Black Australorp with impacted crop

[fivstar]

For the last two days my 4-year-old black Australorp hen has enjoyed the pasture, and come to eat when I offer scraps (cucumbers, melon seeds, chopped sweet potato), but instead of roosting at night she goes into a box on the floor of the coop, mostly used for hens with chicks. Her head jerks every few seconds to the left (her left). Today she went into the run with the other hens as usual, and picked at some food I threw out. But when I returned an hour later, she was lying on her side, barely moving. I felt her and her crop appears distended and firm. I think she may have impacted crop. My vet won't treat hens. What should I do?

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your hen. She needs help to get her crop emptied and drink fluids to flush out her crop. But it sounds as though she may not be alert enough to do that. I would try to make sure that it is indeed her crop that is the problem. If she is awake enough try to get her to sip water from a cup or spoon. Crop massage is then helpful to get the impaction to move along. Here are 2 excellent links on crop problems:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/answers-from-chicken-vet-on-impacted.html
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...d-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments.67194/

 

[fivstar]

Thanks very much. I had been offering water, and she drank it readily. So, my husband and I tried holding her at the 60 degree angle, while I massaged her crop. She did vomit some green, smelly liquid, and we then laid her in the box I had prepared. But while I was mixing baking soda and water, she passed away. I had hoped we had found the solution and could nurse her back to health; but maybe it was too late for her. I do feel we did our best, and will be better prepared to spot problems sooner in future. Thank you so much for your help.

 

[Cat99982]

My Austrolorp hen just passed away on Christmas day. She was found in the run hiding, sleeping standing up. I picked her up and she felt heavy and full. I brought her inside and got her in a warm bath with Epsom salt. I tried giving Vet Rx. She revived a bit and tried to fly out. That's when I noticed her crop was ballooned and mushy. I instinctively knew to massage it. She was standing up and seemed to want it done. Then I got her in a small cage after wrapping her in a towel to dry off. I researched online and I self diagnosed her with sour crop. I saw a video where the guy had a chicken in the same boat, and he said to tip her down and massage her crop. His chicken streamlined the contents out like a geyser! and then she got better. So I picked her up and tipped her a bit.. I was using a large bowl to catch anything (It was too cold to be doing this outside) and sure enough.. she started purging everything. I thought we were gonna save her! She was so lethargic after puking it out. Eyes closed. Then I tried again. She spewed and shook her head at the same time and it went everywhere. Then her neck completely went limp. I put her down on a towel to rest. That's when I checked for breathing and she had passed away. I felt so hopeful and then so destroyed. She was only 19 months old. I don't think this method of tipping them down and massaging does anything but kill them at this point.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My Austrolorp hen just passed away on Christmas day. She was found in the run hiding, sleeping standing up. I picked her up and she felt heavy and full. I brought her inside and got her in a warm bath with Epsom salt. I tried giving Vet Rx. She revived a bit and tried to fly out. That's when I noticed her crop was ballooned and mushy. I instinctively knew to massage it. She was standing up and seemed to want it done. Then I got her in a small cage after wrapping her in a towel to dry off. I researched online and I self diagnosed her with sour crop. I saw a video where the guy had a chicken in the same boat, and he said to tip her down and massage her crop. His chicken streamlined the contents out like a geyser! and then she got better. So I picked her up and tipped her a bit.. I was using a large bowl to catch anything (It was too cold to be doing this outside) and sure enough.. she started purging everything. I thought we were gonna save her! She was so lethargic after puking it out. Eyes closed. Then I tried again. She spewed and shook her head at the same time and it went everywhere. Then her neck completely went limp. I put her down on a towel to rest. That's when I checked for breathing and she had passed away. I felt so hopeful and then so destroyed. She was only 19 months old. I don't think this method of tipping them down and massaging does anything but kill them at this point.

Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry to hear about your hen.
Sadly, sometimes vomiting them or attempting to empty the crop can cause aspiration and they die.
Crop problems are often a symptom of an underlying condition, but that symptom does need to be addressed. This article may help you in the future accessing the method of treatment that may be better than emptying the crop. I've used these methods over the years and have found them to work on most of my birds, sadly some did succumb to whatever else was ailing them even with treating the crop. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/