Impacted crop from oyster shells

[Pabbott]

This morning I found that Mary still had an impact but was much more squishy and when I added a few more drops of coconut pile it was pasty feeling. She is definitely working on breaking it up. She looks like she is trying to readjust with her neck. When I let her out she ran around as usual and ate. I watched until I saw her poop. I am figuring that if it’s going in and coming out with the lump softening we are making headway.
when you did the surgery- I am assuming you did it at your home? Could you explain a little just in case I find myself in that same position. How long the incision? Did you sew her up?

 

[PurpleCArTires]

This morning I found that Mary still had an impact but was much more squishy and when I added a few more drops of coconut pile it was pasty feeling. She is definitely working on breaking it up. She looks like she is trying to readjust with her neck. When I let her out she ran around as usual and ate. I watched until I saw her poop. I am figuring that if it’s going in and coming out with the lump softening we are making headway.
when you did the surgery- I am assuming you did it at your home? Could you explain a little just in case I find myself in that same position. How long the incision? Did you sew her up?

Try a little ACV in her water too first incase her crop is getting sour and dont feed her for 24 hours. For the surgery i have a board with a nail in both ends i use for caponizing and a surgical kit with sterile blades. I tied her feet to one nail and her wings to the other. She was resting on her side and I plucked and trimmed her feathers. Then i made about an inch insision in the skin (its very thin, so dont cut deep) and slid the skin over, then made an inch insision into the crop. Then i used rib splitters to hold the hole open so I could work. I used blunted tweezers and started gently pulling out the junk. I placed a shallow bowl right under her so it would catch most of the mess.
Once I thought i got it all (took over an hour of pulling it out), i used a needless syringe to squirt filtered water in to the crop and massaged to drain it out; repeatedly until it came out clean. Then I just used cotton sewing thread and only closed the skin (i have since bought disolvable sutures in case it happens again to sew up the crop next time). But since the skin and crop insisions are offset, i wasnt worried. I used iodione to disinfect the area.

I only gave her water/ACV for the next day. Then i was careful to only give her tiny bits of food 5-6 times a day for a few days. Then slowly add a bit of scrambled egg and then after everything was scabbed over and healing nice and her crop emptying fine, she went back out with her sisters.

The surgery sounds intense, but it wasnt bad at all, just took awhile. Red River even fell alseep a few times during the surgery lol. If you google crop surgery there is a great video on youtube (there is a girl holding the bird in that video).

 

[Sally PB]

Thank you for posting about this.

 

[Pabbott]

Thank you for posting about this.

Thank you for all your wisdom!!!

 

[Pabbott]

Try a little ACV in her water too first incase her crop is getting sour and dont feed her for 24 hours. For the surgery i have a board with a nail in both ends i use for caponizing and a surgical kit with sterile blades. I tied her feet to one nail and her wings to the other. She was resting on her side and I plucked and trimmed her feathers. Then i made about an inch insision in the skin (its very thin, so dont cut deep) and slid the skin over, then made an inch insision into the crop. Then i used rib splitters to hold the hole open so I could work. I used blunted tweezers and started gently pulling out the junk. I placed a shallow bowl right under her so it would catch most of the mess.
Once I thought i got it all (took over an hour of pulling it out), i used a needless syringe to squirt filtered water in to the crop and massaged to drain it out; repeatedly until it came out clean. Then I just used cotton sewing thread and only closed the skin (i have since bought disolvable sutures in case it happens again to sew up the crop next time). But since the skin and crop insisions are offset, i wasnt worried. I used iodione to disinfect the area.

I only gave her water/ACV for the next day. Then i was careful to only give her tiny bits of food 5-6 times a day for a few days. Then slowly add a bit of scrambled egg and then after everything was scabbed over and healing nice and her crop emptying fine, she went back out with her sisters.

The surgery sounds intense, but it wasnt bad at all, just took awhile. Red River even fell alseep a few times during the surgery lol. If you google crop surgery there is a great video on youtube (there is a girl holding the bird in that video).

Thanks for sharing! Hope it won’t come to surgery but feel a little more prepared if it does

 

[jjaazzy]

Fantastic, I just don't know if I have the guts to pull this off. I think next time we do a process I might practice what you just said, you know on a bird that is already gone. I will say that these chickens have an amazing ability to heal and survive. Awesome little creatures.

 

[PurpleCArTires]

Fantastic, I just don't know if I have the guts to pull this off. I think next time we do a process I might practice what you just said, you know on a bird that is already gone. I will say that these chickens have an amazing ability to heal and survive. Awesome little creatures.

They really do! I also think they know when you are trying to help. She didnt squirm or anything, she just let me do the procedure. It was like she breathed a sign of relief when I took it out and released that pressure.

 

[Pabbott]

Try a little ACV in her water too first incase her crop is getting sour and dont feed her for 24 hours. For the surgery i have a board with a nail in both ends i use for caponizing and a surgical kit with sterile blades. I tied her feet to one nail and her wings to the other. She was resting on her side and I plucked and trimmed her feathers. Then i made about an inch insision in the skin (its very thin, so dont cut deep) and slid the skin over, then made an inch insision into the crop. Then i used rib splitters to hold the hole open so I could work. I used blunted tweezers and started gently pulling out the junk. I placed a shallow bowl right under her so it would catch most of the mess.
Once I thought i got it all (took over an hour of pulling it out), i used a needless syringe to squirt filtered water in to the crop and massaged to drain it out; repeatedly until it came out clean. Then I just used cotton sewing thread and only closed the skin (i have since bought disolvable sutures in case it happens again to sew up the crop next time). But since the skin and crop insisions are offset, i wasnt worried. I used iodione to disinfect the area.

I only gave her water/ACV for the next day. Then i was careful to only give her tiny bits of food 5-6 times a day for a few days. Then slowly add a bit of scrambled egg and then after everything was scabbed over and healing nice and her crop emptying fine, she went back out with her sisters.

The surgery sounds intense, but it wasnt bad at all, just took awhile. Red River even fell alseep a few times during the surgery lol. If you google crop surgery there is a great video on youtube (there is a girl holding the bird in that video).

Okay been treating Mary every morning with coconut oil with a dropper and messaging crop. It stays the same everyday. She eats great- crop gets really full and she poops all the time. Her water has ACV as well. It seems as though I stress her more than help her. Think since it’s not impeding her speed- I’m gonna let her go and watch her closely.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Thank you for your ideas! I went out and saw her sisters eatting away at the oyster shell like crazy too this morning. So i took it out of their pen. Ill return it in a few days. We have 8 inches of snow right now and maybe they are confused lol.

Luckly none of the other ladies have huge balloon crops but i will be keeping an eye out.

I gave her some coconut oil and she has lots of fresh water. Ill keep massaging her and hope it clears up. Its very hard like rocks in a balloon or a stress ball lol.

Why are they eating oyster shell if they are only five months old? Are they even laying eggs yet?

 

[PurpleCArTires]

Why are they eating oyster shell if they are only five months old? Are they even laying eggs yet?

Why are they eating oyster shell if they are only five months old? Are they even laying eggs yet?

Yes my ladies are laying.