Hole in crop?? Food coming out?? Help?

[lady dimitrescu]

I went out to check on my chickens and this chick (six weeks old) had a hole in its crop with stuff coming out..

Is there anything I can do?? I have no idea how this happened.

 

[MysteryChicken]

@Wyorp Rock
@azygous
@Kiki

 

[Kiki]

Oh boy.
I'd put it to sleep if I were you.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I would suggest liquid bandage unless that won't work?

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

Can you clean the wound? Like get the food off of it? You might be able to fix it, as it’s not a issue where they will definitely die. Some people cut open the crops if they have a chicken chick such a severely impacted crop it can’t pass.

Do you have any medical glue? I don’t know if it’s safe to use on poultry. You could probably stitch it back together if you are good at sewing, but it may be hard.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Can you clean the wound? Like get the food off of it? You might be able to fix it, as it’s not a issue where they will definitely die. Some people cut open the crops if they have a chicken chick such a severely impacted crop it can’t pass.

Do you have any medical glue? I don’t know if it’s safe to use on poultry. You could probably stitch it back together if you are good at sewing, but it may be hard.

Liquid bandage is used on poultry. It has protein binders that glue the skin together, & crop tissues.

 

[lady dimitrescu]

There is a cvs down the street so I may be able to buy liquid bandage. Right now I’ll try to clean and disinfect the wound the best I can

 

[MysteryChicken]

There is a cvs down the street so I may be able to buy liquid bandage. Right now I’ll try to clean and disinfect the wound the best I can

Sounds good.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I went out to check on my chickens and this chick (six weeks old) had a hole in its crop with stuff coming out..
View attachment 2215891
Is there anything I can do?? I have no idea how this happened.

I believe @coach723 or @azygous have dealt with opening a crop - but that was on purpose.

Do you notice any maggots around the wound? It almost looks like flystrike.
Does the wound smell rotten or infected?
I would not use liquid bandage.

The layers of the wound would need to be cleaned very well and debrided. The matted feathers trimmed from the wound, the crop flushed out and then see if there's enough tissue to deal with. There are 2 "layers" of tissue at the crop. The tissue of the crop itself and then the outer skin.

Seeking vet care would be best. For crop surgery (to take out material that's impacting a crop) sometimes the incision is not even sutured or glued - instead each layer is pressed together. The crop tissue is like elastic.

Since I would call this more "gaping" and hard to tell if the tissue is dried out and lost it's elasticity, suturing or using surgical glue to close the crop tissue may be needed.

 

[azygous]

Here's my advice. Calm down. This isn't the emergency you fear it is.

What I would do is clean the wound with soap and water, and then spray Vetericyn on it. Then put your hen to bed in a crate inside and let her crop empty overnight.

In the morning, clean the wound again as you did the night before. Then inspect the wound to see if it goes straight through the outer skin and the skin of the crop. Two layers.

Super glue is the best alternative since trying to suture chicken skin is not easy since it's pretty thin and the stitches may tear. You will need a helper to hold the chicken flat on her back. Cover her face lightly to calm her.

You will need to glue the inner tear first. Apply the glue and hold the edges in place for one full minute. Then repeat the same with the outer skin tear.

You're done. Just offer liquids and soft wet food for the next 24 hours. She'll be fine and so will you.