Impacted crop, but not hard, is that possible?

[MA Mama]

I'll try to fit this into a nutshell... For the past week 20 week old Naked Neck hen is lethargic (to say the least), constantly panting (or something that looks like panting), an the srop is still full-ish in the morning. The crop is baggy, squishly, balloony, but NOT hard. She do NOT have bad breat and I see no sighns of white-ish stuff to indicate a fungus. So far I have gotten her to throw upa few times, but only once was there anything other than the liquidly stuff I have been giving her. That time there was some grass (just a little) and some hard bug carcasses, like beetles maybe. It feels as though it is emptied, however (and I am an amatuer, so I am not sure about this) it feels like maybe I can feel some strands of grass or hay in there. I have given her molasses mixed with water, lots of yogurt (which she likes alot), electrolytes, probiotics, and egg yolk but she is not interested in the yolk. I thought that impacted crop meant it MUST be hard, but is that always true? I thought that sour crop had to stink, but is that always true? Could there be a partial obstruction? I appreciate all help/suggestions/ideas!

 

[crankycookie]

I had a 3 year old hybrid hen that had a big squishy crop, like a water balloon. It was so full of liquid and stuff that when she bend down to peck, she would often throw up a little. I brought her in to the vet, who diagnosed crop stasis, and when we took an x-ray, she had a large tumor that wasn't blocking the crop but was keeping it from working properly. I never noticed stinky breath with her either, but the size of her crop didn't chance from bedtime to first thing in the morning.

Given that your bird is so young, it's probably a tumor, but if you notice her getting very weak or thin you might want to do an xray to see what's going on in there and/or have her crop emptied with a tube before things get rancid in there.

Best of luck.

 

[Tilly's Nest]

This might help http://www.tillysnest.com/2012/01/crop-issues.html! Poor baby. Hope she feels better soon

 

[MA Mama]

She is the same this AM. I am deciding whether or not to take her to the vet, and sadly, if she is worth $250+ for a surgery. I love her, she our baby, but I can't risk a huge amount of money and she could still die. I am so much in turmoil about it.

Crankycookie - did the tumor kill the chick? How much was ther treatment?

Tilly, we are neighbors in a way! I read your blog and LOVE it! If you are ever in Westport or on your way through 195, do a "Tour de Coop" here! I share your interest in other people's set-ups.

 

[crankycookie]

It did kill her in a couple of days, sadly. We tried a whole slew of things, emptying out the crop with a tube, which perked her up for a day or so (by then she was very thin and weak) but the food never emptied into the intestines. We also did some antibiotics, and finally an injection of something directly into the crop to try to help it working. We didn't find the tumor until her last day, since the vet first took the xray before emptying the crop and it was hard to see. Altogether, with hospitalization and meds, it was about $200-250. We didn't do surgery because she was too weak to survive it, and the tumor probably couldn't really be removed easily.

I would try to call to see what a consult would cost, if none of your home remedies are working.

 

[MA Mama]

I did much of the same, and sadly we lost Naked Neck the night before last. I am devastated.