Impacted crop surgery outcome - good or bad?

[BriskRooster]

I've done two, both successful. I didn't use superglue though, so I can't comment on the white skin. I'm wondering it the glue has discolored the skin. I'm not familiar with what you sanitized the bird with either. I just used alcohol or something like that. I'd just keep an eye on it. Hopefully, it's not dead skin.

The most important thing when doing this, besides sanitary conditions, is where you make the cut into the crop. It must be at the top of the crop. Not in the middle, not at the bottom. That way, liquids won't leak out. I'm not sure if you used superglue on just the skin or the crop also. You do not have to stitch the crop muscle if you cut near the top. It will heal and close on it's own. Just the outer skin needs stitching or glueing. If you do stitch, make sure you get them out in about five days. I used sterilized fishing line. One other thing you need to do after closing her up, is gently move the skin in a circular motion a few times a day for a few days. I read that this will prevent the skin from adhering to the crop wound.
Another important thing to do is withhold food and water for the first 24 hours. Food for sure, water, just give a little bit to her a few times a day. You do not want her filling her crop up with water, so just provide a little bit at a time for the first 24 hours. She won't dehydrate, so best not to give too much. When you do start feeding her, make sure it is very soft food, like baby food for the first few days. Also, not too much at a time. You will have to feed the bird often, but in small amounts for the first few days. You want to give the muscle a chance to start healing.
Keep an eye on those strips you put on. I had a bird eat one I put on. It was eating anything it could get ahold of,, so don't put it on shavings, straw, paper or anything like that. I had it in a dog crate on a plastic tray because it also shredded the newspaper and was eating that!
If you have any antibiotics you can give it, do it to help prevent infection. Pen G would work. You are going to see some ugly colors come up on the bird in the next few days (bruising), so don't be alarmed. Just watch for infection and keep her in a sanitary enviroment. She should be ready to go back with flock in about a week. Make sure she is eating regular before you put her back and she doesn't have access to whatever she stuffed her crop with. I had one go back and bind it's crop again. It's usually the ones at the bottom of the pecking order that end up crop bound because they are eating the trash in the pen instead of visiting the feeders. More feeders usually take care of that.

Thank you for your response at the time we made the cut it was to the upper right of the crop, but after removing the contents which made it softball size, it is close to center middle of the crop, so what do you suggest we do since its in the middle of the crop? does it need internal gluing? or even know its in the middle will the mussel part heal anyway?

yes she is the bottom of the order as you suspected.

 

[BriskRooster]

No internal stitches, no internal super glue! If you made the cut near the top, you shouldn't experience leaking. Don't feed during first 24 hours and very little or no water. Don't stitch the skin to the crop! If you have to do internal stitches on the crop, I would guess it would have to be the stitches that absorb like vets and doctors use. Shouldn't have to use them unless you opened the bird up too low.
After 24 hours, very small liquid feedings, like baby food, rice cereal, or runny mash (although I would skip that for a few days), but you will have to feed every few hours. The bird is going to be very hungry because it is used to having a huge full crop! Have to let that crop shrink back to normal size. Small feedings, but often.

Btw, this is just my knowledge from my experience. I'm not a doc or anything like that, so take it for what it's worth.

What is better than experience? lol thank you i wont feed her till tomorrow then it'll be yogurt and applesauce and other soft things.... thanks!

 

[BriskRooster]

Oh, you are seeing white under her skin? White from the crop muscle? Well, I do remember (its been a few years) when I was pulling stuff out of the crop with the tweezers, some of the lumps were so big, pulling them through the small incision did tend to turn the inner crop, out. It did look kind of white. The crop is like a thick rubber muscle. Anyway, I do remember seeing white fleshy stuff where I cut into the crop. So, it may be normal what you see. I'm just surprised you can see it through the skin. Maybe I just didn't notice mine so much.

I mean i am seeing the whole external patch of skin (the skin feathers grow off) on the outside of the breast where the gullet protrudes from, white, soft and slightly inflamed, but i also have seen the white of the very inside of the crop like you too, probably like some kind of fatty lining... thanks for all the experiences you've had, I'll read all this again.

so lets make it simple, from you experiences if i leave the outside superglued and the inside crop "bag" lose, even know its in the middle of the crop, it will heal? or does the crop mussel need the incision to be closed? using superglue or otherwise?

Thanks i really do appreciate your comments.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Thank you for your response at the time we made the cut it was to the upper right of the crop, but after removing the contents which made it softball size, it is close to center middle of the crop, so what do you suggest we do since its in the middle of the crop? does it need internal gluing? or even know its in the middle will the mussel part heal anyway?

yes she is the bottom of the order as you suspected.

Don't glue the crop muscle, just close the outer skin. If the glue is holding the outer skin together, then it should be ok. Just move it around gently like my previous post said. The location of the crop incision should be ok, as long as you don't overwater or overfeed the bird (fill the crop up) while that is healing. As long as the incision is not sitting at the bottom, it should be able to heal. That's why it's important to feed small meals that are easy to digest and feed the bird often since you can't fill up it's crop. Hopefully, someone is able to be home with the bird because it does need care every few hours. Don't need to sleep with it though!
I would get some baby food. The veggies, and maybe some meat based ones for good protein or use soft scramble egg bits. The baby rice cereal is good too. The bird is going to be constantly hungry, so make sure your small meals are quality. Maybe by day four or five you can start back on a chicken feed mash. Just have to give that crop time to close up and start healing.

 

[MrsBachbach]

I mean i am seeing the whole external patch of skin (the skin feathers grow off) on the outside of the breast where the gullet protrudes from, white, soft and slightly inflamed, but i also have seen the white of the very inside of the crop like you too, probably like some kind of fatty lining... thanks for all the experiences you've had, I'll read all this again.

so lets make it simple, from you experiences if i leave the outside superglued and the inside crop "bag" lose, even know its in the middle of the crop, it will heal? or does the crop mussel need the incision to be closed? using superglue or otherwise?

