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mtrueman

Impacted Crop *Sad Update*

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Hi all,

 

One of our Rhode Island Reds has what i believe to be an impacted crop but i just wanted to confirm. First thing in the morning, her crop contains a hard lump, about the size of a table tennis ball. By the evening her crop is full and squishy and quite large, but is back down to a hard lump in the morning. Im guessing that this means her crop is still working but not efficiently, due to this blockage. Im also guessing that this is not sour crop, her breath doesnt seem to smell at all

 

She is still eating and pooping, although her poop is quite runny. She seems fine in herself. We have started feeding her white maggots first thing in the morning to try to get them to eat through the blockage and i have been massaging her crop whenever i go out to see her, as well as syringing some cod liver oil prior to this, and getting her to eat some actimel mixed with crushed up garlic. They have garlic powder in their food as a matter of course also.

 

I believe that this problem might have started on sunday afternoon when she was fed some quite long grass cuttings.

 

It does seem a bit harder to massage the crop when it is squishy in the evening as i cant feel the hard lump as easily.

 

Does it sound like i'm doing the right thing? 'Im not sure if a trip to the vets is necessary as im pretty sure that they will tell me to do exactly the same as i'm doing now.

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Hello

 

it certainly sounds like an impacted crop and you have identified the cause.

 

I've not experienced this with mine yet but from all that I've read it sounds that you are doing the right things but the question is how long can she go on without it shifting ? Before infection sets in ?

 

Other than offering her play sand and fresh mixed grit to see if this will help break it up, I would be considering that the vet (or I ) might have to do something more radicle to make it come back up through her mouth if its not going down.

 

I'm sure someone with more experience will be able to give you more guidance.

 

Good luck

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I don't think I'd give her sand to eat. Grit would be better. The maggots are a good idea and a squirt of olive oil and some massage a couple of times a day might be sufficient to break it up if it is organic matter.

 

You have to consider the possibility that she may have ingested a foreign body... (a friends hen ate a cable tie and got an impacted crop because of it) or that there may be a growth of some sort causing the obstruction.

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I did consider that there may be a foreign body, but they are all in a walk in run so its highly unlikely that she has eaten anything she shouldnt have.

 

Im pretty sure that its not a growth, i check their crops pretty regularly and this one seemed to appear almost overnight.

 

I was under the impression that grit/sand wasnt used in the crop, but in the gizzard so im not sure how effective it would be at breaking stuff down in the crop. id be worried about massaging with grit in there and damaging the internals of the crop.

 

I'll keep up the massaging and the maggot feeding for a few more days but if it doesnt appear to be getting any smaller i'll take her to the vets.

 

Thanks for all your input.

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.... offering her play sand ........ to see if this will help break it up.....

 

 

I suggested also trying this, on top of all the other things you are doing because my hens show a great interest in sand, particularly if they have been free ranging or had access to longer blades of grass/unusual vegetation. And massaging her crop containing sand shouldn't do any harm as it is so fine but might yet help start to grind the blockage down. I suspect she would instinctively know what she needs despite eating something she shouldn't have, so offering it can't do any harm.

 

Good luck, would love updates about her please.

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I doubt that it would break the blockage down - just massaging, maggots and oil will do that. Fine grit such as sand just tends to pass through the system as it's too small to be used, if the crop is blocked then this would just add to the problem.

 

Plenty of the right sized grit is certainly beneficial to their diet, and I always recommend this to folk whose hens have digestive problems as it encourages the gizzard to function properly so that the food doesn't back up into the crop.

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my vet recommends liquid paraffin, if adding after a couple of days, as it lubricates and coats and it is passed through without absorbsion.

Just a little cautionary note...

don't give the maggots close to the lubricant.. it kills them!!!! (well it did "out" of the crop as I tried it!) guess it coats their bodied much like an oil on an insect.

Also personally I would let her eat lots several times a day. edited to say lots of maggots

And no dry food at all.

This is what has worked for me :)

good luck :)

Edited by Guest
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I believe that this problem might have started on sunday afternoon when she was fed some quite long grass cuttings.

