Hard Crop! HELP!!

[chickenboy7c2d]

One of my Chickens has a hard crop, wheras the others have soft squishy ones. They don't have any grass in their run but sometimes eat hay, corn, mealworms and pellets. Whats Wrong??

 

[Judy]

go to the FAQ page, scroll down, and read some of the threads about impacted or sour crop.

 

[ipana]

chickenboy, sorry to read about your hen. Without knowing your exact situation, let me just mention one help for an impacted crop. If you can get a feeding tube, it is much easier to do this but if not, you can try with a syringe without a needle. Put approximately 2 Tablespoons of oil into the crop and slowly being to massage the crop to break up the mass. You may need to do this several times with intervals in between of at least 2 hours. Check to find out if the bird is pooping. No poop shows that there is nothing at all going through the crop and thus, the bird is getting no nutrition. With no nutrition, the bird will lost weight rapidly and is in danger of starving. Be careful if you're using a syringe for the oil. There is an opening to the lungs beside and under the tongue. You do not want to force any oil into the mouth or it may go into the lungs and possibly kill the bird. Just use the syringe to get the oil into the mouth and let the hen swallow on her own.

Here is a link for using a feeding tube: http://www.broodyhen.co.uk/ket/fowlnotfoul/1staid.htm

Scroll down and you'll see the feeding tube/syringe combo.

Keep us posted.

 

[chickenboy7c2d]

Thanks, I'm going to do that tomorrow. I'm giving her oil and I've added oil to their morning feed.

 

[ipana]

Putting oil with the feed may not be helpful. If the hen's crop is impacted, she should not continue eating until her crop gets cleared. Check to see if her crop is empty in the morning. If it is not, you will need implement measures to help. Post here if you need help after checking her crop tomorrow.