Crop surgery post-care?

[Ferraro41]

We're newbies, both to this forum and to raising chickens in general. We have 6 pullets, all layers, and one had an impacted crop that unfortunately required to be emptied surgically. We don't have an avian vet near us, but our local vet was able to cobble enough resources together to help us out and get her taken care of.

She's been isolated from the flock since the surgery, being fed only soft foods since this past Wednesday (11/1)...chunky mashed up cooked apples, scrambled eggs and water. Vet followed up on Friday and said incision looked really good, so we started her back on crumbles yesterday, and she seems to be tolerating it well, having normal BM's, etc.

I guess the question I have for anyone who has dealt with this is how soon is it generally safe to let her start free ranging again, which would re-introduce grit, grass, etc back into her diet? She's already been away from the flock for almost a week now, and she's having a fit being away from the others, even though we have been rotating putting some of the other pullets in there with her. I realize there may not be an exact answer here, just more curious as to what others may have done, or any suggestions.

 

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome to BYC We're so happy that you've decided to join us Unfortunately, I don't have any experience with this so I'll wait with you until a more experienced bycer shows up.

 

[Mylied]

I did a crop surgery not too long ago. I only kept her in the house for three or four days and then put her back in the flock. She healed up fast and is doing well. Hasn't laid an egg since, but she's cute, so I'll forgive her. Anyway, she should be fine going back to eating normal food and forage now. Just keep an eye when you reintroduce. There can be some fussing.

 

[Ferraro41]

Hi and welcome to BYC We're so happy that you've decided to join us Unfortunately, I don't have any experience with this so I'll wait with you until a more experienced bycer shows up.

Thanks! Happy to be here...glad I found it, we've already found a ton of great resources here.

 

[Ferraro41]

I did a crop surgery not too long ago. I only kept her in the house for three or four days and then put her back in the flock. She healed up fast and is doing well. Hasn't laid an egg since, but she's cute, so I'll forgive her. Anyway, she should be fine going back to eating normal food and forage now. Just keep an eye when you reintroduce. There can be some fussing.

Thanks for the response...that's sort of what I was thinking, but we didn't want to rush her if she needed longer. She seems back to her old self and as I mentioned, is having a fit being away from the others. I think what we may do is let her forage a bit this evening, then isolate her again and see how she does. If no problems, back to the coop tomorrow!

 

[dkfarmer]

I did a crop surgery not too long ago. I only kept her in the house for three or four days and then put her back in the flock. She healed up fast and is doing well. Hasn't laid an egg since, but she's cute, so I'll forgive her. Anyway, she should be fine going back to eating normal food and forage now. Just keep an eye when you reintroduce. There can be some fussing.

I have a hen who has had a slightly full crop for a bout 5 days. It feels soft and mushy. I force fluids with probiotics/oregano and some corid. As recommended by vet. I can’t get it to empty. She also has yellow slimy runny poop. I really knew what was going on.

 

[Mylied]

I have a hen who has had a slightly full crop for a bout 5 days. It feels soft and mushy. I force fluids with probiotics/oregano and some corid. As recommended by vet. I can’t get it to empty. She also has yellow slimy runny poop. I really knew what was going on.

How does her breath smell? Have you fed her in five days?

 

[dkfarmer]

She has had access to feed up until about 48hrs ago as advised by a chicken friend. I give her fluids by syringe with probiotics/oregano/corid in the water. In the morning when I go in it still feels like there is stuff in there. I’ve tried burping her and induce vomiting but it doesn’t seem to want to come out. She does still have liquid poo but now we have white and less yellow. She still seem not interested in food. We gave her some scrambled egg.

 

[Mylied]

She has had access to feed up until about 48hrs ago as advised by a chicken friend. I give her fluids by syringe with probiotics/oregano/corid in the water. In the morning when I go in it still feels like there is stuff in there. I’ve tried burping her and induce vomiting but it doesn’t seem to want to come out. She does still have liquid poo but now we have white and less yellow. She still seem not interested in food. We gave her some scrambled egg.

Why corid? Does she have cocci? I wouldn't think that would affect a crop. If it's mushy, that sounds more like sour crop. The blocked crop felt firmer, like if you push flour in a balloon. Only fix for me when it didn't empty was surgery after with holding food with no change. Sour crop is different.

 

[dkfarmer]

It was suggested by the vet in our town. He’s not an avian vet but he raised chickens.
Ok I will see if tonight it feels better. We are approaching the 48 hour mark. Her crop does feel like there is something mushy before I squeeze on it it seem the size of a silly putty container.
Did you keep up with probiotics and electrolytes?