Impacted crop, molt and solid or liquid diet?

[Ry123]

Hi everyone I have a hen that has been going through an impactation for the past week or 2 and she has been on a liquid diet for the past 4 days. She is acting like normal but still has a small impact action in her crop about the size of penny. Should I start giving her normal feed or should I continue with the liquid diet? This was her poop when the impactation was bigger ( white poop) and one where her impactation is about the size of a penny (brown poop).

 

[Debbie292d]

I would go back to feeding her, just her regular layer feed and perhaps a treat of scrambled eggs.

I would also get some type of probiotics for her water or yogurt so what may be left in her crop doesn't turn into sour crop. That may also help move the rest along.

 

[Ry123]

I would go back to feeding her, just her regular layer feed and perhaps a treat of scrambled eggs.

I would also get some type of probiotics for her water or yogurt so what may be left in her crop doesn't turn into sour crop. That may also help move the rest along.

Hi I think she may have wood chips causing her impacted crop. Can they digest wood chips? Would having normal food make this harder for her digest or help move it along? i have started providing her normal feed.

 

[Debbie292d]

The vast majority of folks use wood chips/shavings and chickens may or may not have eaten one or part of one before realizing that's not food. That said, I'd doubt she'd have more than a bit of it in her crop. We use horse bedding pellets in the coops and brooders and there will always be someone that says their chickens eat those, but in reality, they may try one and realize it's yucky. This is why I suggested probiotics though as whatever it is could sour in her crop.

Does she free range or have access to grit?

Their food is highly digestible so if her crop is say 75% clear, this feed should pass through as normal. Check her crop before bed and then again in the morning before she eats as that will tell you.

 

[Ry123]

The vast majority of folks use wood chips/shavings and chickens may or may not have eaten one or part of one before realizing that's not food. That said, I'd doubt she'd have more than a bit of it in her crop. We use horse bedding pellets in the coops and brooders and there will always be someone that says their chickens eat those, but in reality, they may try one and realize it's yucky. This is why I suggested probiotics though as whatever it is could sour in her crop.

Does she free range or have access to grit?

Their food is highly digestible so if her crop is say 75% clear, this feed should pass through as normal. Check her crop before bed and then again in the morning before she eats as that will tell you.

she is in a enclosed run and does have access to grit I provide her grit within her food and have a small little bowl of it for her to peck at. Okay thank you so much for the help! I will let you know if there are any questions I have.

 

[Debbie292d]

she is in a enclosed run and does have access to grit I provide her grit within her food and have a small little bowl of it for her to peck at. Okay thank you so much for the help! I will let you know if there are any questions I have.

Maybe don't put the grit in her feed, but put a pile of it where she can take some when she wants to? It's kind of same as oyster shells, they know when they need them, so we keep them in a separate bowl so none get too much.

They do need grit, I just wonder if she could be getting too much. Yet, I have chicks in a pen outside with two mother hens, and it seems that all they ever eat is dirt instead of their food!

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Agreed never mix their feed with grit always let them have free choice access. Too much grit can also cause impaction. I also agree with feeding her her regular food now. She needs her system to be running and if she isn’t eating enough it will slow down causing even more problems. Feeding solely liquids should only be done for very short periods only when necessary.

 

[Ry123]

Thank you for the input!!

 

[Ry123]

Hi guys her impactation is even bigger now. I'm unsure on what to do.