Hard Crop Not Clearing

[Mimi13]

Here I go again. Same song, different verse. I am getting my fair share of experience here lately.

Patient is a Speckled Sussex hen, 13 months old, decent layer of small eggs (do not know when last egg was laid), free ranger, no swelling in abdomen, no foul smell on breath or vent, everything seems normal except her crop.

At least for two days and nights (could have been longer, I just noticed Monday at roost) Gabby has had a rock hard crop, the size of a baseball. Yesterday morning when I realized her crop didn’t go down overnight I gave her some coconut oil and massaged her crop and got the contents loosened. My mistake was that I didn’t confine her then. I was able to give her a dose of Nutri Drench, as well. I had my grandson all day and didn’t check on her during the day like I should have. Last night, I brought her inside. Her crop was much larger than it was, now almost softball size.

The crop does not contain feed or anything soft. Just full of grit galore. It feels as though she found a mound full of diamonds and couldn’t quit eating them. When I massage (I hold her with her head facing away from me, so her right side is on my right side) I reach around in front of her and I am able to loosen the left side of her crop fairly easily. However, the right side of the crop almost feels like concrete. And when I concentrate on massaging the right side she acts like it hurts her. I fear the contents may be hurting as I try to massage over them.

As I was working with her late yesterday she had one watery poop that had a very minimal amount of normal poop in it and then later she had two poops that were literally pure water. Before I went to bed she had two very small normal, firm poops. Overnight it appears as though she had another watery poop with a little normal poop in it.

She is absolutely the worst chicken patient I’ve had. She will not eat or drink anything (no water at all) and does not want me wicking coconut oil into her beak. Last night I was able to give her coconut oil by putting just a tad bit of scrambled eggs in it. She gobbled it up and finished drinking the oil. This morning, nothing! No eggs, not even a few bits of oil soaked bread.

I have my own suspicions, but I really want a few suggestions from those with more experience and wisdom.

Her crop is back to being completely hard again this morning. I do have small hands, but it is hard for me to cup her crop in my hand, with fingers spread out.

First of all, would tubing oil and/or water into her crop be what is needed? Or would that be the wrong thing?

Am I possibly doing more damage by gently massaging? I am not forceful or rough while doing so.

Is crop surgery most likely my only way to fix this? (This is what I’m leaning towards. I wish I could take her to the vet and watch him do the surgery, but I don’t even know if he works on chickens or not. I am gonna call in a few minutes.)

If anyone could please tell me what your thoughts are I would be most appreciative and grateful.

I am tagging a few of you who have been so helpful in the past.
@casportpony @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive @staceyj @azygous

I thank you bunches, in advance.

 

[azygous]

Of course the chicken with such a frustrating issue would be the one who's also the most uncooperative. Been there.

Have you tried a stool softener along with two teaspoons of oil, wait and hour and massage? If you chill the coconut oil so it's solid, then break it up into pill-size pieces, it's easier to get it into the patient without a huge struggle. By wrapping your left arm around the hen, or the arm that's not dominant, then pulling down on the skin under her beak which gets her to open it, slip the hard bits of coconut oil in until you get at least two full teaspoons in, followed by a stool softener, not a laxative.

If this doesn't clear the crop, you will need to consider crop surgery. You can do it yourself. It would be easier with someone holding the patient who is wrapped up in a towel to confine wings and feet.

The crop has two walls - the outside skin layer with feathers and the inside layer - the crop itself. After trimming away enough feathers to see what you're doing, disinfect with Vetericyn, Betadine or alcohol. Then make a one-inch vertical incision in the outer skin, slide that over to one side a half inch or so, and make the same size incision in the crop wall.

The two incisions are offset to keep the contents of the crop from spilling out while the incisions heal without needing stitches to close them. You will be squeezing the crop contents out through the incisions until emptied. Then spray again both incisions with Vetericyn or Betadine and you're done.

People here that have had the courage to perform crop surgery have found it not difficult to do, and it saved their chicken's life.

 

[Mimi13]

First off, thank you very much for responding!

If you chill the coconut oil so it's solid, then break it up into pill-size pieces, it's easier to get it into the patient without a huge struggle.

I started out with chilled coconut oil, but it took all of 3-4 minutes for it to rapidly liquify. Our temps here in Alabama have been pretty warm these past couple of weeks.

My second go round in the house last night wasn’t much better. Possibly had 2 more minutes of work time. I will try again in just a bit.

Have you tried a stool softener along with two teaspoons of oil,

I had read that I should only give the stool softener if the chicken is able to get plenty of water. And since she’s being all whatever about me trying to help her and not taking in enough water, I was afraid to. Will it still be okay with only a minimal amount of water?

while the incisions heal without needing stitches to close them.

Closing the wound is my biggest concern. I’ve read where some suture it while others use super glue. As long as the two incisions are offset and cleaned well there’s no need for either? I have also read that the incisions should be made high enough on the crop that liquid/soft feed can still be in the crop below the incision site. Does that sound accurate?

I do not have any problem doing the procedure myself, preferably with someone to hold her. My qualms about it were the closing of the wounds. Shoot, I should have practiced all this on one of the many birds I’ve either processed or necropsied.

 

[azygous]

Try freezing the oil and keep it hard with ice cubes while you administer it.

Water is most important following the break up of the contents of the crop. If you need to, tube it into her. If you haven't done tubing, it's very easy. In fact, if you use a pencil thin oral syringe, free at most pharmacies, you can insert the tip into the opening of the esophagus on the right side of her throat. Go very slowly and let her swallow each little bit. I would trade off with a bit of water followed by a bit of massage, repeating the sequence.

