Crop Issue - Sour/Impacted not sure which - Help Please

[Feathers n Fur]

I have a 1 yr old Dark Brahma with a very swollen crop. Opened her mouth but smell nothing "sour" or rancid. Also did not see anything when I peered down there. Her crop is very swollen, tennis ball size. It is squishy and I can feel all sorts of grit, oyster shell etc. Not sure if this is impacted or sour or both. She does the hear jerk movement like a snake and flexes her wings while doing this. In the beginning I assumed she was adjusting her crop but now that it has grown I'm not sure what to do.

I've read about giving yogurt, massaging her crop, ACV in her water (already doing this), olive oil and even getting her to vomit or scarier - crop surgery with mixed responses for both regurgitation and surgery.

So far I have done the massage, and acv in her water. A while back I soaked bread with olive oil and gave it to her when her crop was smaller (about a month ago) and it seemed to help but it's back and bigger. She is eating sand, dirt, grit, everything! What can I do for her.

Help is appreciated.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I would isolate her and without food, water only. Check on her first thing in the morning when she has gone all night without eating and see if her crop is empty or has gone down or feels different. If it is empty then she just ate too much. It happens. If it is not empty then something is wrong.

There are two common crop issues. 1. something, usually long grass gets tangled in the crop and blocks the food from getting through. This is impacted crop. Over time the stuck food will rot and turn sour and squishy. WIth this you need to find a way to clear the blockage. I would start with olive oil and massages.

2. a bacteria imbalance kind of like a yeast infection can accure in the crop and cause squishy swelling. This is when people using probiotics or medicine like monistat.

 

[Feathers n Fur]

I'm thinking blockage since I can feel what appears to be small pebbles. I will massage and give olive oil, no food for the eveneing and check her in the am. If it still does not go down I'll need more help.

Thank you

 

[Feathers n Fur]

No good - checked on her first thing this morning. The squishiness has gone and her crop is slighly smaller but not by much and what is left is more firm. Not rock solid firm as I can move things around when I massage it but it is still more solid than squishy. Since I have 13 other chickens and one coop/run I can't isolate her so I can't restrict her from eating. I gave her some bread throroughly drenched in olive oil. The other chickens and my roo thought it was breakfast italian style and tried to eat every bit I had but I made sure Sweetie got the sopping wet ones. I massaged her crop and I am hoping for the best. I will massage her again when I get home from work and try a syringe of olive oil if you think it will help.

Any other suggestions? I am apprehensive to do crop surgery since the thought of cutting into her without sedation makes me uneasy unless there is a step I am missing from all the posts I read about how to do it.

How else do you break up the mass?

Help please

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I would keep with the olive and massages to try to break it up and prevent her from eating solid foods however you can. It maybe only add to the mass. Scrambled eggs and other soft foods may be better. If that doesn't work you can try vomiting but be very very careful if you do this because fluid can get into their lungs which can be deadly.

If nothing else works I personally would do the surgery. I have done it before and can PM you a long post about my experience if you want. The chicken does not react when you do the surgery. I don't think that means they don't feel anything -- I don't know -- but for the practical purposes of doing the surgery they won't move or freak out. If you do the surgery you will also need to find a way to isolate her.

 

[Feathers n Fur]

By the way, I noticed one of them, I presume it's Sweetie, had stool with sand and oyster shell pebbles in it this morning. I noticed it a few days ago as well but didn't think much of it. Come to think of it, she is the one who is always eating sand from the dust bath area and I find her in the oyster shell bowl a lot. I wonder if it's just her personality to constantly eat things as I don't see the others eating sand or delving into the grit and oyster bowls as much as her. There is plenty of chicken feed and treats provided so I'm not sure what her fascination is with the rest.

I will continue with olive oil and massage to see if it helps and will treat all to scrambled eggs and plain yogurt for a few days to see if it helps.

Worst case I will try the surgery and see if I can borrow a dog crate for isolating. If I do go that route I will request the PM about the procedure. Thank you for offering.

 

[casportpony]

I prefer water to break up the mass. If they aspirate any oil there is a very good chance that they will develop lipoid pneumonia and die.

If she's not drinking, you should consider tubing fluids to her. To keep her properly hydrated will be tricky, but can be done, and it just might help clear the blockage. Is this something you think you could do? It's not as hard as most people think and I could talk you through it over the phone or send you some links and pictures.

Before doing anything drastic, I would do a cloacal exam. It's very possible that her crop is full due to a blockage elsewhere, like a stuck egg, tumor or other mass. Get yourself some gloves, KY Jelly and very gently do an exam.

 

[Feathers n Fur]

I didn't think of that drawback with oil. I was just thinking of a lubricant to help break up and move the mass and thought the oil to be better than water. She is drinking since I've seen her at the waterer just last night so I'm not sure that is an issue. She is not lethargic at all and readily runs to me when I enter the coop hoping I will give her a treat or gentle rub on her back - usually looking for a treat but never frets when I touch her or pick her up so I like to believe she likes me.

Ok, new plan. I will get some gloves, I think I have petroleum jelly at home, and I will gently inspect her other end. If I feel nothing hard (ie an egg or other mass) I will continue to massage her crop. Should I use the aforementioned syringe I have and fill it with water to squirt down her throat in lieu of the oil?

Another question.........how far do I "go in" with my fingers before I either hurt her or cause problems?

 

[casportpony]

I didn't think of that drawback with oil. I was just thinking of a lubricant to help break up and move the mass and thought the oil to be better than water. She is drinking since I've seen her at the waterer just last night so I'm not sure that is an issue. She is not lethargic at all and readily runs to me when I enter the coop hoping I will give her a treat or gentle rub on her back - usually looking for a treat but never frets when I touch her or pick her up so I like to believe she likes me.

Ok, new plan. I will get some gloves, I think I have petroleum jelly at home, and I will gently inspect her other end. If I feel nothing hard (ie an egg or other mass) I will continue to massage her crop. Should I use the aforementioned syringe I have and fill it with water to squirt down her throat in lieu of the oil?

Another question.........how far do I "go in" with my fingers before I either hurt her or cause problems?

I don't normally have to go past the first or second knuckle and of course I never force my way. In a normal hen, I think the only hard thing one should be able to feel is the gizzard, but I am still practicing, lol. So far I've been able to detect oviduct cancer in two, those felt really strange and upon necropsy there were very small bumps all over the intestines and oviduct. I've also diagnosed internal laying and impacted eggs that had been there way too long.

If you think you feel something, maybe try doing the same exam on a different hen for caparison

-Kathy

 

[Feathers n Fur]

Ok, first or second knuckle it is! Lucky night in the hen house - exams for many! Thanks again for your help