Crop questions please help.. **HEN PASSED - GROSS CROP FINDINDS PIC**

[Tuffoldhen]

Did you read the posts I showed you?...I have no good advice...I'm not sure TSC would have anything thats useful for this...its just plain yogurt yes from the grocery store...

 

[sammi]

look at the yogurt label..it will say "active culture"..or "live culture".

are you using straw bedding?

is she having regular droppings?
or are they runny?

if she is blocked..she will be starving and eager to eat, but it will all go in the crop..and the crop will get bigger and she will get thinner and eventually weak..

search the posts as Tuffholdhen suggested.

 

[Crazy4Chicks]

well I have not noticed her poop being any diff than before, and my hens always act like they re starving LOL but I knowwhat you mean and no she is acting just likie everyone else - eating normal, drinking and sunbathing. I will check the yogurt and get her some I have a small bird cage but it might be small to put her in to eat her yogurt so I will have to find somewhere to put her.

and the bedding we are using is cedar chips and I have never seen her eat them - she isstill laying an egg everyday or so and they look normal also.
I am going to search for the thread now

Julie

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Julie there are pictures on that post that look alot like what your hen has......

 

[Pine Grove]

Tomato juice is the best for a crop bound bird, But I'm 99% sure your hen has Pendulous Crop ( sour crop, once the contents spoil) Her crop has lost its ability to retract(nerve damage) caused by gorging on food or water, Sometimes its hereditary.
The yogurt, Though I perfer buttermilk will help keep the bad bacteria from multiplying..I really dont know of an effective home cure, Even when the contents are manually removed the condition often reappears. personally I cull. There is a surgery, But I have no idea about it..Good luck

 

[pips&peeps]

I have an ameraucana that looks just like that. She has been that way for over a year.

I believe there is a thing called "pigeon breasted" and it means that the crop hangs low like that and is considered a defect.

My gal has been getting along fine, at first I seperated her and was planning on possibly doing croup bound surgery on her, but she seemed happy and was eating, so I just left her. The only problem she has is she cannot jump up on the roost. It does affect her balance considerably.

I don't use her for breeding as I don't know if it is hereditary.

So I would watch your gal and see if she eats, poops and is happy. If so it may be the above defect.

 

[dlhunicorn]

Pinenot has summarized things nicely and in my opinion if you dont get this taken care of quick it will simply worsen with time (and your bird will get weaker and be more susceptible to illness). IMHO this is not going to go away on its own though from the photos you posted it does not appear to be as bad as some cases I have seen and I think you can get this "fixed" with the help of a proper vet who is acquainted with the problem in other avians such as parrots and knows how to do the surgery... it is not complicated (less danger with a big chicken compared to a parrot).
If you want to fix this bird properly go to a vet.

 

[Jayare's Chicks]

You said you use "cedar chips" as your bedding. Is it ok to use for older birds and just not for little chickies? I have seen on here many times never to use cedar chips as it is a poison to the birds. I don't use cedar chips and never will but I was just wondering if everybody just overlooked that statement or if it was ok to use as long as it was for older birds.

Could she have cedar chips in her crop and they just are not breaking down?

Jayare

 

[Scrambled Egg]

The cedar chip fumes are too strong for any age birds and are casutic to their respiratory tract. Don't use it!!

 

[ibpboo]

Here is a yogurt link.
http://www.aboutyogurt.com/lacYogurt/

I am going to ask at the feed store today about the crop as this morning the lump is still there, but a little smaller and not quite as grainy. How is your chicken? I don't think tomato juice will hurt the other chickens, but maybe you could separate her while she drinks some.