Surgery may not be required. But if the crop contents are mostly cellulose, the stool softener may not work. I would make the incisions about two-thirds up from the bottom of the crop. No suturing should be required, but super glue is fine if you wish to try. Or just put one suture of cotton thread in the outer incision. You will need to restrict her to very small, frequent feedings rather than letting her fill up her crop, and only soft food for a few days.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@azygous has given you good advice.
I'm sorry that you are having troubles. You mention that you have your own suspicions, care to share? LOL

I don't have much to add, I think Carol (Azygous) has covered most of it.
I would say holding a chicken in your arms and trying to massage the crop is hard to do. Almost everything I do when working with a chicken, I have them standing on a table. I actually have a permanent table in my run! If you have her inside, us a table or countertop that is at a comfortable height for you, cover it with newspaper or old towels. Stand your pullet on the table and pull her to your body and drape one arm over her, this allows you to control her (she's sort of snuggled between your body and your elbow/ forearm has the other side) this leaves 1 totally free arm and hand and a partially free hand to work on her.

I do agree with Carol, do what you can to get fluids into her and see if you can work on the impaction. It may be that you do need to perform surgery, but I would try everything else first. It's also possible that she may have a blockage further down too (gizzard/intestines) and surgery will not fix her problem.

 

[Mimi13]

You mention that you have your own suspicions, care to share?

Really what I meant by saying that was I do believe this is going to result in surgery. Compared to the other “impacted/slow” crops I’ve had with a few hens, Gabby’s seems to be rock solid. And not to mention the old gal isn’t willing to cooperate doesn’t help either.

I would say holding a chicken in your arms and trying to massage the crop is hard to do.

Actually when I do most anything in depth with these chickens I have them inside in my back bathroom. (Think linoleum flooring for those big, unexpected moments! ) I am always sitting on the floor with them between my legs. That way I can either snag them with my left arm or have them facing me and usually wrapped up burrito style.

do what you can to get fluids into her and see if you can work on the impaction.

I was able to tube a little bit of water and stool softener into her about an hour ago. (Yep, she pecked at the capsule and just spit it right out, so I cut it in two, mixed it with a little water and promptly put it into her.) She definitely wasn’t happy, but it put enough liquid into her that I was finally able to start massaging her crop. I’m sure her crop is hurting and probably why she’s reluctant to ingest anything else. But I would at least think she would be drinking.

An update to Gabby’s escapade: I do have an appt with the vet tomorrow morning at 9:15 if I can’t get this ball to rolling myself today. Like I said earlier, I really want to watch/help assist him when he does the surgery, if needed. I don’t know if that’s in his wheelhouse or not, but I hope so. He has come out to geld several of our horses before and we are always right there, so I wouldn’t think it’d be any different. It wouldn’t be to me anyway. But we shall see.

Last but not least I wanted to mention something that was odd to me in hopes it might ring a bell with someone. Before I had tubes anything in her she pooped, and lawd, it had the strangest odor. Not a broody poop smell, but an odor almost like someone was cooking with garlic. She even had a few burps after I tubed her that had the same smell. So whatever it is, it is from beginning to end.

Just now when I checked on her, she had laid me a little tan egg. Hmmm, this bird seems fine in every way, except that darn crop.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She may have a blockage too, but let's hope not.
Seeing the vet is a good idea if it's not moved in the morning. It would be interesting to be able to watch or assist - I hope you can.

Please keep us posted.

 

[Mimi13]

She may have a blockage too, but let's hope not.

After taking care of her this afternoon and tonight I’m beginning to think this myself. Literally, if my fingers were eyes, while massaging or palpating her crop, all I feel is grit, seriously. At least I was able to loosen the crop contents and with constant massaging, the size of it has gone down a good bit, not 50%, but more than a quarter. Anyway, I purposefully had not fed her anything hoping I could get the stuff moving before I did.

Around 5 pm or so, I had her sitting on my lap (massaging her crop) and my grandson was sitting in the recliner with me. He was eating Ruffles and she was begrudgingly watching his every bite. I started thinking, if all that was in her crop was grit, I’ll bet she is starving. By this time she had started drinking a little water as well. I fixed her about a third cup of feed mixed with coconut oil and water and she immediately began eating it. She ate all but a tablespoon maybe. However, afterwards I was expecting a fairly good bowel movement, but she only pooped two small bits.

My thoughts now are: if grit is what she has stockpiled on,

1) I want to know what it is so I can figure out where she got it,
2) if grit only leaves the gizzard once it has worn down to small pieces, this grit has no where to go, thus leaving her not necessarily blocked, but extremely backed up, and
3) how do we get it all cleared out?​

She was sitting with me again a little while ago for a bit of massaging before I laid down and she was nodding off. I was hoping I could resolve this on my own so hopefully the morning will bring good news, along with a lot of poop to clean up. If not, we will be making a trip to Dr. Berry. So many things are going through my mind right now when I should be sleeping. Ugh!

Thank you all for your kindness and patience you show not only me, but everyone here on BYC who asks anything at all. You all are a godsend and I hope and pray you get back tenfold. Thank you, thank you for everything, even if it’s just listening.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You're so sweet.

I think she ate a bunch of grit to try to process or clear herself up, that's my take on it anyway when they seem to have loads of grit in the crop.
It's good that it went down a little with the massage. I'm hoping it will clear some more by morning if she's drinking a little and ate something. You never know.

 

[Mimi13]

Here is a picture of the little pig, aka Gabby. She is a very sweet and seemingly smart girl...until now that is.