Impacted crop

Michelle2639 · Jan 20, 2015

One of my girls appears to have an impacted crop. It's softball size and hard. I've never had to deal with this before. She's my anti-social hen too, so it's a bear to handle her. I don't know if I feel comfortable doing anything invasive but I have read to try giving them oil and massaging the crop a couple times a day. I'm going to try that. Is there anything else I should try and how long should I give it before I make the decision to cull? Thanks

TwoCrows · Jan 20, 2015

Take a look at this article on impactions and how to treat them......https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

Definitely read the section on using Dulcolax tabs. These will clear out even the most stubborn impaction.

I hope you can get it cleared out soon!!

casportpony · Jan 20, 2015

One must figure out why the crop is impacted, which can be tricky. I treat mine by tubing fluids, and as long as there are no internal obstruction this will usually clear the crop in a day. Water is key!

-Kathy

casportpony · Jan 20, 2015

read these:
http://www.lafebervet.com/avian-medicine-2/avian-nutrition/tube-feeding/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/805728/go-team-tube-feeding

-Kathy

Michelle2639 · Jan 20, 2015

Thanks for sharing the info.

Michelle2639 · Jan 20, 2015

Thanks. I hadn't heard of using the dulcolax before.

casportpony · Jan 20, 2015

Here's another link to read:
http://birdhealth.com.au/flockbirds/poultry/diseases/crop_gizzard.html

-Kathy

speckledhen · Jan 20, 2015

I have to interject something here, though. Many times, an impacted crop is not the true issue, only a symptom of a more serious underlying one. The crop is a barometer of how the body is working. It is just what we can see for ourselves. Crops can stop working, causing an impaction, not necessarily an impaction causing the crop to quit working.

I've cleaned out crops and they never did work again because the problem was not really the crop but the system of the bird was failing due to some underlying issue, like reproductive cancer or other internal issue or highly advanced pendulous crop where the muscles just do not work any longer (common in some lines of blue Orps I used to raise). Just an FYI.

casportpony · Jan 20, 2015

speckledhen said:
I have to interject something here, though. Many times, an impacted crop is not the true issue, only a symptom of a more serious underlying one. The crop is a barometer of how the body is working. It is just what we can see for ourselves. Crops can stop working, causing an impaction, not necessarily an impaction causing the crop to quit working.

I've cleaned out crops and they never did work again because the problem was not really the crop but the system of the bird was failing due to some underlying issue, like reproductive cancer or other internal issue or highly advanced pendulous crop where the muscles just do not work any longer (common in some lines of blue Orps I used to raise). Just an FYI.

I agree 100%, the problem is usually not the crop, but something else.

-Kathy

Michelle2639 · Jan 20, 2015

So, where should I start first in determining the underlying issue? I'm relatively new to chickens, about a year and a half. I only have 5 and like I said before, no one has ever had this issue. Any advice is sincerely appreciated.

Impacted crop

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