Thanks i really do appreciate your comments.

Hmm...well, I don't know why the outer skin would be white unless the glue did something to it. I guess you will just have to monitor it. I hope it isn't dead skin.

Yes, the inner crop muscle will heal on it's own, shouldn't need gluing or stitching. If your incision wasn't too large, it shouldn't take too long. It's like an elastic bag that will shrink and close up on its own if you don't stretch it out filling it with food. If I remember correctly, it was maybe day five when I started feeding my bird a bit more food than it had been getting at one feeding. The key is small feedings, but often, so as not to stretch out the crop or fill it with food up to the incision point. You can gradually increase feedings as days pass but wait for a few days before starting that. And it should be soft for at least a week so as not to work the crop muscle too hard, so avoid pellets if that is what you feed them. By seven to ten days, crop should be healed enough to put bird back with others.
Btw, for the first few days don't leave a lot of water in its dish. Give it a little water in it's cup when you go to feed it. I have seen the birds drink the whole cup of water and it would leak out of the crop! So, as with the food, so with the water because they can fill their crop up with the water too!

 

[BriskRooster]

Don't glue the crop muscle, just close the outer skin. If the glue is holding the outer skin together, then it should be ok. Just move it around gently like my previous post said. The location of the crop incision should be ok, as long as you don't overwater or overfeed the bird (fill the crop up) while that is healing. As long as the incision is not sitting at the bottom, it should be able to heal. That's why it's important to feed small meals that are easy to digest and feed the bird often since you can't fill up it's crop. Hopefully, someone is able to be home with the bird because it does need care every few hours. Don't need to sleep with it though!
I would get some baby food. The veggies, and maybe some meat based ones for good protein or use soft scramble egg bits. The baby rice cereal is good too. The bird is going to be constantly hungry, so make sure your small meals are quality. Maybe by day four or five you can start back on a chicken feed mash. Just have to give that crop time to close up and start healing.

Thanks one of us is always home to care for kip i understand the reason for frequent small meals...... we have made a muesli yogurt fruit and honey food puree, its delicious! we'll start feeding her it tomorrow.

 

[BriskRooster]

Hmm...well, I don't know why the outer skin would be white unless the glue did something to it. I guess you will just have to monitor it. I hope it isn't dead skin.

Yes, the inner crop muscle will heal on it's own, shouldn't need gluing or stitching. If your incision wasn't too large, it shouldn't take too long. It's like an elastic bag that will shrink and close up on its own if you don't stretch it out filling it with food. If I remember correctly, it was maybe day five when I started feeding my bird a bit more food than it had been getting at one feeding. The key is small feedings, but often, so as not to stretch out the crop or fill it with food up to the incision point. You can gradually increase feedings as days pass but wait for a few days before starting that. And it should be soft for at least a week so as not to work the crop muscle too hard, so avoid pellets if that is what you feed them. By seven to ten days, crop should be healed enough to put bird back with others.
Btw, for the first few days don't leave a lot of water in its dish. Give it a little water in it's cup when you go to feed it. I have seen the birds drink the whole cup of water and it would leak out of the crop! So, as with the food, so with the water because they can fill their crop up with the water too!

thanks, we feed them a organic seed mixture called "coffiee" (everything they eat is organic). she's not looking to good sadly, shes standing there with her head sitting in her feathers and doesn't look at you when you check on her.... is there anything that would give her a boost? some kind of food?

Thanks.

 

[BriskRooster]

thanks, we feed them a organic seed mixture called "coffiee" (everything they eat is organic). she's not looking to good sadly, shes standing there with her head sitting in her feathers and doesn't look at you when you check on her.... is there anything that would give her a boost? some kind of food?

Thanks.

would interaction or other chickens nearby help?

 

[MrsBachbach]

thanks, we feed them a organic seed mixture called "coffiee" (everything they eat is organic). she's not looking to good sadly, shes standing there with her head sitting in her feathers and doesn't look at you when you check on her.... is there anything that would give her a boost? some kind of food?

Thanks.

No, I would wait on the food. Maybe a little bit of honey water would give her a perk. She likely is feeling some pain. I wouldn't put her with other chickens either. She knows she is not 100% and chickens try to hide their injuries from other chickens so it could just add stress to her right now. Just keep her in a warm quiet place and start introducing food after the 24 hours. If you feed organic then I assume you are not going to try any antibiotics on her. If there is anything natural out there to prevent infection, I would sure start giving it to her. What about a tiny bit of oil of oregano? I have read that is a natural antibiotic. I don't think it taste too good, so may have to put a drop in something and dose her.

 

[BriskRooster]

No, I would wait on the food. Maybe a little bit of honey water would give her a perk. She likely is feeling some pain. I wouldn't put her with other chickens either. She knows she is not 100% and chickens try to hide their injuries from other chickens so it could just add stress to her right now. Just keep her in a warm quiet place and start introducing food after the 24 hours. If you feed organic then I assume you are not going to try any antibiotics on her. If there is anything natural out there to prevent infection, I would sure start giving it to her. What about a tiny bit of oil of oregano? I have read that is a natural antibiotic. I don't think it taste too good, so may have to put a drop in something and dose her.

thanks, i am open to any antibiotics, if it means saving her, what would be the point of "natural or die"?
yes i might try oregano oil we likely have that here somewhere.... would hydrogen peroxide be a good eatable antibacterial? (highly diluted of course) hydrogenperoxide provides more oxygen to the blood, also kills bacteria, but i don't think I'll try that on her since she seems weak....

Thanks, I'll try oregano oil and honey, a boost and a disinfectant.