I thought I would write down some more information about what happened and updates about the situation as it seems there is very little reading material about this online. Hopefully this helps someone someday.
Day 1
Noticed that she had slowed down when let out of the coop in the morning, checked her crop and felt that it did not empty overnight. Brought her inside to chicken hospital and saw that her poops were small, very thin and dark green with alot of watery urates. I have been dealing with an outbreak of coccidosis in my flock and looked at a sample under the microscope - I had never seen so many oocysts. The whole flock was already on Amprolium (treatment dose) so she was switched over to Baycox for treatment. I assumed this was the problem at first as I had been dealing with it for a while. She is not laying yet though her little mates have all started - did a vent exam and found nothing but wanted to make sure as she had started showing interest in the nesting boxes prior getting sick. Her weight is 810g and she feels thin (Silkie bantam)
Day 2
Crop still did not empty overnight and was very doughy when massaged. This is something that I have come across many times in the past with sick chickens and was not too worried at the time. Continued treatment with Baycox and poops had not changed (sorry I dont have a picture). Noticed she was open mouth breathing more than stress from being inside warranted. I checked her airsacks with a stethoscope and heard rattles so put her on antibiotics (doxycycine). I also hoped that this would help with any infection that had formed in the bowel as part of coccidiosis. Did multiple crop massages per day and monitored food and water intake. Did a full body check over and noticed that the lower abdomen was hard with a large palpable mass in the lower left side - first though was Mareks had gotten into the flock somehow. She was still interested in food and decided to see how she was in the morning.
Day 3.
Crop did not empty overnight again. Started to get concerned. Burping started during massages and the smell was like poop. No Baycox today as treatment finished the day before. Assumed that there is something more than coccidiosis going on and more paranoia about Mareks set in. Tried to flush and drain the crop myself but could not get anything out. She cannot be vomited. Palpated the mass again and could feel lumps and abnormalities in it so assumed it was probably a tumor, it is roughly 9cm long and 5cm wide pointing towards the ground. It is pushing against the skin just below the base of the keel. Decided to take her to the vet for an xray and euthanasia if a tumor is discovered as she seems very uncomfortable. If it was not a tumor I wanted the vet to flush the crop out as I had no luck. Looked at a faecal sample under the microscope again (smear - not enough for a float) and did not find many oocysts but did see what looked like yeasts. Started treatment for yeasts with Sporanox as it is no doubt causing her crop to smell so bad. She willingly at alot of frozen coconut oil, apple sauce and pureed (and washed) catfood. She is no longer on any solid foods. Crop massages every hour or so and a crop bra was put on to add a little bit of pressure. Did not expect her to make it thorough the night but made a vet appointment anyway. Still on Doxy.
Day 4.
Took her to the vet first thing - not an avian specialist but an interest in birds. Xray showed no tumor but a very large and impacted gizzard. Her weight is 780g. Vets opinion was that it was all full of grit going off the xray as was the crop. She gave her some IV fluids and attempted to flush and drain the crop with no luck - she could not movie it either (said it was a thick paste, the same i experienced even after adding fluids). At the time I was disheartened and took her advice to heart and posted the post above. After I got home I raided the pantry looking for ways to dissolve the grit and found several - but decided against it as that could cause too much calcium to enter the blood and kill her. Later, after comparing it to the doughyness of the crop to the crop on the xray and then comparing the crop on xray to the gizzard I felt that there may not be as much grit in the crop as the vet said - I was hoping there was alot of food material in there too and the coccidiosis inflammation in the bowel is what is stopping everything from moving. Still on sporanox and only on liquid foods and oil. Poops are still thin, small and full of watery urates. Looked at another sample and still saw oocycsts so decided to start Baycox again the next day. Still on Doxy and crop bra is still on. Doing both crop and gizzard massages (gizzard massages are very gentle and I am careful to make sure the bowel is not in the way).
Day 5.
Crop still not emptying. Pooping changed overnight to slightly larger with alot of oil. Considered doing a molasses flush and bought some, but decided to hold off to see how the pooping progressed. Still on liquid foods, Sporanox, Doxy and Baycox. Still getting massages of the crop and the gizzard every hour or so. Still on liquid foods and manually given water when the crop feels more doughy than squishy although she does drink on her own. I assumed that this was enough time for her intestinal inflammation to go down if this is what's causing the backing up. Saw that pooping is more regular when she is left to roam the patio - so she can roam and poop all she wants. Given an all you can eat offering of pureed pellets for dinner to see if the gorging will help with pushing the food though her system. Felt that was a huge mistake as her crop went to tennis ball size before putting her to bed. Also felt that while she is seeming to get better (more brighter, making some noise again) she is in sudden death territory now because her system would be full of rancid food and am running out of time.
Day 6 (today).
Poops are much larger and have visible food matter in them. Some grasses are starting to pass through and some droppings have urate caps on them instead of being a runny mess (this could also be dehydration though). Giving liquid foods only today as the crop is still very large from the gorging last night. Hand watering before each massage to try to help it through. She is not interested in eating any coconut oil and refusing all food with oil mixed in it so tossing up whether or not to crop feed her some. She will happily eat anything and everything else though and keeps trying to get off the patio onto the grass so needs constant supervision. Had morning Doxy and Sporanox. I should mention that I was advised against giving her nystatin by the vet as it works best on an empty crop which is not the case for her.
I will post again later on and let you know how today goes
It is a bit of a tricky situation and a difficult one to fix -but she is still looking bright and has a good appetite (eating puréed foods and oils only to try to get things moving) so there is still hope.
