Will hoey

[Luvachicken]

I noticed earlier today that Gemma seemed to have quite big neck shudders and was dozing off in a corner.

I watched her and noticed her chest was quite lopsided.

I picked her up and straight away her massive crop filled my hand.

It is huge and I took her straight to the vets.

She wasn't sure if there was a blockage lower down which had stopped her food going down and therefore filling up her crop.

She didn't think she had sour crop or if it was impacted.

She suggested I massaged 3 times a day, feed soggy pellets little and often, apple cider and something else that's on my list.

 

I massaged her earlier for over an hour and a half, then as I popped her into the dog crate she did a line of sick over my arm - it was green brown liquid, I didn't think to sniff it to see if it smelt sour or anything

 

I've never had any crop problems before and am a bit lost.

Did I massage her for too long ?

Will being sick have helped her a tiny bit ?

 

The vet said she could operate on Gemma and remove what's in her crop and anything else inside.

I am happy to pay, she said she has done it before but should I put Gemma through it.

Edited March 20, 2015 by Guest

[mollyripkim]

Sorry didn't want to read and run but can't really offer any advice, hopefully someone with more experience will be along. There always seems to be something to worry about. I've only ever had one girl with a crop problem, initially really full and then sour crop, she is a bantam orp and very greedy, she recovered and still going strong. Hope she gets better.

[Luvachicken]

Thanks mollyripkim

I guess I just have to wait and see if it empties overnight.

[PixieDust]

When Lily had a huge crop which didn't completely empty overnight, I only massaged near the bottom of the crop. I syringed in some olive oil before massaging. I kept them on just pellets not even soggy, for a few days. I did not give them ACV whilst her crop was large and not emptying, but have kept them on a day of ACV twice a week since. I have run out and need to get more.

 

Do not tip upside down to make her sick at this point. They can drown in their own vomit if one isn't careful.

 

Hope that helps.

[Luvachicken]

Thanks Pixiedust, I had forgotten about the oil.

 

I had been massaging the entire lump all over.

 

I haven't wanted to make her sick because I knew about the choking, she literally did it as I picked her up from my lap.

I really want her to be ok.

[sparkysmum]

Hi luvachicken, sorry to hear your lady isn't well. Can't offer advice as I have no experience of this but just wanted to say that I hope your she gets well soon. I'm certain someone more knowledgeable will come along soon. Good luck Ax

[redsunset]

Just a thought luvackicken but can u get any live maggots as in near by fishing tackle shop as good for chook crops? May help in clearing a blockage? If sour crop then holding her upside down to empty may help to clear part for a few minutes. If impacted, then the live maggots would help? Sounds gross but to a chook its caviar!!?

Hope the wee soul gets better soon.

[PixieDust]

Oops forgot to add that on the day she had an empty crop in the morning I gave them all natural live yoghurt once a day for 3 days to help build up good bacteria in the crop.

[Beantree]

I disagree with the vets advice here Luvachicken. The danger with a crop impaction not clearing is that food in it goes sour. She should have only water and be massaged regularly. She also needs to move around. She doesn't need food as she has some in her crop. Bringing food back up is a bad sign because it means her crop is full to capacity and could mean a blockage further down the digestive system. What is her poo like?

[gavclojak]

One of my new girls had exactly the same when I first got her, everyone will remember my panicked posts.

 

Ok so I was told you should withdraw food for 24 hours minimum and small drops of water.only for the first 24 hours....I treated as if it was sour crop although there was no smell from the brown fluid she brought up so I syringed nystatin into her beak 3 times a day, it is only available on prescription but I think daktarin in the generic product. If you can't get hold of that then neat ACV.

 

When you introduce food back into her diet, just use a small mash porridge, little and often....no soft fruit and especially no corn

 

FYI my vet didn't have a clue, although the she was great with EP?????

Within a week or two she was back to herself

[PixieDust]

Although mine were given pellets I would agree in future after gavclojak's incidents that a few days of water is a better than pellets. Would still massage and give some yoghurt for a few days after it had cleared though.

[mollyripkim]

I had forgotten about the maggots too, she had a handful of live undyed maggots several times a day, she swallowed them whole so they were still alive, I think it definitely helped.

I hope she is ok.

[mimi5]

Oh no Luvachicken. I have lots 2 hens to crop problems Mary my lav hen who had an impacted crop (she was are-home to me & I think came to me with the problem) Most recently my Penny you'll remember.

 

She sounds as has been said to have a blocked crop, which looks to have gone sour like my Penny's. I wish I'd tried starving her 1st (did try after meds but too late to really help) but just panicked & went to the vet. So I would starve her & see if it goes down (her crop) Does she poo???? If she does that's a good sign as something is getting through!

