Help! Crop Stasis After Eagle Attack

[FluffyButts1]

Hi Everyone,

I'm looking for some advice for one of my hens with crop stasis. She is a 9 month old Lavender Orpington who was attacked by a bald eagle on 12/29. She has some puncture wounds and bruising under her wings and on her back but her main injury is a 5cm x 3cm gash on her neck just above and to the left of her crop that is down to the muscle. She is separated from the flock in a large dog crate in my office.

I took her to vet the next day, 12/30. He said it did not look like the crop was damaged and it was completely empty at that time. He put her on Sulfa-Trim and Meloxicam and said to flush her wound twice daily with a weak betadine solution, then apply Veterinus Derma Gel. I've been doing all of the above and her wounds are healing nicely, BUT

She completely stopped eating and drinking about 5 days ago and I have noticed her crop has stopped emptying and is kind of squishy. She is still pooping mostly normal poop, just looks a little drier than usual. Still up walking around, doing her thing, fights us like she is in UFC every time we have to give her oral meds. Comb etc is still bright red. I've been gently massaging her crop 2 - 3 x a day but haven't tried to make her regurgitate.

Took her back to the vet yesterday, 1/8. She saw a different DVM this time. She sedated the hen, inspected her wound, said it does not appear to be directly effecting the crop and is healing well, no signs of infection. She attempted to lavage the crop with a tube but said she couldn't get much out and what did come out was not smelly and did not seem like sour crop. She is unsure why the crop is not emptying. She also gave 60mL of Sub Q fluids and vitamin B12. She sent Chicken home with a bag of lactated ringers for me to continue Sub Q fluids at home along with Nystatin and metoclopramide. The vet said to offer food if she wants to eat even though her crop isn't empty, so I did. She has eaten a few pellets here and there but hasn't eaten much and hasn't drank any water.

Is there anything else I could possibly be doing for her? This is my first flock since moving to WA state and I really don't want to lose her. Thank you!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

From my experience if there's a blockage in the digestive tract than the crop won't empty. Chickens can eat all kinds of stuff that will cause problems, nails, string, and various other things, even oatmeal that hasn't been soaked down can cause problems. Sounds like you are doing all you can.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

gently massaging her crop 2 - 3 x a day but haven't tried to make her regurgitate.

That's good! It can be very dangerous to do so, as it puts them very much at risk of aspirating. Good luck wuth her!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

How is she doing now? Have you offered her her food wet with water so its a mash like oatmeal? Or added some yogurt to it to see if she will eat that?

Have you treated her for shock? I know the injury was a while ago, but you might offer her some sugar water. Dissolve 1 tsp sugar in a cup of warm water and add a pinch of salt and a tiny pinch of baking soda. Stir or shake to dissolve, put some in a little cup and hold it up to her beak for her to drink.

 

[FluffyButts1]

How is she doing now? Have you offered her her food wet with water so its a mash like oatmeal? Or added some yogurt to it to see if she will eat that?

Have you treated her for shock? I know the injury was a while ago, but you might offer her some sugar water. Dissolve 1 tsp sugar in a cup of warm water and add a pinch of salt and a tiny pinch of baking soda. Stir or shake to dissolve, put some in a little cup and hold it up to her beak for her to drink.

She is still not drinking and barely eating, but other than that she is acting normal. Her comb and wattles are bright red, she walks around the house all day trying to forage the imaginary bugs on the floor. I set out a bowl of her regular pellet feed (Nutrena all flock), a bowl of her feed mixed with water (mash), a bowl of grit, and a dollop of Greek yogurt on a plate. She tried the yogurt once, ate 2-3 feed pellets and a couple bites of mash today, but that's it. We've been massaging her crop 4-5 times a day, given her water mixed with vitamins, electrolytes and probiotics with a syringe, given her the oral metoclopramide twice a day and 60mL of sub q fluids in her inguinal areas once a day as directed by the vet, but her crop is still doughy. We gave her 5mL of olive oil today between massages. She isn't pooping overnight in her kennel, but does poop throughout the day when she is walking around in the house. Her poops look mostly normal. A few of her poops have had small bits of what looks like grass or plant matter, but other than that, still a normal consistency with urates. I'm at a loss. We've spent over $600 in medical expenses sp far and I don't feel comfortable taking her back to the vet she's been seeing, but I'm also not sure if I can spend the $$ to take her to a board certified avian vet.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

@Eggcessive @coach723 @azygous
You guys have any suggestions here?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would still check the crop each morning, and provide mushy wet chicken feed with a small amount of plain yogurt and egg. The medications from the vet visits and sedation could have slowed her crop. Activity may help, and hopefully, she will get back to normal. An attack by a bird of prey can cause internal injuries. Let us know how she gets along.

 

[coach723]

I would also work on hydration, get some fluids in her. You can try gatorade or pedialite, or electrolites see if she'll drink it, alternate with plain fresh water.