crop impaction? oil? Grit?

[StandardLover]

Hi so sorry to hear. To keep my chicken's crops nice and healthy, I give them natural yougurt with probiotics + some olive oil. They love it, they just have to figure it out first and then they will be swarming.lol Good luck.

 

[mariejb21]

Hi, for what it's worth... I performed my very first "open-crop" surgery a few weeks ago!

How old is your roo? I am assuming he's Boo Bear? So he's not a chick... The operation I did was on my 3 month old rooster. I tried the olive oil thing. I tried warm water, squirting it down his throat with a syringe.... he got some relief, but not enough. So finally I decided to be brave and attempt surgery. I watched this video first:

and then got out my #10 scapel, scissors, tweezers, Gorilla super glue, and layed my table with newspaper.

I had 3 attending nurses! Two to hold the roo and one to wipe the blood and ? that was inside. I started out by finding a place at the bottom of the crop that was free(er) from feathers and I even had to remove some via sharp scissors. So the hardest part was making the initial incision. There are 3 layers of skin to get through. You will know when you reach the crop since the blood will be replaced by corn water

... Then just carefully begin emptying the impacted crop. My roo was exceptionally patient! They tell you to put a towel over their heads to make them sleep... well, this guy refused to sleep -- he watched the entire operation! The main thing is speed! You need to work as carefully and as quickly as possible. Your spedometer is his comb. Red means healthy and happy... when it begins turning purplish, you had better get out and close the wound. Important! When you are done cleaning all the garbage out of the crop, feel around in there with something (I had a medical prod thing) and make sure there are no grass strands, etc. My roo's main problem was grass, corn husk, and eggplant peel!

So when you are sure you got it all, get a turkey bulb baster and fill it with *clean* water (I used distilled) and flush out the area - the whole crop. When you are no longer getting a washout of chunks of corn, grass, or whatever, thouroughly dry the area and on the deepest layer of skin, apply a thin layer of super glue. Make sure it is as tight as possible, no ripples! Let that dry completely. Then on the next layers, apply more glue. No stitches necessary!

I finished the operation and cleaned up my roo as well as I could (he still looked gross from all the insides that spilled on him!) and made him stay resting for about 5 minutes. Then up he went and curiously strutted about the table looking for the nearest exit! I kept him isolated in a 36'' dog cage for a day, at the end of which he escaped! About 30 minutes after the operation, he was crowing like normal!

Also remember, if you go this route, no food or water for 18 hours!!! The glue has to really dry or you are back to square 1.

Hope that helps!

~Marie
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For your only hope of salvation, visit: www.JohnTheBaptist.us

 

[AZBootsie]

Quote:
Excellent post!! I am keeping for future reference. Thank you Marie!!

 

[tiki244]

Thank you Marie.

Very good explanation of what I need to do. Right now I am staying up because I am heating a bag of rice every couple of hours to keep him warm and giving him water every once in a while too. He is really weak now but seems to be hanging in there. He still has a lump in his crop. So,,,, I will see how it looks tomorrow. It is just amazing how fast a chicken can go down hill when something like this happens. He is just skin and bones.

He was fine a couple of weeks ago. I remember because I gave him a bath 2 weeks ago. Yes Boo is the roo frizzle,. I think he is 2 1/2 years old. Just wanted to show a couple of pictures him being silly.

That other roster has gotta go. I hate to do it but he has been causing some other troubles too. He must have kept Boo from the food so who knows what Boo all ate.

 

[chkn]

I think there is a poster here named Ruth who has done several types of surgeries, crop surgery included. It seems like she may have included pictures, I can't recall. There was a thread up about a successful one here just within the last week or so. SpeckledHen (or Speckled Hen?) might be a good one to ask if she hasn't chimed in here. I'm about ready to sign off for the night. Seems like someone used a little something to make a chicken sleepy on this last one. Don't put it off too long either way. Have you tried the oil, massage and all that?

 

[mariejb21]

Hi! Glad the info helped! Pinto (my roo) had his crop impacted for about 1 1/2 weeks before I realized he wasn't "just fat"! But wow - After the operation, what a change! He is putting on *real* weight and has healed up perfectly. Can't even tell it's him anymore!

I hope Boo comes through this well... the operation actually is not that scary!! Just tell yourself that he could die if you don't operate... I had to convince myself of that

~Marie
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For your only hope of salvation, visit: www.JohnTheBaptist.us

 

[tiki244]

Well Boo is a little better today. He is not quite as weak. His face has some color in it and he is warm now.

I am not sure about the lump. I massaged it and am giving him a lot of fluids so the crop has gone down some, but there is still a lump in there that seems pretty solid. It is just not as big as it was. I am trying to give him a little more time beforwe the surgery to gain his strength back. I fed him scrambled eggs and oil this morning and some water with sugar in it and vitamins. I am cooking him up a chicken liver now.

If there is a lump in his crop but it is not completely filled the crop does he still need surgery? Thanks everyone youve been so nice

eta O is very scary too massaging his crop. I am so worried he might choke.

 

[chkn]

Quote:
OMG, Superglue???!!! That is so good to know!!!

 

[chkn]

Quote:
You could put him on a liquid diet for a few days. Keep him separated where he can't eat any more grass or corn. You could try stuff with a real soft consistency like egg yoke or catfood. No fruit or veggies. Add a little olive oil to the food. Keep massaging. If that doesn't work maybe something like just veggie broth.

 

[tiki244]

No fruit? I just gave him a little watermelon! I am just pushing the fluids right now. I gave him a little chicken broth last night too.

I can feel some grains in his crop.