Just want to give everyone an update on my hen that had the ginormous impacted crop. Last November, after two months of treatment and reaching a dead-end with surgery as the only option left, I decided to let the hen rejoin the flock and let nature take its course. She was so miserable eating only a little mash/yogurt/olive oil each day (and losing a dangerous amount of much weight too close to winter) and being confined to a cage that I figured if she was going to pass on, I at least wanted her to be happy. One year later...
...the hen is doing fine. After letting her out last November, within a day her crop filled back up to its extraordinarily large size. But it never slowed her down; she gained weight fast and she made it through winter just fine. Today, her giant crop wiggles and wobbles whenever she walks, but she's eats normally, is fully feathered, lays eggs, and is as happy as any hen could be. She has become one of the friendliest birds in the whole flock, and always runs up to me whenever I am out in the yard. It's a tad comical to see her running around the yard, and every now and then I have to help her up to her perch at night, but she shows no sign of unhappiness or discomfort.
She is one lucky bird!!!! Just wanted to share the update with everyone, and if you're going through the same thing, there is hope!
