Hen shaking her crop and acting weird. (Updated with recovery!)

[azygous]

Here's an old thread with some good suggestions. You might read through it. https://www.google.com/search?clien...p+surgery+where+is+best+location+for+incision

The first thing they recommend to try is to try to push out the clog through the beak after soaking the crop in a baking soda solution. Read it through a few times to get every detail as this is risky if done improperly.

It's coming onto crunch time. You will need to make a decision in the next 48 hours as to what you'll do to get this crop emptied. I don't recommend putting off advanced measures longer than 48 hours. The weaker the hen becomes, the less chances she has of recovery.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Her crop is not extremely large like in other cases I have seen. She has a pretty large chest to begin with, so it's a bit hard to tell the actual crop size. I'd say it's about this big (internet photo), but her actual chest (below her neck) is a tiny bit bigger/broader than this hen's.

Compared to this diagram, her crop looks like the second one from the left.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Btw, she is still pooping out tiny grass-filled turds.

 

[azygous]

The only accurate way to judge a crop is to feel it carefully with your sense of touch. It will tell you everything you need to know. Just looking at the profile of the hen won't accomplish anything.

 

[Pandorasmum]

My hen has been acting weird for about two weeks. It seems she had had crop problems on and off. I have been feeling her coconut oil every time, but today I’m worried something is seriously wrong.

She is sluggish and shakes her crop strangely.

I have been trying to feel her crop, but she is impossible to catch! I will continue to try and catch her.

Please help, this is the worst I have seen her act so far.
@azygous @nuthatched @sourland @Wyorp Rock

 

[Pandorasmum]

Hi, from your description & video, I suspect your hen has sour crop! You need to take her to a poultry vet. She needs to have an empty crop & be given Nystatin medication either by syringe or by tube twice daily for ten days. After she has the Nystatin, gently massage to try to ensure all crop is covered, but do this gently & not for long as her crop will be painful for her. This is why she is doing the bizarre movements, it’s uncomfortable for her& probably very sore.
Her crop needs to be empty before giving the Nystatin & I would remove water for 30 minutes so that she doesn’t just drink straight away and dilute it!
Good Luck!

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Update!
(She has been well for a while now, but I've been trying to find the time to write this all down )

My Dandelion has recovered. She's perfectly well and happy now, back to her beautiful, sweet self.

Her crop was impacted/yeast infected for about a week total, but on the day I last posted (Jan. 27), I massaged very well and got the impaction mostly out. The next morning she was not put back in the cage. One more morning massage got the rest of the grasses out, and at the end of the day she got to free range with the flock, which made her very happy! The following morning her crop was empty.

She got a 9-day total treatment of miconazole (cream first, then the stronger suppository, which killed off the yeast better than the cream). She stopped doing those movements with her crop on day 10.

I am so thankful I did not have to resort to crop surgery or Epsom salt flushing. She would probably hate me forever lol (even now she gives me the stink eye when I bend down near her )

A huge thank you to @azygous @Wyorp Rock and @Eggcessive !! You all have been so helpful! Thanks also to @Pandorasmum, I am sorry I didn't reply to you... my hen had already been cured. Thanks anyway!

Dandelion says "Thanks BYC!!"

 

[Eggcessive]

So glad to hear that she is finally doing better. She is a really beautiful hen.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you for the update!
I'm glad she's doing better, what a pretty hen

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Yesterday, Dandelion vomited up a white mucus/phlegm. We just massaged her three times and she coughed some out again. White, thick, and mucus-y. What should I do? Is this still part of the crop issue? It does smell like vomit/sour crop.

@azygous @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive