Impacted Crop, like clay, won't vomit

[AuntGigi]

Updating - she's still with us. No poop of substance last night, and she was no longer interested in food. Baby food, cat food, egg, yogurt. Crop was still full, not as stiff, but not sloshy either.

We tubed her Epsom water and dulcolax this morning with baby food - and found out "mixed vegetables" baby food has enough fibers to clog up a feeding tube. What a mess! It pushed out of Shamie and literally sprayed my husband with green.

From what I've read, the Epsom salt should be making her thirsty, but she hasn't been drinking. This evening we switched to 50/50 unflavored pedialyte and water, and dulcolax.

In case anyone wondered, dulcolax tastes absolutely terrible! I have no idea how to give a chicken a pill, so I empty the gelcaps first, but don't expect anyone to willingly eat anything with that mixed in - yuck.

So, tonight we used squash baby food. She had no interest in the food itself and I ended up mixing that with the dulcolax into my pedialyte water and using the feeding tube. Got 25cc into her before she freaked out on my husband and I sprayed this everywhere. It took her a while of shaking her head, sneezing, and some burps while massaging before she seemed comfortable again. Maybe I was syringing too fast, otherwise when the tube slipped out it sprayed around her trachea. Thankfully she seems fine now.

We let her walk around the kitchen and she started pecking a cherry tomato that had fallen on the floor which gave me an idea. I have cucumbers left from the garden, smacked one open and she went after it, making a huge mess, but she was eating! I took her outside to massage her and see her sisters before dark, then let her walk around. She went right for the pellet feeder and ate off the ground (yay! And yay grit!). I grabbed a cup of pellets on our way back in, soaked them, and she's eating again. Thank goodness.

She won't vomit even when full of water, so we're kind of giving up on that.

She's free ranging the kitchen now, pooping and flinging cucumber bits. Hopefully we'll get some productive poo action by morning...

Gina

 

[chickens really]

Updating - she's still with us. No poop of substance last night, and she was no longer interested in food. Baby food, cat food, egg, yogurt. Crop was still full, not as stiff, but not sloshy either.

We tubed her Epsom water and dulcolax this morning with baby food - and found out "mixed vegetables" baby food has enough fibers to clog up a feeding tube. What a mess! It pushed out of Shamie and literally sprayed my husband with green.

From what I've read, the Epsom salt should be making her thirsty, but she hasn't been drinking. This evening we switched to 50/50 unflavored pedialyte and water, and dulcolax.

In case anyone wondered, dulcolax tastes absolutely terrible! I have no idea how to give a chicken a pill, so I empty the gelcaps first, but don't expect anyone to willingly eat anything with that mixed in - yuck.

So, tonight we used squash baby food. She had no interest in the food itself and I ended up mixing that with the dulcolax into my pedialyte water and using the feeding tube. Got 25cc into her before she freaked out on my husband and I sprayed this everywhere. It took her a while of shaking her head, sneezing, and some burps while massaging before she seemed comfortable again. Maybe I was syringing too fast, otherwise when the tube slipped out it sprayed around her trachea. Thankfully she seems fine now.

We let her walk around the kitchen and she started pecking a cherry tomato that had fallen on the floor which gave me an idea. I have cucumbers left from the garden, smacked one open and she went after it, making a huge mess, but she was eating! I took her outside to massage her and see her sisters before dark, then let her walk around. She went right for the pellet feeder and ate off the ground (yay! And yay grit!). I grabbed a cup of pellets on our way back in, soaked them, and she's eating again. Thank goodness.

She won't vomit even when full of water, so we're kind of giving up on that.

She's free ranging the kitchen now, pooping and flinging cucumber bits. Hopefully we'll get some productive poo action by morning...

Gina

Really..? Only give her water till around noon tomorrow....No food....Just water....Flush out her crop, not literally I mean give water the chance to get her going again.......Granite grit only if she will take it? It will clear out her crop. and her gizzard will function.......

 

[AuntGigi]

We went almost 2 days only giving water and stool softener and the second night there wasn't much solid poo at all, just lots of clear liquid. Yesterday she was hungry and snitched a bit of wet cat food, but otherwise we were withholding food. This morning she didn't even have appetite, so I was pretty happy to see her do something on her own.

How do I keep her strength up? She hasn't been drinking on her own. I figured the cucumber is mostly water so it would be ok. I don't know why her crop isn't emptying overnight. Beyond massage, what have you guys had luck with getting the mass broken up and through?

 

[chickens really]

We went almost 2 days only giving water and stool softener and the second night there wasn't much solid poo at all, just lots of clear liquid. Yesterday she was hungry and snitched a bit of wet cat food, but otherwise we were withholding food. This morning she didn't even have appetite, so I was pretty happy to see her do something on her own.

