Crop Issue????

[SSO202]

I read some threads on here about crop issues, but can't seem to find an answer right away. I went out this morning and found one of my girls who is almost 12 weeks laying limp next to the feeder. She now has a large lump in her lower chest area. She seems to be eating and drinking okay, but seems very weak. I tried some bread soaked in olive oil which she seemed to eat, but the lump wont go away. I can move it under her skin. I have seperated her from the other birds. The others seem to be fine.

Is this a crop issue and what is the best way to handle it? Thanks in advance for the comments. If this is answered somewhere would someone please post a link helping me out. I can't spend a lot of time searching and reading numerous posts right now!

 

[Wynette]

Hey there - sorry you're having an issue, first off.

Can you tell us what breed the ill one is, and what you are currently feeding? How many are in the pen with it, and how much space do they have - are they free ranged?

 

[SSO202]

I am not sure on the breed...I got 21 in a rainbow pullet pack from Meyer. She is brown with white spots and some blue purple colors in her feathers. She is kept in a run/coop combo with 20 other birds. It is 8'wide by 23' long. I have been feeding Purina Start and Grow crumbles. Yesterday morning though I put a bag of spinach leaves in there someone gave me from the store.

 

[Judy]

Here is link to the FAQ page. Scroll down and there are links to 3 or 4 threads about how to deal with crop issues:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=1198

 

[threehorses]

I suspect that because your bird doesn't free range (thus have access to a good deal of naturally available grit and gravel) that the spinach leaves aren't passing.

I'd definitely read the article provided. Then remove all non-easily digestible food from her, possibly even removing her from her flock, for a day at least.

Any time you give grains or the birds have any access to anything other than pellets/crumbles, they should be given grit. Have they been provided this?

Watch for souring crop contents - open her mouth and smell her 'breath'. Then go by the article and let us know if you need more help.

Good luck!
p.s. By the way, the occassional spinach treat is nice. It's best not to feed it regularly however because it has a high oxalic acid content. Although spinach is high in calcium, the oxalic acid in it bind with the calcium negating any huge calcium benefit that it has. Given in excessive amounts (which you haven't of course) it can effect total calcium absorbtion to the negative. Just a little fyi there in case you get spinach regularly.

 

[SSO202]

Thank you all for the replies. I have read the articles and really not sure which way to go with her. She of course is one of the friendliest birds in the flock and hate to see her suffering.

The spinach may have been too much for them and don't think I will feed it again.

The run is fairly large, but I guess I still need to add some sort of grit to it.

I'll keep watching her and try a few more of the suggestions on here to try and save her.

 

[threehorses]

There are an incredible amount of really nice grit products available now for chickens. You can even get a small thing of it in a pretty package. lol "Back in the day", I bought pigeon grit (mineralized) and just used that. (The next story I tell will be about how I walked 10 miles in 3 feet of snow - even though I live in gulf coast Texas heheh).

But seriously, you can even order it online. A lot of feedstores have the nice little grit packages now, too. I bet TSC would. I expose my babies to sand when they're medium-small to start them. Free range birds are able to pick up the right sized grit and rocks and things they need.

A coop and run situation quickly gets depleted of those little perfect sized bits (and I say this because I did the same thing, so don't feel bad).

I wouldn't feel bad about the spinach either, nor would I never use it. I bet they loved it. She apparently did. /grin It's a great treat, and I'm a big believer in birds getting some 'living nutrition' in them. So your intentions and action were good, just need a little tweaking.

 

[chickon baby]

We had the same thing with my golden lace wyondotte,she also had some constipation and when her chest/top of belly had the lump she did not lay.She to is the friendliest.I soaked the safflower seeds in olive oil,she ate them out of my hand I also gave her warm h20.I did a liitle bit for a few days.She passed what was in there,had a good BM and the next week layed a egg.She still gets it every so often and Ive noticed her BM's are little pieces not drop BM's.My neighbor who was raised on a chicken farm said that sometimes they have smaller openings and the foods dont digest like normal.He also said that when they have that and the BM problem like mine,it is because the area in their little bodies that pass Bm and eggs are more narrow than they should be.She is fine,healthy,eats,plays etc..I just watch her n if the lump appears (which it does-every so often) I give her the seeds soaked in O.Oil.She n her sisters have a huge all secure play yard outside,they also get grit n laying food.every am they get apples w/dry oats,for snacks they get the safflower seeds n occasionally wheat bread.I just gave them corn on the cob n they went crazy.She just turned 1 in April and this problem started last year.It scared me to death and I had even looked for a vet to take her to get checked,couldnt find one n called my neighbor who gave me that advice.Hope this helps n she is ok. The other thing he said was not to touch or try to rub the lump,said it will cause regurgitation n she can choke,swallow wrong n get it into her lungs.

 

[mom2chicksandpups]

Someone gave me some chicks that all had hard, full crops. I tried bread soaked in olive oil, but they would not eat it. I finally used a small syringe that the vet gave me for our puppy to put olive oil in their mouths. I put a little in, they swallowed it the same way they do when they drink water, then I put a little more in. This was at night and their crops were back to normal size by the next morning. I later read that you have to be careful not to get the oil in their windpipes when you do this, but mine had no problems and drank the oil right down once I got it in their mouths. I did have to struggle a bit to get them to open their beaks, though.