Hard Crop - What Do I Do First?

[fuzzi]

I have a bantam Dominique hen, almost 18 months old. Not sure if she's been laying.

She's been quiet, but she's usually quiet.

Last couple nights she's been roosting on a lower perch, but there's been a bunch of roosting issues lately with the hens.

Last night she was roosting on the ground, under the wheelbarrow. I picked her up, she felt a little lighter than normal. Otherwise she seemed normal. I didn't check her crop.

I just checked her after work, her chest/crop is hard. She's resting with her eyes shut.

What is the first thing I need to do? I tried looking in threads but can't find asap what I need to know.

Thanks.

 

[ChicNmom]

Check the info here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

 

[Grind Hard Farm]

That sounds like impacted crop.

Here's how to treat it here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ealing-with.73607/?page=13#ams-comment-526987

 

[fuzzi]

Thank you, both. I've been working on her, giving her 1ml of olive oil in stages, and massaging her crop. She squawked a couple times at first, but settled down on my lap after a few minutes of massage, even closed her eyes. She became alert once I stopped, and talked a little at me. I'm going to check her again closer to dark.

 

[Eggcessive]

If her crop was full and hard this evening, then that could be normal. It won’t empty this evening. It should normally feel empty first thing in the morning before she eats or drinks. If it is full and hard then, that would be an impacted crop. If it feels soft and squashy when full, that can be early sour crop. Be careful massaging her crop with oil in it, since she can gag and choke on the oil causing aspiration pneumonia. The best oil to use is chilled coconut oil, which is then cut into small pieces to offer, and the chicken can peck it, up to a tsp twice a day.

 

[fuzzi]

I gave her a little more olive oil at dusk, and as I felt her crop it didn't feel as hard as it had before, not did it feel as large. She's definitely not her usual self, though, was content to sit on my lap and be stroked/petted. After about ten minutes I put her down and she walked over towards the roost, but was unable to access it. I picked her up and placed her on the end of the roost, and she settled down, making little content noises. I'll check her first thing in the morning.

 

[fuzzi]

If her crop was full and hard this evening, then that could be normal. It won’t empty this evening. It should normally feel empty first thing in the morning before she eats or drinks. If it is full and hard then, that would be an impacted crop. If it feels soft and squashy when full, that can be early sour crop. Be careful massaging her crop with oil in it, since she can gag and choke on the oil causing aspiration pneumonia. The best oil to use is chilled coconut oil, which is then cut into small pieces to offer, and the chicken can peck it, up to a tsp twice a day.

Crop is still hard this morning. I do have coconut oil but I have to chill it as it stays liquid during the summer.

 

[fuzzi]

@Grind Hard Farm @Eggcessive @ChicNmom

Thanks for all your suggestions.

Treatment is ongoing. I've fed her chopped hard-boiled eggs with coconut oil, have seen some progress with the impaction. Currently I am giving her a stool softener and Nystatin, with Corid in the waterer. She's content to rest in the brooder, within my hoop coop, where none can bother her.

I'm charting my treatments on my main journal thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fuzzis-chicken-journal.1550586/page-203