Impact or Sour crop or both?

[BrinellP]

Thanks for the kind words. I really am still just in awe of the whole thing. I kept getting up last night to see if she was alive. She'd chirp at me like I was interrupting her sleepy time.lol

I will change over for everyone to get her through the week. As for hay, I have some in the nesting boxes. My husband and I were talking about it and we think we did to many things, to close together. They were getting lots of garden leaves,we change to crumbles and got them a whole grain type of scratch and gave them some alfalfa. All within about ten days time. Just to much at once I'm thinking.

I will for sure keep you updated on her. I'm praying she makes it. After working so hard this past week and then the surgery, you get a little connected.

 

[BrinellP]

And your DH and DD must be in awe of Dr Mom!

They are! Both said the knew if anyone would do it, it would be me. I just needed that confidence in myself.lol

 

[BrinellP]

Thanks for posting a photo of the Ginger. Lovely to see her. Is that pre or post op? I can't see the wound, so either you were very neat or it's pre op. If it's post op, she looks encouragingly well!
I didn't notice any smell when I removed a similar mass from Vippy. It certainly didn't smell bad but I feed fermented feed so I assumed it was that, that stopped her from getting sour crop. It actually really surprised me that it didn't smell bad. Maybe your daughter's olfactory senses are more easily insulted than yours or perhaps you were just really focussed. Either way, Ginger is much better off with that out than in. Great job!

The photo is from this morning. I really tried to keep a small area and her feathers around it so the others wouldn't peck at her. It ended up more to the right side of her crop. I guess just from the way she was laying.

I need to learn about fermented feed so I don't have to go through sour crop. If I can help it.

Lol....my daughter is about eight weeks pregnant. I was surprised she made it through the whole thing without vomitinglol

 

[rebrascora]

That's fantastic that she looks so well post op. It was great thinking to tape her feathers back before surgery, so that they would cover the site afterwards.

Fermented feed is surprisingly easy, and whilst it may help prevent sour crop, it will not prevent an impaction like this..... some chickens just seem to have an urge to do this to themselves, but I can't talk as I have a strong urge to eat large quantities of chocolate, even though I know it is bad for me.

Your poor daughter deserves a medal for helping in that condition. Comparing stomach contents with a chicken doesn't seem like a good contest to get into though! I would bet that your daughter's would smell worse!

 

[Sara Ranch]

I am so glad to read that there is a happy, happy ending!

I use sand in the nesting boxes. It's easy to clean up if there's an "oops" and the chickens don't usually eat the sand. If they do, it's "grit."

I switched over to fermented feed awhile back. The first round was a learning experience. The second round has been beautiful, fun, and so dang easy. (With all that I have going on around here, AND the shorter days, "easy" is a MUST.)

If you have any questions about switching to sand, feel free to ask, either publicly (new thread) or send me an email. Several of us use sand in the coops. (Love it! And "easy"!)

If you have any questions about switching to fermented feed, feel free to ask, either publicly (new thread) or send me an email. There were some fantastic people on here who helped me with the fermented feed.

 

[BrinellP]

I am so glad to read that there is a happy, happy ending!

I use sand in the nesting boxes. It's easy to clean up if there's an "oops" and the chickens don't usually eat the sand. If they do, it's "grit."

I switched over to fermented feed awhile back. The first round was a learning experience. The second round has been beautiful, fun, and so dang easy. (With all that I have going on around here, AND the shorter days, "easy" is a MUST.)

If you have any questions about switching to sand, feel free to ask, either publicly (new thread) or send me an email. Several of us use sand in the coops. (Love it! And "easy"!)

If you have any questions about switching to fermented feed, feel free to ask, either publicly (new thread) or send me an email. There were some fantastic people on here who helped me with the fermented feed.

Thanks so much for the offer. I will take you up on it when I recover.lol

I do have sand on the floor of the henhouse and outside area. I guess I never thought about the nesting boxes. Seems like it would be cold.lol

 

[Sara Ranch]

Oh BrineIIP, it will change your life!

You'll never have to worry about hay getting stuck in crops again!

 

[BrinellP]

Here's a picture of her surgery site. Should I soak off the dried blood so it can drain more or just leave it alone? It doesn't feel swollen or hot to touch.

I just moved her back to the crate in the coop with the other girls. I don't want any introducing issues and she's drinking and eating just great! Clucking along like she didn't just have surgery.lol

 

[rebrascora]

I would leave it. It looks nice and dry and that scab is sealing and protecting it. If it needed to drain I think the scab would not have sealed but be gooey and oozing. It's a really neat job and I'm absolutely delighted that she is eating and drinking well and acting normally and back in the company of her pals. What is her poop like?

It is really amazing how well they recover from this surgery. I know many people will have concerns about doing it on a conscious bird, and indeed I did, but they seem to suffer a lot less trauma from it than we do performing it! Certainly Vippy showed no indication of shock afterwards and was up on her feet toddling around and eating as soon as she was released and offered food and she wasn't wary of me afterwards or anything. It was just like it hadn't happened apart from the major benefit of being able to ingest food again and she was certainly keen to make up for lost time in that department.

 

[BrinellP]

I would leave it. It looks nice and dry and that scab is sealing and protecting it. If it needed to drain I think the scab would not have sealed but be gooey and oozing. It's a really neat job and I'm absolutely delighted that she is eating and drinking well and acting normally and back in the company of her pals. What is her poop like?

It is really amazing how well they recover from this surgery. I know many people will have concerns about doing it on a conscious bird, and indeed I did, but they seem to suffer a lot less trauma from it than we do performing it! Certainly Vippy showed no indication of shock afterwards and was up on her feet toddling around and eating as soon as she was released and offered food and she wasn't wary of me afterwards or anything. It was just like it hadn't happened apart from the major benefit of being able to ingest food again and she was certainly keen to make up for lost time in that department.

I was a little anxious about going out this morning. It's her first morning after a day of eating and I was so wanting it to be back to normal. And it was!! I was so relieved that I actually teared up for a second. Dang chicken.lol. Her poops were runny and still had lots of sand in them. She obviously had a lot still in her system. I'm hoping today things start to firm up. I'm going to let her out with the others when I get home from work. Hopefully all keeps going as well and I can start to relax.

Your so right about it being nerve wracking on a live bird. I honestly think that if she wasn't going to die I wouldn't have been able to do it. She really seemed okay with it though. Up and about right after. Very upset that her feathers were wet and sticky. First thing she did was start cleaning herself.lol. Very stalwart those chickens!