Impacted Crop that won’t improve!!

[scalci]

Hi,

My Martha is roughly 6.5-7 years old (I’ve had her for 6 years). Over the last few weeks I’ve noticed her crop has been huge. But didn’t think anything of it. Recently when researching some other topics I came across info on an impacted crop and it got me thinking. I decided to quarantine Martha after inspecting her crop and found that it was about the size of a grapefruit and rock hard!! I almost passed on feeling just how distended it was. I’ve been giving her olive oil and massaging her crop almost daily and it has only gone down a small amount. I am extremely worried!! I read that I shouldn’t be feeding her but she’s already scrawny enough and it’s been about a week of this. So I have been giving her yogurt and mash rather than pellets. I don’t know what else it could be other than an impacted crop. She still has a big appetite and plenty of energy. She’s really not acting any different than usual. But she’s had this very enlarged crop for probably at least 3 weeks now. I’m not sure what to do!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

She’s really not acting any different than usual. But she’s had this very enlarged crop for probably at least 3 weeks now. I’m not sure what to do!

She would be acting VERY different if it were impacted crop and have NO appetite. Can you check for crop size in the morning BEFORE access to food and water? If you feel it after she's eaten, it may feel the same every day. But it should be flatter and more empty by morning, if they are without added light and feed at night.

Does she still lay eggs? How do droppings look? Post pics of her and droppings if you want.

 

[scalci]

She would be acting VERY different if it were impacted crop and have NO appetite. Can you check for crop size in the morning BEFORE access to food and water? If you feel it after she's eaten, it may feel the same every day. But it should be flatter and more empty by morning, if they are without added light and feed at night.

Does she still lay eggs? How do droppings look? Post pics of her and droppings if you want.

Yes I have been feeling it in the morning. It is always exactly the same, other than a possible small decrease in size a few days ago, it has remained the same size and same hardness. And no she hadn’t laid in over a year. She definitely isn’t pooping as often as normal and I haven’t noticed anything unusual in the appearance, unfortunately, she is outside in her own coop and I haven’t been able to get the best look at them since the droppings have all been in the dirt (the weather has been in the 90s so none of my girls have been sleeping inside the actual coop, they have all been roosting on their outdoor perches. Her appetite seems to be a little less the last 2 days. She hasn’t been interested in the small amounts of yogurt like she had been the first few days.

 

[scalci]

It’s hard to get a clear picture that shows how enlarged she is. My hand almost fits around it. Originally I wasn’t able to even get my hand around all of the mass, now I can fit almost all of it in my hand. Her skin seems very stretched out and on one side of the mass was very very dry and flaky.

 

[coach723]

This is a long article, lots of information, that I think would help you maybe narrow it down. There are multiple possible reasons for a full crop that isn't moving or is impacted, narrowing it down can take some time.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

 

[scalci]

This is a long article, lots of information, that I think would help you maybe narrow it down. There are multiple possible reasons for a full crop that isn't moving or is impacted, narrowing it down can take some time.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

Thanks,
I read most of this the other day, I still wasn’t able to determine what else could be the issue, but I looked at the different options to solve different crop issues today. I am thinking of trying the stool softener method and seeing if that gets me anywhere (I made sure I got the correct one and not the laxative/stimulant). I should also do another round of worming all the girls while I’m at it just to be sure everyone is healthy.

 

[kissezmychicken]

Just be careful feeding her, she could get sour on top of the mass.. Id be concerned and either use the stool softener or keep on massaging.. I had a vet do surgery on my barred and she died.. Just be careful feeding her..

 

[AmyJane725]

Just be careful feeding her, she could get sour on top of the mass.. Id be concerned and either use the stool softener or keep on massaging.. I had a vet do surgery on my barred and she died.. Just be careful feeding her..

Did she die from the surgery, or in spite of it?

 

[BrahmaGirl2018]

Dealing with impacted/sour crop now. Curious as to how your girls is doing now. Can you update?

 

[scalci]

Dealing with impacted/sour crop now. Curious as to how your girls is doing now. Can you update?

She hasn’t really improved. I’ve been feeding her wet mash once a day and applesauce once a week. There was bruising on her skin after I did a massage every day for 5 days, that has improved by a lot, I think she may just be sensitive since she’s old and sick. Her behavior is a little less active than usual, but she still is acting fairly normal. The mass is about the same size, maybe a little smaller. I haven’t done any stool softener in about a week because it’s been in the 90s and I’ve been afraid to dehydrate her too much.

I did find that she was severely infested with mites and lice, I dusted her with DE but that helped only a little. I’ll be doing an intense treatment of both coops and all 4 birds today. At some point this weekend I may try the stool softener again.

I’ve also been giving her digestion probiotics in her water and mash a few times per week.