Heavily Impacted Crop

[hobomom]

(This is hobomom's daughter just using her account.)

My beloved Americauna, Chick-A-Dee, has once again come down with a case of impacted crop. At first, I wasn't worried, because she's had this before and, after a healthy dose of oil and some massaging, she'll be fine.

However, she's been impacted for a day and a half now; her crop is excessively large, as though she's swallowed three or four golf balls, and her crop feels rather firm. I've administered a mixture of olive oil, yogurt, and a smashed Tums twice today, massaged her, and kept feed away from her for about eight hours. There has been no improvement in her condition.

I'm at a loss as to what to do - I will not do crop surgery, if worse comes to worse she'll just be put out of her misery.

Any help will be appreciated.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

The bottom line is that you have to find a way to get the food that is in there out. Massage it down toward her gizzard. Try to bring it up (although this is dangerous to do because she can get fluid in her lungs so be very careful and read more about it before trying it) or do crop surgery.

Do not feed her any solid foods. At all. Keep her isolated and see if it improves with olive oil and massage.

I have down crop surgery and it was pretty easy to do and my bird made a fast and beautiful recovery. Is there a reason why you would not consider it? Putting her down seems a shame when the problem can potentially be remedied.

I can walk you and your mom through what I did if it gets to that point.

 

[ChickyBangBang]

Poor little darling. I don't have any advice whatsoever, but I will definitely send up a little "please save the chicken" prayer for her.

 

[hobomom]

Thank you for your response and your advice!

For the time being, we'll continue isolating her, keeping her off food, using the olive oil method and see if there are any improvements. Should we consider heating the olive oil, or just leave it at room temperature (roughly 70 degrees) ?

The reason we really don't want to do surgery is because that is something we don't have experience with, and we're uncomfortable doing that. At this point, if there are no improvements, we'll be sure to contact you for guidance.

Once again, thank you both for your replies.

 

[hobomom]

(I would have posted this in the title, but unfortunately I have no clue as to how to edit my posts.)

Anyways, I have a positive update! Chick-A-Dee finally recovered from her crop impaction about a month after this thread began. We were in the process of moving and I didn't have an chance to post her recovery.

Once again, thank you all for your kind words and assistance!