Impacted Crop - Baseball Size - VIDEO IS READY!!

[Shadowgrass]

I checked on "the patient" this morning, I have her cordoned off in the barn with a brooder lamp and towels on the ground. She was very alert and comb/wattles were nice and red. She was clucking normally, which was encouraging. There were also 3 small loose poops, so I know that things are moving around in there, also encouraging. I noticed she had gotten at the surgery site a little bit, opening up the outer skin at the top. I left it alone, it isn't bleeding, and I figured trying to superglue it again wouldn't do much good. I figure it will scab/heal on its own. I gave her a couple beakfuls of water from a small bowl, just so she doesn't dehydrate. I will give her some pedialite and antibiotics a little later today. Tomorrow I will give her a waterer full time, and maybe a little wet mash, not enough to expand her crop, just enough to keep her nourished. Like I said, she was pretty thin, so I can't hold food back for too long. She sure seemed a lot happier, she was pretty miserable before, jerking her head around trying to dislodge the blockage in her crop. I guess we just wait and see. I had trouble with the video, I have it, but I can't find my Firewire cable. I think I will have to buy one. I will definitely get the video out in the next couple days.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That is great news Shadow grass, you have officially become a certified chicken keeper, nurse, surgeon, etc.. I have never had to do this and hope I never do have to ,but you are an inspiration to the rest of us.. Hope she heals quickly and hope you never have to go through this again....

Oh and you might be able to give her some plain yogurt a little watered down so she can at least have some nourishment.. and if you have some poly-vi-sol w/o iron that would also help get her up and going faster.

 

[Southern Bee Lady]

I am so glad she is doing good.
Hurray for you too.

I did crop surgery twice on one of my hens.
The first time, it was harder on me than her. The second time, I knew what to expect.
I gave her water with vitamins and minerals a few hours after the surgery.
I then put antibiotics in the water for a few days afterwards.
I gave her soft moist food after about 24 hrs. She did not like yogurt so I moistened her crumbles and gave her a little of that.
She has done wonderful since then.

 

[purpletree23]

YEAH!!!!!! Awsome job. You had a hard choice to make and you did the right thing and I'm sure she will be fine.

Because she is in a weakened state you can give her water free will. She needs to stay hydrated. Feed her at least 4 times a day for 2 days and then you can let her eat what she wants. Just make sure the food is soft. Give her scrambled eggs, chopped up cooked pasta, cut up grapes without the skin (this one drove me crazy) finely chopped cooked chicken and smashed up Cheerios that have been soaking in yogurt for at least a half hour.

Anything that can slide through her crop to get into her system to get her strength back. Nothing that has any fiber or skin (like the grapes) that her crop would need to grind up.

I don't even know you but I've been following this thread and I'm really proud of you. You didn't give up and you didn't let her suffer.

Keep us posted


P.S. Antibiotics aren't needed. Chickens heal amazingly fast. A one time application of neosporin to her incision is sufficient.

P.S.S. This happened to my girls in the winter also. After the crop surgery I was told that they were missing something in their diets so now once a week I give them a cabbage to peck at or 3 blocks of frozen chopped spinach to 'play' with.

P.S.S.S. If you can cordon her off in the coop so the other chickens can still see her. This way there won't be and reintroduction issues when you let her back with the flock. After having my hen in my kitchen for a week and then reintroducing her I didn't think there would be any problems but boy did the feathers flew. I fenced her off in a corner of the coop with food and water and in a few days things were back to normal.

 

[Shadowgrass]

Thanks for all the info. Yes, I think you are right about the food/water Purple. Also on the antibiotics. I haven't gotten any yet, and I probably won't unless she shows sign of infection, which is what my sister said too. Thanks for the praise, we are all in this together and if I can help someone else along the way, great. I will give her some soft food starting tonight. She has her waterer now and still seems to be doing very well.

 

[Miss Lydia]

 

[purpletree23]

Give her a hug and a squeeze from all of us and pat yourself on the back. You did a great job and when someone needs advice you can be the teacher!


Have a great night and give her a kiss on her little noggin for us.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Shadowgrass, you are certainly brave (and the rest of you that have done this as well...) Congratulations on the success!

 

[GreenGables]

Great job and your description was very good!!! Your story will help me if I ever have to do this on one of my own chickens.

 

[The Kibble Goddess]

What a great idea to put a loose sock over her head while doing the surgery! When we had to stitch Sister-hen up and then the daily wound care, she'd be quiet as long as her head was covered, but Lord help us when the towel would slip. A sock on her head would have kept her much calmer.