 

Apple cider vinegar is great I usually also give it added to their water one week out of four. Actually I realised after losing Pen that I'd forgotten to do that four about four months I think that was a factor, but maybe just beating myself up

 

One thing I've told is if they have crop problems & recover they can be prone to other bouts.

 

How is she now?

[Cindig]

Obviously I'm new and clueless but I did go on an Omlet course, the lady said one of her hens had a bad crop problem, she tried everything to no avail and as a final effort fed her live maggots, which worked a miracle.

[mullethunter]

Hi Luvachicken. Poor Gemma. Bernie had a bit of this a while back, and she was behaving just like Gemma - standing slightly hunched and looking really sorry for herself - that's what prompted me to check her over. I separated her and Shelley from the Wyandottes (unneccesary for Shelley but they do everything together) and gave them water only for 36 hours (I think it was 36 hours). I also massaged her crop a couple of times. After the 36 hours it had almost completely emptied, so I put haer back in with the others and stuck them all on pellets only for a few days. Touch wood she's been OK since then - I have no idea what caused it in the first place.

 

Good luck with everything you try with Gemma. I have everything crossed

[Luvachicken]

Thanks everyone

Gemma is still the same but she has been pooing normal poo, so I guess that must be good.

She hasn't laid an egg so the blockage on the x-ray must be something stuck.

 

I'm going to spend the next hour or so giving her a nice massage.

Not sure I can find any live maggots near here but am booked back at the vets tomorrow anyway.

[miller30]

I hold mine upside down by the feet and knead the crop like a lump of dough if it's impacted or I have put a tube down the throat before with the help of a friend and tried a wash out this is normally what the vets would do before operating but yes they can just cut the crop open and empty it and flush it out that way.If it's sloppy I massage then try and empty I personally don't think the maggots work but as Beantree says don't know why your vets have said give mushy food as this is just impacting her more leanne

[mimi5]

Best wishes for Gemma at the vets tomorrow Hopefully if she has been pooing, you should see her crop getting smaller?

 

Please let us know how you get on?

 

XXX

[Beantree]

Normal poo is a great sign Luvachicken, it means something is passing through. I would say the impaction is just in the crop on that basis, so plenty of water and should clear it.

[Luvachicken]

Gosh Beantree, you were up early

 

Yesterday afternoon her crop was still massive so I assumed she would have to the operation, that's why I booked the appointment.

Lots more massaging last night - at least an hour and a half - and this morning when I went to check on her, not only was there lots of poo, but her crop was almost empty

It was too early to cancel the vets as they weren't open and hubby kindly took her for me just in case she still needed the operation as I had to go to work.

Anyway she didn't need the operation and hubby brought her back.

 

BUT the vet has said to keep her on soggy food for the next 2 weeks and apart from the others so she doesn't eat normal food, and to keep her on some yoghurt and cider vinegar and massaging often.

 

Now I'm concerned because the soggy food might not be good for her and I don't really want her separate for the next 2 weeks .

Can I put them all back together and put them all on pellet porridge do you think ?

They could all have the yoghurt maybe ?

She is looking quite sad all by herself

[Luvachicken]

I also meant to say that I sent hubby with some pellets, so they could mix some up for her if she wasn't going to be having an operation and was getting hungry.

When I tidied up the cat carrier we take them in, someone had thrown her some pellets in on her newspaper and she didn't appear to have a drink

So which is it I wonder sludge or pellets, cos whoever threw them in obviously didn't know if they were meant to be mushy or not.

[Chickabee]

I would do as you say, put her back in with the others and feed them all porridge and yoghurt. She not contagious, and "Ooops, word censored!"ody wants her to be sad.

 

BTW luvachicken I was surprised and saddened that you don't feel like we are your "real" friends (seen in another post)

[Luvachicken]

BTW luvachicken I was surprised and saddened that you don't feel like we are your "real" friends (seen in another post)

 

Awwww, noooooo, I meant people I can see in real life

I love all of my friends on here, they are some of the best

[mullethunter]

 

I'm certainly no expert but I agree with Chickabee. I'm sure it won't do the others any harm to be on a soft diet for a while.

 

As for sludge or dry pellets I'd definitely think sludge. Perhaps someone just threw some pellets in for her without really thinking

[Luvachicken]

I think you are right mullethunter that someone just threw the pellets in - it's a good job that it wasn't a matter of life or death though.

 

I popped her back with the others just before their bedtime and she quickly established who was back in charge

Anyway, she just had a little nibble of pellets, probably no more than about 4 pellets, and then went to bed