You have probably hit the nail on the head there. I would continue with the olive oil and massage.

 

I once had a hen that had gorged herself on some long grass that a drystone waller working in the garden had thrown over the Omlet netting for them, and she became crop bound. I did the olive oil massage and managed to massage it upwards and out of her mouth. It was a long smelly coiled plug. Might be worth trying this.

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Sorry to disagree sandy, but if they have an impacted crop the last thing they need is more food - starve for 24 hours and just give water with nutrients and probiotics such as Life-Guard, Avipro, or Nutri-drops.

Don't be sorry.... are you counting maggots as food as thought this was pretty standard advice?

Just said wet food as apposed to dry as many still let them eat pellets.

oo just reread my post will go back edit a clarrify...

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Just to let you all know that this morning, Lily's crop was completely empty so it's looking like she is back to normal :D . For future reference it was just a case of maggots twice daily coupled with cod liver oil to massage. We also gave her some pro-biotic yoghurt and will continue to do so for a couple of days just to make sure her crop is back to "full capacity" as it were.

 

Also, this morning, one of our young bantams crowed. I have a feeling she wont be called Sylvie for much longer :lol::lol:

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For future reference it was just a case of maggots twice daily coupled with cod liver oil to massage. We also gave her some pro-biotic yoghurt and will continue to do so for a couple of days just to make sure her crop is back to "full capacity" as it were

 

Glad it's shifted :)

 

I'm just wondering about the reason for the pro-biotic yoghurt for a couple more days though? I know it's often recommended after antibiotics but I didn't realise it was good for the crop after impaction. Enquiring minds need to know why :lol:

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my thinking was that it couldnt hurt, and that if her crop has been damaged in any way, it might help to increase the good bacteria in her system.

 

I don't know for sure though, cant imagine that there is any reason why i shouldnt continue to do it.

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Im concerned one of our girls has an impacted crop - i noticed two days ago her crop was swinging around when scratching and she seemed very hungry. I felt her crop and it felt full of food nothing hard.

 

This evening again it was swinging so i picked her up to check and it was full but a lot harder- not solid, i could break it and squish it but it was definetly hearder. I gave it a massage but im really worried now.

 

Reading the forum i was thinking of seperating her in the WIR tomorrow and feeding nothing but maggots, yoghurt and water with ACV until it goes. And maybe force some oil down and massage.

 

I think cut grass is the problem as i think someone has put some in the run when we weren't there.

 

QUESTIONS !!!!!!- Will the maggots eat through the grass if it is grass? Also how long does it normally take to disappear when you start this course of treatment?? And if i notice it clear should i then feed her just mash or reintroduce her onto the layers pellets?

 

I've read about the surgery you can self perform to get rid of it but i am hoping this method will work.

 

When looking at her she looked smaller than the others and looks a bit like she has lost some weight but I think i might just be a bit paranoid as I think there is something wrong.

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A large crop in the evening is to be expected, it's when it it still full in the morning that you have a problem Ste.

 

Try to make sure that they don't have access to long/stringy grass, or gorge on grass cuttings. If the crop gets enlarged too many times then it won't go back into shape and the whole cycle goes on...

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Thanks claret,

 

I am putting up signs telling people not to feed them grass, as i keep finding bits in there. I didn't check this morning but i definitely think it might be because it is MASSIVE compared to the rest- im going to check in a minute. In fact she looks exactly like a photo of the warren with an impacted crop you posted on the sticky board.

 

So I am going to the fish tackle shop for some maggots and i'll see how it goes :-S x

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Thanks - ive separated her from the other with no food just maggots and water with acv. It has definetely gone firmer today. She's just eaten nearly half a pint of maggots so I'm hopeful they will do something good.

 

We always have tubs of grit in the run and they do eat it I have Jay pulled out loads of grass cuttings so this must be the problem. I have put signs now round asking not to feed the girls.

 

Hopefully a five day detox or so will do her well as I rather not have to cut her open :-(

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