aside for the moment.)
Fear not, help is at hand (If you were a chicken)

Luckily for you my mother has a cure for Sour Crop. First she grabs you (this isn’t hard because you’re just lying there burping), then she sticks a tube down your throat, and pours a mixture of yogurt and olive oil into you.
That done, she takes hold of your feet, hangs you upside down, and massages your stomach and crop until lots of green and white muck comes pouring out of you.
Finally she flips you the right way up, pats you on the head, and puts you down. You ruffle your feathers, squawk a bit, ruffle your feathers some more, and then walk off in as dignified a manner as you can muster.
It’s a tough life, being a chicken.

My chick is "Star Gazing" and I suspect a Thiamine Deficiency.
I am going to add to this information a little at a time. For now though I wanted to get a high thiamine diet posted in case someone needs it. The common vit. drops work ok but I think this diet in addition works much better. So here is the diet which makes about enough for a day depending on the age and size of chick:
1/2 cup of flock raiser crumbles or non medicated chick starter
1 tbsp Marmite
2 tbsp whole seseme seeds (roasted or not)
2 tbsp shelled sunflower seeds
1 tsp dried coriander leaves
The marmite has a butter like consistancy and so needs to be mixed well in the feed and refrigerated.

Signs and Symptoms of diseases and conditions common in poultry

Table 1. Possible clinical signs for common respiratory diseases of poultry.

Clinical signs

pox1

Newcastle2

IB3

Quail
Bronchitis

AI4

coryza5

LT6

TRT7

Chlamydiosis

SHS8

MG9

MS10

MM11

Aspergillosis

Coughing

X

Sneezing

X

Shaking head

X

Rales (abnormal breathing sound)

X

Gasping

X

Discharge from eyes

X

Nasal discharge

X

Swelling of face and/or
wattles

X

Bluish-purple discoloration
of face

X

Retarded growth

X

Lameness

X

General diarrhea

X

Green, watery diarrhea

X

Swollen joints

X

Paralysis

X

Twisting of head and neck

X

Red/white spots on legs
and comb

X

Warts/scabs

X

Conjunctivitis

X

Prostration

X

1
Fowl Pox
2Newcastle disease
3Infectious bronchitis
4Avian influenza
5Infectious coryza
6Laryngotracheitis
7Turkey rhinotracheitis
8Swollen head syndrome
9Mycoplasma gallisepticum
10Mycoplasma synoviae
11Mycoplasma meleagridis

Table 2.

Table 2. Possible clinical signs for common nonrespiratory viral diseases of poultry.
Clinical Signs	Marek's disease	Lymphoid leukosis	Infectious bursal disease	Equine encephalitis	Avian encephalitis	Egg drop syndrome	Infectious tenosynovitis
Tenosynovitis	Septicemia form
Reduced feed consumption			X	X	X
Labored breathing	X
Weight loss/stunted growth					X			X
Reduced water consumption			X		X
Bluish-purple discoloration of the face								X
Enlarged abdomen		X
Lameness	X						X
Swollen joints							X
Twisted necks				X
Paralysis	X			X	X
Inactive					X
Tremors				X
Incoordination	X			X	X
Blindness	X
Paleness	X
Pale scaly combs	X
Greenish diarrhea	X	X
Diarrhea (general)				X		X
Watery droppings			X
Thin-shelled eggs						X
Shell-less eggs						X
Reduced egg production						X		X
Increased mortality								X
Dullness						X
Weakness		X
Emaciation		X
Helicopter wings								X
Ruffled feathers			X
Small comb		X

Table 3.

Table 3. Possible clinical signs of nonrespiratory bacterial diseases of poultry.
Clinical signs	Fowl cholera	Omphalitis	Pullorum	Necrotic enteritis	Ulcerative enteritis	Botulism	Staphylococcus
Dead birds, no signs of disease	X
Fever	X						X
Reduced feed consumption	X			X	X		X
Discharge from mouth	X
Ruffled feathers	X				X
Labored breathing	X		X
Weight loss/stunted growth	X		X	X	X
Lameness	X						X
Swollen joints	X						X
Abscessed wattles	X
Swollen foot pads	X						X
Twisted necks	X
Navel infection		X
Dehydration		X
Huddling of chicks			X		X
Droopiness			X
Diarrhea/pasted vent	X		X	X			X
White feces			X		X
Blood in feces				X
Paralysis						X
Cyanotic
Foul odor				X			X