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NEED HELP ASAP--hen w/impacted crop...HOW TO GET OLIVE OIL DOWN HER?

post #1 of 52
2/11/12 at 11:23am
Thread Starter 

Have finally figured out my hen has an impacted crop. She's definitely not been feeling well for quite a while. Her crop is distended.

 

I have seen to give her olive oil in an eye dropper. How is this done? I'm afraid this is going to go down her airway.

 

A link or suggestion on how to administer things orally would be greatly appreciated.

 

I just hope this has not gone on too long. I feel SO bad but am fairly new to owning chickens.

 

Please help....thanks!

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post #2 of 52
2/11/12 at 1:34pm
Thread Starter 

UPDATE: 

 

Got the olive oil down her, hopefully right...

 

Questions:

How OFTEN AND FOR HOW LONG do I do massage after I give her olive oil?

 

Did the 1st treatment early afternoon....Should I do another olive oil treatment before she goes down for the night?

 

Thanks for any help.

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post #3 of 52
2/11/12 at 6:28pm

if she will take more, how did you get it down her? i usually add it to some bread- don't feel bad asking questions- they are fascinating animals

 

here is a good thread

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/607713/crop-problem

 

 

here is a file i had saved on my hard drive-

 

 

Quote:
The food that is in there has dissolved into a toxic slush.  If the crop is still full, you would want to cleanse it and then treat her with probiotics and give her organic apple cider vinegar water for two weeks if she's showing no other symptoms.  You also will want to determine the cause of the problem in the first place and fix that.

You will want to do this as soon as possible because the liquid in that crop will grow bacteria and yeast and make your bird sick(er).

The probiotics are to replace the bacteria that have been damaged by the toxic contents and pH of the crop dribbling into the rest of her digestive tract.  They will also help fight against whatever bad bacteria and yeast make it to that part of the system.  The organic apple cider vinegar (1 ounce ACV to one gallon of water) will help correct the digestive tract pH, provide more good bacteria, break down the feedstuff that are in the crop waiting to go through, and also provide more digestive enzymes to break down solid particles in the digestive tract.  The pH of ACV at this solution is that of a healthy digestive tract which is unfriendly to good bacteria.  the pH of the crop (and thus the digestive tract) now is unfortunately friendly to bad bacteria, so we must change that.

If you see runniness of droppings after four days of treatment after the cleaned crop, let the board know. 

By the way - no more solid foods until she's over this for two weeks.  No grains, no grit, nothing but crumbles, probiotics (plain yogurt, acidophilis tablets, etc), maybe the bread if it's soaked in something useful - BUT - it's too friendly for yeast infections, sooooo maybe not.  Boiled egg yolks are a good healthy treat and will help her gut.  You can also mix the yogurt in a small amount of unsweetened applesauce.  The pectin is small, helps clean out the digestive tract of sludge from this, the pH is like ACV (can be used with it), and chickens like the taste so it's a good way to hide probiotics.

 

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post #4 of 52
2/12/12 at 7:47am
Thread Starter 

Thanks for your reply.

 

Woke up this morning and checked her, still there. Gave her more olive oil/water. She is SO hungry, but I know we can't feed her. Have seen where live maggots are good and I'm sure she would love those. Just have to find them.

 

I really don't think she'll last two weeks w/no food. When you mean no solid food, could i crush some pellets/crumbles in a little water/olive oil do you think?

 

Her poop is pretty watery right now but she hasn't eaten anything in 24 hrs at least.

 

Thanks again. Any more info is appreciated!!! Love our chick!

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post #5 of 52
2/12/12 at 7:58am

ok, what is meant by no food, is you need to feed what is easy to digest- will she drink ok? you might try making a broth of crumbles- to at least get some nutrients into her, how about yogurt, that would add benificial bacteria into her... how is the crop today? i do know what it is like with guys- have one right now i'm trying to figure out-

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post #6 of 52
2/12/12 at 8:08am
Thread Starter 

Please excuse me this is still very new to me...Thank you for your concern.

 

She is about the same today. Have given her olive/oil water with an eyedropper and she will drink it generally when I put drops to her mouth. She's not thrilled w/the whole situation. Her crop is not HUGE, may be more the size of ping-pong ball or smaller, but does not feel empty and feels like there possibly is grass in there...it is not rock hard but is firm and can move things around a little when I massage.

 

Forgive me, but when you say 'broth' of crumbles....do you mean making it mostly water w/pellets or crumbles mixed in?  Could I add olive oil in there maybe along w/a little greek yogurt?

 

I so want to help her and don't want to totally starve her but realize if it's not getting past the crop she's not getting nutrition anyway.

 

Again, thanks for your suggestions.

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post #7 of 52
2/12/12 at 8:27am

quick thought, how do you know its impacted and not just a sour crop? quite a diff between the two- yes, a broth would be adding warm water to the crumbles so it is watery, she would get some benefit that way, possible some would get into her that way- usually they love yogurt and go nuts over it- i am thinking from your description it is more like sour crop, and small amounts are getting through- can you post pics of her poop? sounds silly, but you can determine alot that way

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post #8 of 52
2/12/12 at 8:39am
Thread Starter 

Well...I don't really smell anything...though when we first started giving her olive oil while my daughter was holding, she did smell a little something...I just haven't smelled it....

 

Like I said her crop isn't huge but I could feel something in it this morning first thing.

 

Also, for a little history...she's not been herself in a few weeks, has not layed in probably 2 mths, and yesterday discovered what I thought might be impacted crop...I had dewormed her on Friday and dusted her for mites thinking that could the problem first. Symptoms have been mainly standing around with feathers puffed, head sort of down in her breast. She can stand fine and would walk around when I let her out but in the end just stands around, almost depressed-like...We had fed her some grass which was another reason I thought crop impaction. Still learning what we should & shouldn't feed.

 

Like I said she hasn't been herself in a long time...But she has done some scratching etc. and would eat some, though not nearly like she did while she was laying...

 

Not sure what my next plan should be....

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post #9 of 52
2/12/12 at 8:40am
Thread Starter 

Oh I can try to post pics later of her poop, but basically very dark, liquidy w/ a little white

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post #10 of 52
2/12/12 at 9:06am
Thread Starter 

HERE'S A PIC OF HER LATEST POOP.....GROSS

 

 

 

IMG_1513.JPG

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