At what point do I give up on an impacted crop

[marnold]

Wilma, my Buff Orpington, started roosting low 3 nights ago. Clearly, I'm stupid, because I didn't think much of it. Yesterday (Nov. 1), she didn't get back into the coop so I brought her inside to look at her. She was very docile, unsteady on her feet and didn't seem interested in eating blueberries. After research, I went back to examine her. Respiratory is fine, no sign of bugs, feathers are beautiful and clean, legs are good, comb is pale, eyes are clear, nostrils are clear, crop is unusually large. I massaged, which she seemed to enjoy, and tried to syringe 0.5 cc of water in at a time to the tune of about 15 cc over a couple of hours. Gave her two dulcolax with that as well with a little olive oil.

This morning there is no change in the size or the texture of the crop. It feels like she has a wad of hay in it. I don't know why I think that's what it feels like because I have never felt an impacted crop before but there you have it. So, today I procured an 18F foley catheter with some cath type syringes to crop feed her some water and oil.

So far I've gotten about 35 cc of water with some Boost in it, 10 cc olive oil and 2 more dulcolax. I massaged it several times today.

She is alert when she is on the ground but refuses to eat ANYTHING. She is unsteady and can stand for only 30 seconds or so. I tried to vomit her last night but was unable to get anything out of her. I don't want to vomit her tonight after the water because she has had only the syringed water from last night in the last 15 hours. I had to wait on my husband to get home for help with the crop feeding. I feel like she needs that water. I plan on using Epsom Salt tomorrow. She has normal looking poop which I know because she is in the "hospital cage" inside.

So, I guess my question is, at what point do I think this isn't going to work? Is there anything I'm not treating. I have 5 chickens and the other 4 seem fine, eating well BUT no one is laying right now. Is that a sign of something I'm missing?

Also, one of the other chickens was attacked by a neighborhood dog and was isolated for a few days for me to do wound care and was on 14 days of tetracycline. When she went back in with the other girls, then everyone was on tetracycline so, technically, Wilma had about 8-9 days of tetracycline with the last dose about 2 weeks ago.....is that significant?

Any suggestions?
Thanks.

 

[ladyearth]

we massaged Goldies crop quite a bit.. like instructions on here said...
one member said this I believe she was talking about impacted crop.... wole bunch on here about such...
Quote below from this thread

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1139486/healing-approach-for-any-chicken-illness

mentioned inpost 8 of that thread....Now I didnt do that for Goldie I did the laxative and lots of massaging. Hubby and I took turns....

"Hey ladyearth - the recipe I used for that concoction is 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp lemon juice and about a tbsp of water - mix to dissolve and use a small syringe to give your chicken between half to one milliliter at a time, allowing them to swallow and breathe - if you've done this for anything before you know the drill "
Just telling you what we did and others prob did... WE DID NOT GIVE UP ON GOLDIE
good luck

 

[Bobchicken93]

Something l try is massaging the top of the crop for a couple of minutes. You can do this quite hard as you need to clear the way so food can go in and out. After you do that try tipping her upside down very carefully. If she is not too stressed get someone to massage the crop again for about 10-15 seconds then put her down and wait a while. If she vomits then the problem should be solved.

I hope l can help!

 

[ladyearth]

Ohh I read on her not to tip upside down them if doing so only TIP slightly.
Goldie didnt vomit as I recall it just hank goodness went down her grdually course every bird may be different....

now someone else may have suggestions. but like I mentioned we did lots of massaging course giving her breaks... she prob got it from peanuts we both had given her, and grass I gave her wet from Hubby mowing.
I Did this not thinking.
Cause she had been inside with us couple weeks recovering from flystrike. Plus she is a big girl and a big eater and gulpher...I didnt think she would inhale that grass cause normally they( flock of less than a dozen) just pick top of grass when they free range....so I was in a hurry and not thinking about the grass being clumped and "wet"

cause I knew she was missing the GREAT OUTDOORS even those it was blazing hot July of 2015
good luck

 

[Bobchicken93]

I have heard this from other people and have read it in a chicken book before. You should not tip her completely upside down. This sounds quite serious and it may be more than just an impacted crop.

 

[rebrascora]

I had a bantam pekin (cochin) hen with an impacted crop a couple of months ago. It took nearly 2 weeks of massaging 4 times a day and only very sloppy feeds to sort it and there were a couple of occasions when I really thought I would have to euthanize her, it was so huge and very little coming out of the other end and her comb was dry and wizened. I did resort to trying to vomit her because it was a "do or die" situation and the final time I was on nearly an hour massaging quite aggressively and then inverting and trying to vomit her. I think the important thing with holding them to vomit them is not to dangle them vertically but more on an angle with the head the lowest point and do it in short spells with recovery and massage in between. Although I was not successful in getting her to expel anything. that extended period of tipping up and down and massaging must have helped to break it up because the following day, it was down to half the size.
Personally I'm not convinced that laxatives for a crop impaction are helpful.... that is just a gut feeling. Liquids and electrolytes and vitamins and lots of quite intensive massage are the way to go in my opinion.

Good luck with your girl.