Doughy crop, cocci

[azygous]

Supplies to assemble:

A helper
Vetericyn wound spray
Betadine or alcohol
Saline wound flush
Sharp, sterilized cutting tool such as a one-sided razor blade or Xacto knife.
Sterile gauze
Tube of super glue gel (you may order surgical grade super glue here: https://www.kvsupply.com/item/3m-vetbond-tissue-adhesive-3ml/P00772/
Latex gloves
Bath towel
Scissors to cut away feathers from incision site

Surgery:
-Wrap hen securely in a bath towel confining wings and feet, but leaving the crop exposed. No anesthesia is required. No pain meds.
-Have your helper hold the hen on her back on a hard surface or table.
-Locate the spot where the lump is most concentrated.
-Trim her feathers away so just skin is exposed.
-Prep the site with Betadine or alcohol to remove external bacteria.

Make a one inch incision in the skin. Do not cut any deeper than the outer layer. This will expose the crop sack.

Next, cut a one-inch opening into the crop sack, slightly offset to the outer cut. This is very important. You should be able to see the obstruction, grass or maybe something else that shouldn't be in there.

Putting slight pressure on the crop, push the obstruction toward the opening and pull it out. Continue until you can't get anything else out of it.

Irrigate the inside of the crop with a generous amount of saline until the saline comes out clean.

Dry the incisions by patting with sterile gauze. First apply super glue to the edges of the inner incision. Stretch the incision and hold the tissue together until it bonds, about one minute. If it doesn't hold, apply more glue and continue to hold it until it bonds.

Glue the outer incision as you just did the inner one. Spray the incision liberally with Vetericyn. This promotes the tissue to grow together and heal. Do this twice a day for the next two days.

Feed only soft food such as yogurt, soft boiled egg, apple sauce, or gruel made from mixing water into her feed until it's soupy for the week following surgery. Give her a dose of Nutri-drench each day for five days plus continuing the miconazole for seven days.

 

[CoffeeKat]

I want to thank you all for the resources, additional information, clarification and instruction. I have a better game plan now.

 

[CoffeeKat]

Brief question. I searched but couldn’t find it. What does a bubble sound coming from the crop indicate? I’m trying to see if she may also have sour crop, but there’s not a foul smell.

We are still doughy after using a stool softener so I’m continuing to try massage and oil. She is pooping largely water with sandy stuff and bits of grass.

 

[azygous]

Are you sure the "bubbly sound is from the crop and not the trachea? It's possible she has a little fluid at the entrance to her airway making the sound when she breathes. It will clear up if that's what it is.

 

[CoffeeKat]

Are you sure the "bubbly sound is from the crop and not the trachea? It's possible she has a little fluid at the entrance to her airway making the sound when she breathes. It will clear up if that's what it is.

Nope. I’m not sure. I just noticed it when I was giving her a crop massage. Perhaps it’s just liquid in there.

 

[CoffeeKat]

I tell you. She’s keeping me guessing. I treated her last night with stool softener. This morning her crop was still doughy but more pliable than the day before. As the day has gone on with her massages, it is more like squishing a bag of soup but still reluctant to empty totally.

Does it indicate sour crop also, blockage further on down, or just the stool softener doing it’s job?

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

The bubbly sound when you’re massaging might be sour crop- I find that the gurgling also usually happens when there’s a little gas building up in there too, you can usually feel the crop get a little firmer until it passes (burp like). Hope your gal is ok. I am dealing with a crop issue too and it’s so hard and upsetting to see them not well

 

[CoffeeKat]

This morning her crop is a hard ping pong ball. In her current state I’m afraid I may have to do crop surgery if she wants any chance of surviving.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

This morning her crop is a hard ping pong ball. In her current state I’m afraid I may have to do crop surgery if she wants any chance of surviving.

try massage with oil if you can. surgery should absolutely last resort. also, pick up some metacam pain relief from vet if you plan on doing surgery. I know folks do it with none, but it will cause them pain.

 

[CoffeeKat]

My largest concern is how skinny she is. I’m afraid she’s going to die after being so sick with cocci and losing SO MUCH weight. She’s bones. I don’t know how much time I have left to wait and see. She’s stressing me out.