Crop Surgery Performed - More pics & How To Steps posted - Pg 10

[jeaucamom]

i would also be giving her the PolyVisol childrens liquid vitamins... three drops three times a day! She looks like she's doing great! Congrats!!

And no, I did not sew her crop closed. I used the liquid bandage, but honestly that was a big mistake. It got everywhere and because the crop is moist it wouldn't dry etc... definitely NOT the way to go. But it was so muscular and it just seemed to close naturally anyway, so it worked out fine. I wound up only putting three total stitches in.

 

[boaz]

Monique(Ruth) has done a great job of learning to suture with some means of precision. In general, suturing a chicken crop, in this case of course making an incision first, on a Saturday night is not my first choice of fun activities. However, we have undertaken a large and ever increasing number of livestock and have to do the very best we can to be good stewards. A steward must evaluate the risk/reward side of everyday living and of raising livestock. Our only local vet admits, "I don't do birds". I am really proud of her accomplishments in this area.

 

[Bizzybirdy]

Great job!! What size sutures and what shape needles did you use??

 

[ruth]

Quote:
Thanks. Package on sutures says "1.5 metric, 27", Cuttting KS, Coated Vicryl. I have no idea what all that means. I do know these sutures make sewing sooooo easy. The needle goes right through the skin and the suture glides through without tugging or tangling like regular needle and thread did.

Our patient was feeling well enough tonight to jump out of her box, which is in my foyer and join us for dinner. For someone (a chicken) that has never been around people, she sure seemed friendly - maybe just really hungry. She didn't care for the spaghetti squash so much but she loved the beans.

After dinner, she calmly walked around the house checking things out. I could hear her thinking "Oh yeah, I'm living in the big house now" and I swear I heard her humming "The Jeffersons" theme song. "Yeah, I'm moving on up....."

 

[Bizzybirdy]

She is doing GREAT!

The sutures should? have something like: USP: 3-0, or 5-0. Did you use a straight or curved needle?

Am going to order some, just wondering about the sizes. I know the larger number is a smaller, thinner suture.

 

[ruth]

Quote:
It does say 4-0 (1.5 metric). The needle was straight. I think a curved needle would work better and I'll ask the vet when I go to get some more from her. She was kind enough to give me this entire box. I only have one left so I'll need to get some more from her this week. She's always great about giving me, or selling to me, anything I ask for including any meds. She's not like the vets that would insist on seeing the animal first. Many times she does not charge me. Of course, she makes a lot of money off of us. We have 6 dogs and 2 cats that are always in there and we have a goat that broke its leg the first week we had her and we spent lots and lots of money and time trying to get that leg healed. Finally had to take the goat to LSU for surgery for a plate. She is doing fine now, one year later, and is finally walking on that million dollar leg.

So, if anyone thinks I just don't want to spend money on my animals - not true. It's just that my vet "doesn't do chickens" - heck - she didn't even want to do the goat - I had to beg her. She said "around here, if a goat breaks its leg, they have a bar-b-que."

 

[Rebel Rooster]

We've learned how to do what you have too... especially when it comes to the stock! My wife and I can't stand to see any animal in our care suffer at all. You will find out that you can and will do things that will make you say, "How did we do that?" You did a wonderful job!! I only hope that when my turn to do poultry surgery roles around that I'll do half as well as you did!

 

[buck-wild-chick]

Ruth,I thank you for this post and what you do.It will most likely come in handy one day !

 

[ruth]

Quote:
I hope no one ever has to do it - but if they do, I hope this helps.

 

[BarnyardPunch]

Fantastic documentation! Thank you. And congratulations on saving that hen!

Here's a dumb question... what do you use to pluck the hen so clean before you make the incision?