Impacted crop - Is it too late to save her?

[PoultryPeace]

I have been too busy and assumed one of my girls had water belly (2yrs) Diarrhea, watery. Lethargy. She stopped wanting food and just drank water. Then she would spit a bit up. Brought her inside and gave her only a healthy gruel and nutrients and vitamin E and knew she would not make it. From my experience. But I should’ve realize some of the symptoms are the same but only in the beginning. Didn’t handle her the last two days.Today her squishy crop is hard and she hasn’t eaten in several days. May not be drinking today either. I regret We could have treated if I had diagnosed it earlier/correctly. She’s very thin and weak. Chest bone very prominent. Today sleeping a lot. When I pick her up she opens her eyes and looks around but goes back to sleep. But even a few days ago she was more active and eating yogurt. If her crop could be surgically emptied is she too weak to survive the process is it too late? Pretty sure I know the answer after seven years of chicken ownership (I’ve certainly had some losses) but I didn’t want to totally give up until I received some wisdom from this forum. Thank you.

 

[Eggcessive]

Have you seen any enlargement, sponginess, or tightness in her lower belly between her legs that made you think of water belly (ascites?) Reproductive disorders, infections, and cancer can be common causes of crop disorders due to pressure in the abdomen slowing digestion. With a crop problem, water is needed to help move the crop contents along. Using a feeding tube to give water into the crop could be useful if she is not taking enough. Refrigerated coconut oil cut into slivers is sometimes helpful with a crop impaction. A sour crop may require antifungal medicines such as monistat cream, clotrimazole cream, Nystatin, or Fluconazole. Here are 2 good articles on crop treatments:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

 

[PoultryPeace]

As an caregiver and sandwich generation mama, I just let a proper analysis slide. Even though I hadn’t experienced impacted crop before. It’s so obvious now. Still makes me wonder how I missed it. Brain drain and stress ...

However, this is not my first rodeo and seven years of chickens has balanced my tender tendencies with a certain level of pragmatism. I forgive myself. And I will be more knowledgeable going forward.

TD, short for Turtle Dove as she’s a pure white americana, is peacefully heading towards the great chicken pasture in the sky.

Thank you Lord for the blessings of each of our birds.

 

[Eggcessive]

Please don’t beat yourself up and assume that you could have cured her if you had recognized her crop problem earlier. Crop disorders are usually a secondary problem related to some other affliction. I never had a crop disorder the first 5 years I had chickens, but all of the ones I have seen afterward eventually died with treatment, and were due to either cancer, fatty liver disease, ascites, or egg yolk peritonitis.

 

[Soy Milano]

If it were me, I would take my advise from a veterinarian rather than a forum of chicken owners. Here is a directory of vets who see chickens - http://www.poultrydvm.com/poultry-vets.php

 

[Abriana]

If it were me, I would take my advise from a veterinarian rather than a forum of chicken owners. Here is a directory of vets who see chickens - http://www.poultrydvm.com/poultry-vets.php

Often personal experience can even be better than a vet’s opinion. I’m sure some vets have kept chickens and know them well, but lots of people on this forum have been keeping birds their whole life and know what they’re doing. I can speak from personal experience, I had a hen with issues and took her to a vet, but ultimately it was the advice I received on here that saved her life (vet simply showed me how to administer treatment).

 

[PoultryPeace]

Thank you for your replies, folks. It’s appreciated. You are kind, Abriana. I just eye-rolled and questioned ‘why be on the forum then?’ Incidentally, I have a chicken vet here which we’ve used several times, but I go to this forum first for knowledge and wisdom. Because it’s the folks who often have the answers - bred from experience.