How do I keep her strength up? She hasn't been drinking on her own. I figured the cucumber is mostly water so it would be ok. I don't know why her crop isn't emptying overnight. Beyond massage, what have you guys had luck with getting the mass broken up and through?

Water...Wet her regular feed with water...a bit of cooking oil down her throat or margarine in her wet feed...meaning about a quarter sized lump....Get her walking around to get the poop moving....takes a Chicken 90 minutes to process feed.....

Cheers!

 

[AuntGigi]

Yesterday was uneventful. Her crop was still hard, but we kept going with massage and liquid. About 25cc Epsom water. I was very worried when she wouldn't eat, I took her out to see her sisters mid-day and she made a bee-line for the feeder and ate pellets from the ground. When we came back in, she was cool with the mushy pellets.

After her reaction to the feeder, I brought in an old red base from a broken waterer and filled it. She likes that water way better than the water in the blue dish! So, that might be helpful to someone. I'm going to watch for some little red dishes for the hospital cage.

Massaged throughout the day and let her walk around the kitchen and poop. Some solids both green and pellet colored. 3 doses of the colace/dulcolax. Just putting the capsule in her moth is much easier than I thought, way easier than pilling a cat! She ate cucumber and mushy pellets on and off. 30cc pedialyte water 50/5o) before bed.

This morning her crop wasn't hard! Her breath is still not sour, but I don't want to chance it, so I pushed another 25cc Epsom water and massaged. She wasn't overly hungry but had a small dish of runny oatmeal for me.

I waited 2-3 hours and then took her out to try to get her to vomit. It was rough again, she won't throw up liquid. When the snotty stuff started I just kept going, massaging her crop upward and tipping her down holding her legs and supporting her on my arm. I tried to not hold her ever totally upside down. She started shaking gunk out, and I could see more coming so I kept going, taking a lot of upright breathe time for her, as she had her mouth open sometimes. I tried to keep her nostrils clear. She shook out another tangle of fibery grass. That was newsworthy, the rest was probably oatmeal residue with bits of green.
Her crop still isn't completely empty but I can't feel anything particular in it. She's been gassy when I massage her, and did poop a couple more times.

I hope this latest tangle being out will get this done, I brought in some fresh grit for her as well. She's been very tired and not hungry since the vomiting, but I can't blame her. I'm going to try pushing 25-30cc pedialyte water now and see if she'll perk up and eat a bit before roosting for the night.

Gina

 

[AuntGigi]

We're still fighting. She's pretty much lost her appetite. We keep giving her fluids, then she perks up a little. Gave her pedialyte water in the morning and Epsom water before bed. Nothing much for poo last night.

This morning her crop wasn't hard, but wasn't empty either. I let her walk around on the deck after she smelled her food but didn't eat. She did pop a solidish green lump. Looked like a normal one with the exception of it being green. I gave 30cc of pedialyte this morning after I massaged her crop well. I thought I'd try something a little different. While her crop was full of water and massaged well, I took her outside to vomit her. It's so odd that with all that liquid it took a while for her to throw up. I held her in my left arm and massaged her crop up with my right hand. It didn't pour out like I've seen with other chickens. We went for a rough half hour. I was careful to make sure she was upright often enough that she could breathe.

A little oatmeal from yesterday, random gunk, a few pieces of green grass, maybe a couple pine shavings, and one piece of grit. It smelled more sour than previously, but might just be vomit smell. Just in case, I used 30cc Epsom water after she rested a while after her tough bout of vomiting to make sure she's not going sour. I'll leave her alone now. She's perching on a board in the kitchen now. I have pellets, grit, water, and half a cucumber out for her. If she won't eat, what can I do?

She used to really eat after fluids, but not anymore. She's getting awfully thin . I'm thinking I should stop with the vomiting for the day. After some poops maybe I'll give her a smaller amount of pedialyte water again, since the Epsom can dehydrate, but is supposed to keep her crop from going sour. Poor girl. I'll maybe take her on a walk to see her sisters later to try to boost her spirits.

I've got another girl outside who isn't eating well, and another who is limping like she might have broken a toe. She had bumblefoot surgery a couple weeks ago. Can't handle all these girls getting sick

 

[chickens really]

We're still fighting. She's pretty much lost her appetite. We keep giving her fluids, then she perks up a little. Gave her pedialyte water in the morning and Epsom water before bed. Nothing much for poo last night.

