Impacted crop! HELP!

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Hens rule

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Jan 28, 2015
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My hen has had an impacted crop for like 2 weeks! What should I do?
I had a thread for this same reason but it got old and my hen got worse.
Her name is Speedo and she is almost 5 years old (this spring is her b-day) she has had and impacted crop for like a week or two and is getting more and more lethargic every day. I have her in my house and she is tipping her head up and "swallowing/drinking" something in her crop. I have massaged her crop almost everyday since I noticed she was sick. She is swallowing stuff alot i think which are fluids in her crop...? Please help! I love her and shes one of my original hens from when i first got hens.:hit She has also lost alot of wieght. Her breath smells kind of like poop too. :(
 
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I am sorry about your bird.

Take a look at this article on crops and what ails them. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

This could be a simple case of impacted gizzard or crop from too much grass and stiff vegetation or it could be from a worm impaction. Definitely worm her if you haven't recently. Worms will stop a crop up completely. If it is worms and you worm her, you will see improvement within 24 to 36 hours. Then follow some of the suggestions in the article on clearing the impaction out.
 
Thank you!
I have not wormed my hens in a while and a few months ago I did find worms in some droppings. I think they are Large round worms... Could these also cause impacted crops or gizzard. I looked at the article and I agree that worms are the most likely cause but she does eat a lot of grass. :/

Is Safe Guard goat dewormer a good idea?
 
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Round worms cause the WORST of the impactions. If you have been free ranging and haven't wormed within the last 365 days, I would do this anyway. Round worms are everywhere. And can kill your birds. I don't take any chances and do worm periodically.

I use the Safeguard Liquid Goat wormer too. I think it is the best stuff out there! Orally, 1/2 ml down the throat once a day for 3 days, repeat in 10 days. If you do suspect a worm impaction I would dose her for 5 full days straight. Repeat in 10 days. For bantam sizes, use 1/4 ml, same time frames.

But yes, long grass does cause impactions. I try to keep their free ranging area cut down in the summer to keep them from eating really long grass or too much stiff vegetation.
 
Thank you,I checked her crop this morning and it was very hard as if it was a thin crop with a lot of small chicken food pellets in it. About an hour ago I checked it again and it's completely soft and has a small amount of food in it (mostly liquid) she is interested in food and is digging in old chicken coop bedding and is still eating grass. She seems better, her crop seems good and her belly isn't full like a gizzard impaction. Is she healed? I will worm her anyways incase.
 
Hens rule said:
Thank you,I checked her crop this morning and it was very hard as if it was a thin crop with a lot of small chicken food pellets in it. About an hour ago I checked it again and it's completely soft and has a small amount of food in it (mostly liquid) she is interested in food and is digging in old chicken coop bedding and is still eating grass. She seems better, her crop seems good and her belly isn't full like a gizzard impaction. Is she healed? I will worm her anyways incase.
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I always restrict any bird from free ranging and stiff vegetation when they have had crop issues, at least for a couple of days. If her crop stays clear for 2 mornings in a row, then you can assume they are healed. If the crop is stays full each morning, something is amiss.

I am always on board for worming birds. Worms are everywhere and every bird has them to some degree. So that is a yes, I would still go ahead and worm your birds.
 
I will worm all of my hens. I have a small bottle of the dewormer which is about half full (about an ounce left) do I need more to worm all of my 16 standard sized hens? I'll check her crop in the morning but I think some of the food has already passed. thanks for all your help!
 
Rub the crop daily and try to get her to drink vegetable oil, which can loosen up whatever is impacting it. If that doesn't work, I can't help you. I'm sorry about the bird, and I hope she gets better.
 
Hens rule said:
I will worm all of my hens. I have a small bottle of the dewormer which is about half full (about an ounce left) do I need more to worm all of my 16 standard sized hens? I'll check her crop in the morning but I think some of the food has already passed. thanks for all your help!
Click to expand...
Capillary worms can cause damage to the esophagus, crop and intestines which, would cause her crop to not empty properly. The treatment for capillary worms I use is Safeguard at 0.23 ml per pound for 5 days, which is about 1.15 ml per five pound bird. Total amount needed for treating 16 average sized hens for 5 days is 92 ml. If you can't get more wormer, might be best to treat just the one.

-Kathy
 
Thankyou so much everyone. I will try to worm her soon. Yesterday I noticed her breath kind of smells like poop... Sour crop?!!!
I gave her yogurt and another crop massage because of that.
 

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