Impacted crop and loss of voice during coccidiosis treatment.

[Raquel182]

Hi everyone!
First of all, I live in Costa Rica and there are not veterinarians in this area that treat chickens... and I am a first time chicken owner. Everyone around here has chickens they are all free range and no ever has an issue... I have tried really hard to take supper good care of mine but I’m having a total crisis!

I have a hen that has coccidiosis and has been on treatment for about 4 days. She is doing much better but now appears to have an impacted crop... I gave her warm water and vegetable oil and massages it, that helped, she pooped 3 times and the size of the crop went down and is less hard, but doesn’t seem to ever really be empty... it’s the size of a golf ball and feels soft and gritty like a bean bag... this has been an issue for 2 days. Now today she lost her voice... she is very talkative normally but now she can hardly make any noise...
Could all of this be related or separate issues?? Any suggestions?

 

[azygous]

It's more likely a coincidence. Is she wheezing and whistling when she breathes? Sometimes, if you massage a crop a little too enthusiastically, some liquid may back up into the airway and cause the symptoms you describe. If her coloring is normal, not bluish around the comb and facial tissue, she will likely be over this by morning.

When a chicken has a crop issue, sometimes it doesn't clear completely, leaving grit behind in the crop to feel like a small lump. This is especially common, I've found, in older chickens. It may take several more days for that to clear.

It helps to offer grit to a chicken coming off a crop disorder. This should push the lump on through.

 

[Raquel182]

It's more likely a coincidence. Is she wheezing and whistling when she breathes? Sometimes, if you massage a crop a little too enthusiastically, some liquid may back up into the airway and cause the symptoms you describe. If her coloring is normal, not bluish around the comb and facial tissue, she will likely be over this by morning.

When a chicken has a crop issue, sometimes it doesn't clear completely, leaving grit behind in the crop to feel like a small lump. This is especially common, I've found, in older chickens. It may take several more days for that to clear.

It helps to offer grit to a chicken coming off a crop disorder. This should push the lump on through.

Thank you for the info. She seemed ok tonight. I will see how she is in the morning. I offered her olive oil in her food but she didn’t like it... should I withhold food all together until the crop is completely empty? She is an olde hen... she is a rescue not sure the age but she at least 4 or older from what I’m told...
if the comb does look blue what do I do?

 

[azygous]

If her comb looks blue, it would mean she isn't getting oxygen to her extremities. Causes of that usually are connected with organ failure. No treatment for that.

Quite a while ago, I discovered that giving oil to an uncooperative chicken is a futile exercise. It gets all over me and them. So I got the idea of measuring out the amount of coconut oil I need to treat and chilling it. Then I form little pea size portions and pry open the beak and slide in the pieces. Handling oil that is in a solid form is as easy as popping a pill into a beak.

 

[Raquel182]

If her comb looks blue, it would mean she isn't getting oxygen to her extremities. Causes of that usually are connected with organ failure. No treatment for that.

Quite a while ago, I discovered that giving oil to an uncooperative chicken is a futile exercise. It gets all over me and them. So I got the idea of measuring out the amount of coconut oil I need to treat and chilling it. Then I form little pea size portions and pry open the beak and slide in the pieces. Handling oil that is in a solid form is as easy as popping a pill into a beak.

Fortunately her comb looks good. So that’s a big relief! Thanks the oil tip! I will try that.