Doughy crop issue

[MandS]

I have dealt with sour and impacted crops but never doughy crop. Nella, our little Ameraucana, has recently developed a doughy crop. I noticed this yesterday. She had been her normal active self two days before but yesterday spent a lot of time just standing around for most of the day, slightly fluffed up.

When we let her out in the morning, she was eating an egg - which was either soft-shelled or got broken. It was hers, not another hens.

When I checked her crop, it felt like modelling clay - it was squashy but just retained the shape more or less. It was not hard like impacted crop nor fluid-filled like sour crop (and there's no smell).

I have massaged her crop every two hours. Given her plenty to drink (introducing a pot of water into the run - which is met with the same reaction as treats!) and also have given her solid coconut oil, which she has wolfed down.

I am not sure what else to do. I can keep doing this for the next few days. When she got up this morning, she ate immediately but then went into the same standing-around stance for the rest of the day.

Other than being lethargic, she isn't exhibiting other signs. Her poop is small in volume and frequency. Normally, for such a small bird, she can poop a mountain!

Any advice would be good. I have read about spice mixtures and baking soda etc. Never tried it and am a little nervous to do so.

As for her getting nutrients, how and what should I give her. She will eat if it is interesting enough.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Was her crop empty this morning before she ate or drank?

For a doughy crop, I would give coconut oil twice a day and massage. The article below along with the comments posted are very useful.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Crop problems are usually a symptom of an underlying condition. A few common conditions are reproductive problems, worms, coccidiosis and infection.
Does she often have soft shelled eggs? Perhaps she's starting to have some reproductive difficulties, having to expel soft shelled eggs can be exhausting. Consider giving her extra calcium for 3-5 days to see if this helps in addition to addressing the crop symptoms.

 

[MandS]

Thank you.

Unfortunately she still has it this morning despite the massages and coconut oil. I'm not sure how long this can take to move on.

She was laying normally for her (about every other day - she is 5.5 years old) only 3 days before I noticed her standing around.

I'll give her some extra calcium but she's never laid a soft shell before that I'm aware of.

Thank you again.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you.

Unfortunately she still has it this morning despite the massages and coconut oil. I'm not sure how long this can take to move on.

She was laying normally for her (about every other day - she is 5.5 years old) only 3 days before I noticed her standing around.

I'll give her some extra calcium but says never laid a soft shell before that I'm aware of.

Thank you again.

It can take days to weeks to resolve a stubborn crop problem. Could be she has a blockage in the digestive system too. You never know.
You have to keep working at it. Coconut oil and massage. If that doesn't help resolve it, then move to the next step of giving a stool softener.
Read the article and the accompanying comments, very good info there.

 

[MandS]

Thanks! That's kind of good to know.

Today, I've given more coconut oil and very wet layers mash. I've spent time massaging the dough ball and the good news is, although the crop is rather full, is not a clay like lump any more. It's more like a squishy sour crop but there is no smell and I don't think it is a sour crop - it's just I've managed to break down the lump.

She's still standing around quite a lot but if I take food or water, she will come and investigate it and eat. Although she's not moving around much, her comb is bright red and she seems to be quite chirpy when she's sitting on my lap.

We've got about another hour's worth of daylight here, so she'll be going to bed shortly. I'm just hoping that in the morning the crop is starting to empty. Now you've told me that it can take several days, I shan't panic as much but will still keep up the same regime of massage and moist foods.

Thank you again and if you have any more advice based on what I said above, please let me know.

 

[MandS]

Well.... I'm hoping there are signs of success.

Her crop was much smaller and had emptied (it was rather large yesterday) and also there is more poop where she's been sleeping. That's the good news.

Unfortunately the doughy lump is back. It's smaller so hopefully I'm reducing it but it's there. What's wierd is I couldn't feel it yesterday at all after the various massages, so it must have reconstituted overnight as the liquids were digested.

So, I'm going to keep on going until I can get it to go. If it takes a week or more, so be it.

I'll update later.

 

[MandS]

I'm not syringing in water. Should I be doing this? I'm giving coconut oil, which she's eating and then very wet mash.

I'm just a bit nervous about aspirating her as I'm massaging the crop. Should I be getting fluid into her and if so, how much.

The lump is still like modelling clay but it is smaller.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It's more like a squishy sour crop but there is no smell and I don't think it is a sour crop - it's just I've managed to break down the lump.

You may need to treat as sour crop even though there is no odor.
I would keep giving the coconut oil too.
If she's drinking well enough on her own, then I would not syringe fluids into her, but she does need to be drinking.

 

[MandS]

Great. Thanks.

She does drink but not on demand! I've just done the third massage of the day. Each is about 10 to 15 mins. The lump seems smaller and she even pooped on me whilst I was doing it, which ironically I was pleased about. I've seen more poop from her today than I have done over the last two days combined. It's thin but green and with white urates on it, so almost normal but just thin.

I have given 2 lots of watery mash and no treats like scratch.

So far, so good. However she does stand around an awful lot but at least she is still preening from time to time.

 

[MandS]

The lump is still there but again much smaller, so it would appear that the massages are working but, as you've said, it can take time.

She was lively this morning - even scratching for food. There was also a lot more poop where she's been sleeping, so things are getting through, even if it isn't the usual large lumps. It isn't runny which I think is also good, just thin like a pencil.

So I will continue with the coconut oil, wet mash and massages. Basically, what this is proving to me is that there isn't necessarily a quick fix and it is going to take time and patience. However, so far, so good.