How do I treat impacted crop?

[esme13]

What is the best treatment for impacted crop? I’ve never dealt with it, but my pullet was definitely trying to tell me something was wrong by her behavior.

she has a tennis ball hard mass. I can hardly squish it. It is incredibly firm. She keeps gagging. How do I dissolve it? I tried to message it and hold her upside down to puke, it didn’t work. She is dry heaving too.

I’ve lost 5 hens this year, I really can’t lose another one.

 

[azygous]

Reading this might help. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[esme13]

Reading this might help. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Thank you @azygous , I will buy some coconut oil tomorrow. I’m hoping it goes down on its own tonight I definitely have felt many crops before, but hers was hard. Hopefully the messaging I did , maybe helped too. She started getting flustered with me and the little cockerel had a go at her (plucked feather). He’s trying to climb the ladder I suppose.

I saw a YouTube video of someone cutting open the crop to pull the blockage. Is that something that would have to be looked into , if it doesn’t dissolved? How long can she last like this? She did try drinking liquids.

 

[azygous]

Surgery is a last resort, and I can talk you through it step by step if it comes down to that.

But coconut oil an stool softener work more often than not. It takes hours of repeated oil and massage to clear an impacted crop, but I believe you're up to it.

 

[Cluckies]

I brought her in, put her in a cage, administered the stool softener, and massaged her crop every hour for a couple days, you'll know it is working when she starts pooping, but keep it up. Give her water, but take away food. Sofy food to start when she gets getting better. I feel their crops nightly and massage when they are firm.

 

[Lattylo]

You can try massaging her crop while she is tilted to induce vomiting

 

[sophiah]

I massage my hens crop while i hold her tilted at an angle. it might be a little uncomfortable for your hen, but in the end it is worth it

 

[esme13]

Thank you all for the advice ! I did lots of messaging yesterday evening and tilting. I made sure she was drinking, since she’s my pooper porch chicken, that part was easy. This morning it’s like she knew I was going to check her and she ran right to me. I felt her crop and so thankful that it was squishy ! I have limited her feed, she is out and able to free range. Will check her crop in a little bit. I’m wondering why that happened. It was rock hard last night and hope it doesn’t return. I appreciate all of your advice and will have to pick up those items to keep at hand.