Crop impaction

[farm-gal91]

I recently had a bout with crop impaction (not sour crop, it was not liquid matter) in one of my young hens. It started yesterday (Monday). She didn't act right at all, but I couldn't figure it out. She was eating, drinking, but not moving much. Today (Tuesday) she wouldn't move at all. My veterinary skills kicked in and I gave her the pat down and a quick listen. When doing the pat down I felt a hard, and I mean rock like, mass. This was her crop and it was impacted to a severe degree. Shortly after I flushed warm water and mineral oil down her. Immediately the hard ball loosened up and she started perking up. After 2 hours it was almost back to normal feeling. It was very gritty while breaking up. She is since perked up and we are still going to watch her over the next few days, even if that means taking her to work ( thanks The Lord I work at a vet!)

The photo below is her prior to any treatment. You can see the bulge of her crop and how sickly she looks.

So my question is, has anyone else had this problem come up?
Have you successfully treated crop impaction?

 

[kidcody]

Yes, you have done all the right things possible just make sure you do not feed her hard foods ( like seeds or such ) liquid diet for a few days...your a great mother for everything you have done for her!

 

[farm-gal91]

What liquids, mushy foods do chickens like? She is very eager to eat but I'm hesitant to give her anything.

 

[farm-gal91]

We have a food called a/d that we feed sick, debilitated animals. She ate quite a bit of that, it's a pâté substance.

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

Warm hard boiled eggs (smashed up), are a favorite.

It's great she's feeling better!

 

[myfinefeatheredfriends]

My grandma used to mix a teaspoon of Epsom salt with a half cup water and squirt it down the bird's throat to help flush out their systems when they got crop impaction or other digestive disorders. I personally have never tried it for fear of stressing the bird but she'd swear by it!

 

[farm-gal91]

Hmm I've never heard of that one! I bet there are tons of remedies out there that work, just not heard of commonly.

 

[seminolewind]

I think you did the right thing, fluids, and working the lump.

 

[farm-gal91]

Hope this problem doesn't arise again, but I guess it's just one of those things. One could have the most bomb proof habitat and diet for a chicken and things are still going to happen, from what I've seen.

 

[azygous]

I've dealt with impacted crops twice. First time, it was my rooster. I noticed he wasn't eating or pooping. When he did poop, his droppings were so teensy, it was like they were from a baby chick instead of a 12-pound Brahma. I felt his crop, and it was small and rock hard. I squirted olive oil down his throat and massaged his crop. He was better the next day and eating again and pooping normally.

The most recent was a few weeks ago, when I noticed my one-year old SS hen standing in a corner not moving. I examined her and saw her crop was the size of a soft ball and rock hard, and it hung off to one side. I got some olive oil in a syringe and squirted maybe 1/4 cup down her throat, massaged her crop for fifteen minutes, feeling it soften and break up. Inside of an hour, she was good as new, eating normally and it hasn't happened again.

I didn't feed either patient anything special afterward. But I believe the thing that caused the hen's impacted crop was getting some turkey dressing leftovers. She was a bit of a glutton. I am not feeding them any thing made with bread from now on, except for maybe scant bits of crust.