Hen died this morning after crop surgery

[kissezmychicken]

My hen had surgery at the vet one month ago..she stopped eating. Starved even though I was giving her this powder/water mixture from the vet. I gave it carefully...It was intensive care food..she just didn't recover. I tried every food you can imagine but she wound eat. Why???? The surgery went well... I did everything right...I'm just so upset.

 

[Ducksandchickens]

My hen had surgery at the vet one month ago..she stopped eating. Starved even though I was giving her this powder/water mixture from the vet. I gave it carefully...It was intensive care food..she just didn't recover. I tried every food you can imagine but she wound eat. Why???? The surgery went well... I did everything right...I'm just so upset.

She probably didn’t eat because she wanted to pass. She was probably stressed also. Animals sometimes know or want to die so they starve themselves. This happened to one of my cats. Sorry for your loss

 

[Kiki]

I am sorry for your loss.
She may have had other internal problems that caused the initial crop problem.
You could get a necropsy done to find out if she did in fact have "other things going on."

 

[bobbi-j]

There are just some things they can’t recover from. Just like with people, one person may recover fine from a surgery, the next one may not survive the same procedure.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have had several hens in recent months who have have crop problems, and I have realized that some crop illness may be a result of other problems going on in the body. Sometimes the crop just stops functioning normally. Many diseases may cause this. Chickens also do not tolerate anesthesia well, if that was given. A necropsy by the state vet or poultry lab may show what was going on. Very sorry for your loss.

 

[Nambroth]

I have had several hens in recent months who have have crop problems, and I have realized that some crop illness may be a result of other problems going on in the body. Sometimes the crop just stops functioning normally. Many diseases may cause this. Chickens also do not tolerate anesthesia well, if that was given. A necropsy by the state vet or poultry lab may show what was going on. Very sorry for your loss.

Emphasis mine... this is an ongoing discovery I'm making too. Often the crop slows down or even seems to go sour (stasis, not necessarily a physical blockage) when the entire digestive system slows due to other, more serious illness. Since the crop is one part of the chicken available to an average keeper to investigate, we can easily find problems there, and we often think, "aha, crop impaction / sour crop" and treat that, when something else might truly be the cause. I am guilty of this.

A necropsy might help one understand what was really going on.

 

[kissezmychicken]

I spent $600 on her, I just can't do another $100 which is the cost in Spokane.I had one too done last fall. It could be something else..she was only barely i year. It just upsets me..she was a doll. I love my bird babies. I have a naked neck that acts more like a dog. She actually holds while conversations with me. Not sure what she says but she does.. I can say 'Sweetie, go to bed. "She runs to her coop, no balking.Just goes. Funny.

 

[Kiki]

I spent $600 on her, I just can't do another $100 which is the cost in Spokane.I had one too done last fall. It could be something else..she was only barely i year. It just upsets me..she was a doll. I love my bird babies. I have a naked neck that acts more like a dog. She actually holds while conversations with me. Not sure what she says but she does.. I can say 'Sweetie, go to bed. "She runs to her coop, no balking.Just goes. Funny.

I'm so sorry. I wish the necropsy was free for you so you could have a for sure answer.

 

[Nambroth]

I spent $600 on her, I just can't do another $100 which is the cost in Spokane.I had one too done last fall. It could be something else..she was only barely i year. It just upsets me..she was a doll. I love my bird babies. I have a naked neck that acts more like a dog. She actually holds while conversations with me. Not sure what she says but she does.. I can say 'Sweetie, go to bed. "She runs to her coop, no balking.Just goes. Funny.

I'm so sorry. Some vets will do a free necropsy for patients that they recently treated (but ended up passing away). It might be worth it to ask.
I'm very sorry for your loss. I lost one a while ago after a surgery twice that cost, and it was heartbreaking. He was so sweet.

 

[micstrachan]

I’m so sorry for your loss. It sounds like maybe she was ready to go. Hugs.