Another crop problem.... any ideas?

[redwa]

My 15 month old Americauna hen recently had a dirty bottom form loose stool and was acting kind of "punkish". I gave her a warm bath, cleaned her up, some extra vitamins and a dose of worming medicine. She seemed to be coming around. Then a few days ago I noticed in the morning her crop was still full, it seemed hard. I brought her in the house and gave her olive oil and garlic, massaged the heck out of her crop and it went away. I kept her in the house giving her only minimal food (chick mash with probiotics, papaya enzymes, aloe vera) but the same thing happens. It seems to get slightly impacted but is easily messaged away but doesn't seem to be digesting on its own. It's been three days now. I don't want to overload her liver with olive oil. Not sure what to do at this point. Any suggestions? (She is pooping - watery and is not very active, mostly standing and occasionally preening.)

 

[veronica2368]

i too am having a crop problem with one of my girls....the one thing that was recommended to me was to use mineral oil instead of olive or vegetable oils because it does not go rancid. i dont know what is wrng with my girl...i am going to call and possibly take her there tomorrow. i am giving her baby bird hand feeding formula to eat and give her avia charge 2000 in her water so i can make sure she is getting some kind of nutrition. i am also mixing plain yogurt with the baby bird formula. i didnt notice my hen was sick soon enough and she was very thin. she also has a poopy bottom. just a note..also when i massage her crop i notice everything seems to go away...i think actually what is happening is that i am dispersing it but it is still in there. it just doesnt feel the same.....you really have to feel around...higher and deeper than you think..at least i think so...because when i really felt around in an exploring way i could still feel the stuff inside that i think shouldnt be there. good luck with your hen...i'll let you know waht i find with mine tomorrow.

 

[redwa]

Thanks for your response. Sorry to hear about your hen. I just went through this one of my other hens. We were successful in treating her although did end up doing surgery. I thought it may have been the galvanized waterer that was at the root of this. It's gone now and the hen who had the crop problem is fully recovered. When they operated, they found feathers in her crop, but I think she started eating them after the problem developed to try to get more protein. So, I don't think the feathers were the cause of the problem, but definitely contributed to it. I am wondering if it is our soil that the girls free range on. Mostly dry and clay, lots of rocks this time of year. Good luck with your girl. Let me know what you find out.

 

[dlhunicorn]

offer your girls free choice yogurt daily (live culture>not the one that has been pasteurized>>>there is a huge thread here at the board on using a commercial bought yogurt as a starter and making your own... not only is this a good source of calcium and probiotics but is a source of methionine and though not in sufficient quantity to treat a clincal level deficiency (go to your bird section in the petstore and get a vitamin especially for molting which will have methionine in it for this) it helps prevent the deficiency. AviaCharge 2000 is a great complete poultry nutritional/vitamin supplement that I highly reccomend you give in any time of stress (you can purchase from McMurry or Strombergs)

 

[redwa]

I have been giving her yogurt, at least offering it to her. And I have been giving her special avian probiotics (using a syringe). I am wondering now if she has also ingesteed feathers. I have been giving all my girls extra protein (cat food, meal worms, black oil sunflower seeds) as a way to eliminate the need for that behavior. I can't afford another surgery, if necessary, I may have to do it myself if it continues. Do you think it could have anything to do with the ground they free range on? This time of year it is very dry with lots of clay, rocks, dried brush and small pebbles. Possibly this is effecting the efficiency of their crop function???

 

[dlhunicorn]

Many things can affect the crop...
Personally I dont let my birds touch cat food... wrong kind and amount of vitamins for one.
Eating the feathers though is a definite sign of methionine deficiency and you need a bird/poultry supplement that addresses that specific deficiency...one for molting will usually have extra in it.

 

[redwa]

Yes, I was wondering about cat food. We give our cats Wellness (all natural and high in cranberries and blueberries, etc.). It's a great quality food but I was wondering if it is really good for chickens. Thanks for the info. I will address the possible methionine deficiency.