This morning her crop wasn't hard, but wasn't empty either. I let her walk around on the deck after she smelled her food but didn't eat. She did pop a solidish green lump. Looked like a normal one with the exception of it being green. I gave 30cc of pedialyte this morning after I massaged her crop well. I thought I'd try something a little different. While her crop was full of water and massaged well, I took her outside to vomit her. It's so odd that with all that liquid it took a while for her to throw up. I held her in my left arm and massaged her crop up with my right hand. It didn't pour out like I've seen with other chickens. We went for a rough half hour. I was careful to make sure she was upright often enough that she could breathe.

A little oatmeal from yesterday, random gunk, a few pieces of green grass, maybe a couple pine shavings, and one piece of grit. It smelled more sour than previously, but might just be vomit smell. Just in case, I used 30cc Epsom water after she rested a while after her tough bout of vomiting to make sure she's not going sour. I'll leave her alone now. She's perching on a board in the kitchen now. I have pellets, grit, water, and half a cucumber out for her. If she won't eat, what can I do?

She used to really eat after fluids, but not anymore. She's getting awfully thin

. I'm thinking I should stop with the vomiting for the day. After some poops maybe I'll give her a smaller amount of pedialyte water again, since the Epsom can dehydrate, but is supposed to keep her crop from going sour. Poor girl.

I'll maybe take her on a walk to see her sisters later to try to boost her spirits.

I've got another girl outside who isn't eating well, and another who is limping like she might have broken a toe. She had bumblefoot surgery a couple weeks ago. Can't handle all these girls getting sick

Try this....Zero feed for about 24 hours...Give grit or have it out and just start with fresh water....No more additives..

Cheers!

 

[AuntGigi]

Well, after 11 days of ups and downs, she died yesterday. I spoke to a poultry vet late last week via phone and he said we were doing well, but she was probably sore and swollen inside so to stop massaging so much, and be very gentle. She had a couple good days, even flew up onto the kitchen counter! I stopped the Epsom and added vegetable oil and yogurt at the vet's advice.

Also I put her pellets in the blender and sprayed the powder with water as the vet instructed. He said he has very good luck with that, and we did too. She that well, and polished off an entire cucumber. She still wasn't drinking, but we lowered her water to 10cc at a time. Friday morning she hadn't pooped all night, so I called the vet back. He likened it to after a colonoscopy- we had flushed her intestines completely with the dulcolax and Epsom water, and she needed to get her digestion going again. She finally went about 3 pm, dry and like coarse sawdust. I gave her water to help with hydration, and gave her yogurt and oil again. We took a walk outside and she pecked a few pellets off the driveway, I thought she was on the mend.

Saturday morning she again hadn't pooped and was lethargic. I gave her water, but she wouldn't eat and just stood in the corner. I sensed she was giving up. barely ate anything. Sunday her head was tucked in and she didn't want to stand, just sat. I put her on a low board in the hospital cage and she just rested. Yesterday she wouldn't stand at all, and died about noon I sure wish I knew what was wrong. I really miss her.

Best of luck to everyone.

Gina

 

[rebrascora]

So sorry to hear she didn't make it.

You really couldn't have done more to help her.

The only way to find out for sure what she died of, is to send her off for a necropsy.

Wishing you well with the rest of your flock.

Regards

Barbara

 

[casportpony]

Well, after 11 days of ups and downs, she died yesterday.

I spoke to a poultry vet late last week via phone and he said we were doing well, but she was probably sore and swollen inside so to stop massaging so much, and be very gentle. She had a couple good days, even flew up onto the kitchen counter! I stopped the Epsom and added vegetable oil and yogurt at the vet's advice.

Also I put her pellets in the blender and sprayed the powder with water as the vet instructed. He said he has very good luck with that, and we did too. She that well, and polished off an entire cucumber. She still wasn't drinking, but we lowered her water to 10cc at a time. Friday morning she hadn't pooped all night, so I called the vet back. He likened it to after a colonoscopy- we had flushed her intestines completely with the dulcolax and Epsom water, and she needed to get her digestion going again. She finally went about 3 pm, dry and like coarse sawdust. I gave her water to help with hydration, and gave her yogurt and oil again. We took a walk outside and she pecked a few pellets off the driveway, I thought she was on the mend.

Saturday morning she again hadn't pooped and was lethargic. I gave her water, but she wouldn't eat and just stood in the corner. I sensed she was giving up.

barely ate anything. Sunday her head was tucked in and she didn't want to stand, just sat. I put her on a low board in the hospital cage and she just rested. Yesterday she wouldn't stand at all, and died about noon

I sure wish I knew what was wrong. I really miss her.

Best of luck to everyone.

Gina

Sorry for your loss.

Are you able to send her off for a necropsy or do one yourself?


-Kathy