Impacted crop?

[Sequel]

When you say “pop the gel cap into her beak” do you mean make her swallow the pill or pop out the liquid in her mouth?

The generic stool softener I got for my chickens says Docusate Sodium on it. Is that the correct one @azygous? They are little softgels. Chickens can easily swallow them. Only time in my life I ever bought stool softeners. Chickens are easy they said! No more trouble than a cat or a dog they said!

 

[azygous]

The generic stool softener I got for my chickens says Docusate Sodium on it. Is that the correct one @azygous? They are little softgels. Chickens can easily swallow them. Only time in my life I ever bought stool softeners. Chickens are easy they said! No more trouble than a cat or a dog they said!

Yes, that's what I use. On my impacted crops. I mean, my chickens' impacted crops.

I hear ya! I have more pharmaceuticals and first aid supplies for my chickens than I do for myself!

 

[azygous]

When you say “pop the gel cap into her beak” do you mean make her swallow the pill or pop out the liquid in her mouth?

Pop the entire pill into the beak. Chickens are quite able to swallow tiny pills, medium size pills, large pills, whole mice, and half my sandwich.

 

[Cryss]

Pop the entire pill into the beak. Chickens are quite able to swallow tiny pills, medium size pills, large pills, whole mice, and half my sandwich.

 

[TwoCrows]

Sorry your bird is having difficulty in the crop. From your description, it does not sound impacted to me, but doughy. A doughy crop is a type of yeast infection. A doughy crop will be very hard first thing in the morning because the yeast have soaked up all the liquids in the crop. If you hydrate the crop, it will be come soft and doughy like, as if you could knead it like bread. An impacted crop stays hard no matter how much liquid is added.

So all this said, you might get her started on Acidified Copper Sulfate. Do not use any old Copper Sulfate but those labeled for Poultry only. You can get this stuff at Twin Cities Poultry. They ship everything priority mail within 24 hours of ordering... https://www.twincitypoultrysupplies.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=340

It is mixed 1/4 teaspoon Copper per gallon of water. You can mix up a gallon and work off this for a couple of days. Give her a fresh mix every day for 7 days. After treatment she will need probiotics for several days to replace all the good bacteria and digestive yeasts.

If she is not separated, you can if you wish, dose the entire flock. Copper Sulfate is not an antibiotic, it is used in all animal feeds as a source of Copper. However in this case, you are going to give them more which will kill off all yeasts and other nasties in the crop and intestines.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[The Phantom]

Pop the entire pill into the beak. Chickens are quite able to swallow tiny pills, medium size pills, large pills, whole mice, and half my sandwich.

Ok. Lol

 

[The Phantom]

Sorry your bird is having difficulty in the crop. From your description, it does not sound impacted to me, but doughy. A doughy crop is a type of yeast infection. A doughy crop will be very hard first thing in the morning because the yeast have soaked up all the liquids in the crop. If you hydrate the crop, it will be come soft and doughy like, as if you could knead it like bread. An impacted crop stays hard no matter how much liquid is added.

So all this said, you might get her started on Acidified Copper Sulfate. Do not use any old Copper Sulfate but those labeled for Poultry only. You can get this stuff at Twin Cities Poultry. They ship everything priority mail within 24 hours of ordering... https://www.twincitypoultrysupplies.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=340

It is mixed 1/4 teaspoon Copper per gallon of water. You can mix up a gallon and work off this for a couple of days. Give her a fresh mix every day for 7 days. After treatment she will need probiotics for several days to replace all the good bacteria and digestive yeasts.

If she is not separated, you can if you wish, dose the entire flock. Copper Sulfate is not an antibiotic, it is used in all animal feeds as a source of Copper. However in this case, you are going to give them more which will kill off all yeasts and other nasties in the crop and intestines.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Yeah it’s sorta like mashed potatoes with seeds in it. Is there any other copper stuff i could get at like a Walmart? Idk if she will last 2 days. What if I were to surgically empty her crop?

 

[TwoCrows]

Yeah it’s sorta like mashed potatoes with seeds in it. Is there any other copper stuff i could get at like a Walmart? Idk if she will last 2 days. What if I were to surgically empty her crop?

Yes, this mashed potatoes feeling in a type of doughy yeast. Similar to sour crop, but unlike sour crops where the yeast remain liquidy, with a doughy crop the yeast attach themselves to the tissue inside the lining of the crop. You can not surgically remove this stuff, it must be killed off with an antifungal medication.

Walmart does not have what you need, although Tractor Supply night have Acidified Copper Sulfate. Remember, only get that which is approved for poultry. Copper Sulfate can be used in other applications and you don't want to use this sort of thing, only stuff for poultry.

How long has she had this doughy crop? Eventually the yeast will kill her, however generally they wither away for months on end as the yeast eat the birds food. Takes a while before the yeast has that much power to kill them.

 

[TwoCrows]

Although she may have something else going on to which this yeast infection is secondary. Liver disease is classic to cause yeast infections.

 

[The Phantom]

Thanks for all your help. But sadly she passed this afternoon.
I will be doing a necropsy soon. I’ll post some pics.