As little history:
Our RIR, Lucy (2 years old), has always been "top heavy". My husband has said she was like a school lunch lady.
She's never been one to let you pick her up without squawking, so she hasn't been held as much as our buff orp. She's also been one to have a dirty bottom. We gave her a bath last summer, but this fall it was looking like she needed another bath. In early December we had a case of fowl pox go through our little flock. Everyone seemed to be doing "ok", but Lucy seemed to be "sleepy" a lot. Although she was actively going about her chicken business with the others in the run/yard, she didn't seem to be bouncing back. After being gone a week at Christmas, I decided to give her a bath while we had some warm weather (this past Monday, 1/2). After giving her the bath & blow-drying her I decided to keep her in the house so she was thoroughly dry before going back outside. While giving her the bath & drying her I noticed her crop was really large & firm--2 golf ball sized. The next day she was the same, so I started doing research & am pretty sure she has an impacted crop. She's staying in a large dog crate in the house & we have been giving her mineral oil, massages, etc. This hasn't seemed to make any difference. She doesn't seem to be in distress & pretty much acts like herself except for being sleepy. The fowl pox is getting better & the spots are slowly going away (everyone else looks fine & are starting to finally lay eggs again). She may have had an impacted crop for a long time...hence the top heavy look. I love her dearly, but can't afford to spend hundreds of dollars with a vet and am not up to performing crop surgery by myself (yet). After doing more searching on the board this morning I found some posts on feeding live maggots and was intriqued by this.
Do they have to be the smaller maggots (or spikes), or can you feed waxworms with the same benefit? I've called every live bait place locally & no one carries "maggots", but have found them online. Several places locally carry the waxworms & I'm ready to buy them if it will help. Anyone else with experience, please chime in!
Does anyone know what the pills used for crop impaction contain? After seeing a few posts with success I'm intriqued by these as well. However, I don't care to buy these pills if they are only mineral oil. The websites don't contain much info.
Everyone on the board has alway been so helpful and I appreciate input from those with more experience. Thanks!
Our RIR, Lucy (2 years old), has always been "top heavy". My husband has said she was like a school lunch lady.
Do they have to be the smaller maggots (or spikes), or can you feed waxworms with the same benefit? I've called every live bait place locally & no one carries "maggots", but have found them online. Several places locally carry the waxworms & I'm ready to buy them if it will help. Anyone else with experience, please chime in!
Does anyone know what the pills used for crop impaction contain? After seeing a few posts with success I'm intriqued by these as well. However, I don't care to buy these pills if they are only mineral oil. The websites don't contain much info.
Everyone on the board has alway been so helpful and I appreciate input from those with more experience. Thanks!
