I think my chicken has an impacted crop

[TPNuggets]

Hi, I am new to posting in the forum. One of my chickens has a very large hard crop. I didn't notice until I saw her cone was layed over and she wasn't moving as quickly with the group as she normally did. I read up on treatments ie...fill with water and make them vomit, massage the crop, isolate, and various remedies to try. So I secluded her, tried putting 10cc water in then held her upsidedown but she would not vomit. Did I add enough water? I don't know if I should try more water not knowing if I am getting it in her lungs instead. Is there anything else that would be safer to try that has a good success rate. I recently lost a chicken that seemed to have the same thing but I didn't know about the crop issues.
Thanks,

 

[Eggcessive]

It is very dangerous to make a chicken vomit. There can be conflicting treatments posted online about how to treat different crop disorders, so I would do some reading, and then attempt some treatments. A sour crop feels boggy or puffy and the breath may range from smelling sour to rotten, depending on how long of a time they have had it. That is not treated with crop massage, sent it can cause the crop to empty and choke them to death.

An impacted crop is firm, hard, or doughy, and must be emptied by flushing the crop with water—usually by tube feeding or getting the chicken to drink well, and then massage the crop to help break up the impaction. Some use coconut or mineral oil orally to help soften the contents, and to stimulate it to go through the digestive tract. Sometimes crop surgery is needed to remove the impaction.

There can be a blockage lower down in the gizzard or intestines that is preventing the crop to empty. Many crop problems are just a secondary result of another primary problem, such as a reproductive problem (internal laying, infection, ascites.)

Here are 2 of the better articles about crop problems:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

 

[TPNuggets]

Thank you very much for your assistance. The crop is very firm. I will look at those links. Wish me luck.

 

[Eggcessive]

I will, but I have only seen crop problems in hens over 3 and they usually had an underlying disorder, such as ascites, internal laying, egg yolk peritonitis, or others. When I did the necropsies, each hen had something wrong. One hen had sour crop for 2 1/2 months and and nothing I did helped. If vet care from someone familiar with chickens is available, that is always best. Good luck.

 

[TPNuggets]

Ok, I will look around.
Thank You