Impacted crop

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

I bought the proper stool softener how much do I give her?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Hope she is getting better. I know what questions to ask, but I don't know the answers. I see you are getting help from @Mimi13 who has experience with this, so I shall take the role of interested observer. Good luck with her!

 

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

Hope she is getting better. I know what questions to ask, but I don't know the answers. I see you are getting help from @Mimi13 who has experience with this, so I shall take the role of interested observer. Good luck with her!

Thank you! I gave her a lot of oil last night and it has softened but still didn’t have much luck getting it up so I gave her the molasses and stool softener. Hoping this should let me clear her up!

 

[Mimi13]

I’m sorry I’ve been away. Yes, definitely provide her with water, food and grit. Scrambled eggs and feed. In addition to all the things you give her, oil, molasses, stool softener, etc. you will need to massage the hound out of her crop. At this point, do not be concerned about the possibility of a blockage further down (as I was). Only work on what you know - an impacted crop. I was too easily worrying about the ‘what if’s’ of on down the road. Don’t do what I did.

Any extra time you can find just sit and massage her crop. It’s best if you have a visual in your mind of her digestive track. Look at this picture.

This picture was taken from NutrinaWorld.com, the Poultry Digestive System page. I don’t think this is the best picture because it is showing the tube leaving the crop to be a little high. Nonetheless, when you massage, make upward movements from the bottom, as if you are trying to guide the crop contents up and into the tube leading to her ‘stomach’ (the proventriculus). Her food gets a good ‘acid wash’ in this organ preparing it for digestion before heading to her gizzard, the ventriculus.

Don’t be afraid to get in there and use a little pressure to start the movement of the impaction. It would be beneficial to always precede the massage with oil. In the thread I recommended you read last night, my girl was not eating the chilled oil and I had to tube most of the oil down her esophagus, along with water, if I remember correctly. I need to go back and read it again.

I believe my biggest mistake was not giving her grit in the very beginning. I didn’t because I thought her crop was already full of grit. But, it doesn’t matter what you think is in there, give her grit anyway.

My hen did not have any sour smell either, but I still gave her the monistat cream. It will keep her from developing yeast in her crop, which right now is a ripe environment for it. But continue and finish out the entire treatment of you start it.

Again, massage and massage and massage to get the stuff broken up and starting to move. I’m of the belief now that the only reason for crop surgery would be if it was impacted with long grass, hay, etc. Hopefully that is not the case though.

@azygous was a god-send for me when taking care of my bird. Everything she told me to do got the contents to moving and the crop to clear and I was so thankful.

Keep us posted.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I’m sorry I’ve been away. Yes, definitely provide her with water, food and grit. Scrambled eggs and feed. In addition to all the things you give her, oil, molasses, stool softener, etc. you will need to massage the hound out of her crop. At this point, do not be concerned about the possibility of a blockage further down (as I was). Only work on what you know - an impacted crop. I was too easily worrying about the ‘what if’s’ of on down the road. Don’t do what I did.

Any extra time you can find just sit and massage her crop. It’s best if you have a visual in your mind of her digestive track. Look at this picture. View attachment 1991994
This picture was taken from NutrinaWorld.com, the Poultry Digestive System page. I don’t think this is the best picture because it is showing the tube leaving the crop to be a little high. Nonetheless, when you massage, make upward movements from the bottom, as if you are trying to guide the crop contents up and into the tube leading to her ‘stomach’ (the proventriculus). Her food gets a good ‘acid wash’ in this organ preparing it for digestion before heading to her gizzard, the ventriculus.

Don’t be afraid to get in there and use a little pressure to start the movement of the impaction. It would be beneficial to always precede the massage with oil. In the thread I recommended you read last night, my girl was not eating the chilled oil and I had to tube most of the oil down her esophagus, along with water, if I remember correctly. I need to go back and read it again.

I believe my biggest mistake was not giving her grit in the very beginning. I didn’t because I thought her crop was already full of grit. But, it doesn’t matter what you think is in there, give her grit anyway.

My hen did not have any sour smell either, but I still gave her the monistat cream. It will keep her from developing yeast in her crop, which right now is a ripe environment for it. But continue and finish out the entire treatment of you start it.

Again, massage and massage and massage to get the stuff broken up and starting to move. I’m of the belief now that the only reason for crop surgery would be if it was impacted with long grass, hay, etc. Hopefully that is not the case though.

@azygous was a god-send for me when taking care of my bird. Everything she told me to do got the contents to moving and the crop to clear and I was so thankful.

Keep us posted.

@Mimi13 very good!
I'm sure Carol will be along this afternoon to offer some tips - I see you got this though

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I just want to hug BYC! There is always somebody here to help, this is the best place for chicken "tenders!"

 

[cleoandtheflock]

Grits available all times. She eats nutrena naturwise layer pellets. she pooped when I brought her up. I have withheld food (i didn’t know if i could give it to her plus i wanted to see if it would go down) she was hatched in march. i’ve been treating her since tonight. should I offer her food?

What day in March did she hatch? I know it’s off topic but 2 of my chickens also hatched last March. And I wanted to see if they had a similar hatch day. Glad your hens getting help!!!
Backyard chickens sure is helpful just like how @BigBlueHen53 said

 

[Mimi13]

@Mimi13 very good!
I'm sure Carol will be along this afternoon to offer some tips - I see you got this though

Oh no, I don’t ever think I will “have it.” But I will say you and Carol have helped this old gal more than I could ever say. And I owe y’all the biggest thank you ever. If I ever win the lottery, y’all would be the first to receive some.

 

[azygous]

It does sound like your patient can use a stool softener. Not a laxative, though. I think Miralax is a laxative.

Impacted crop usually responds to oil, massage, and a stool softener, then more massage. I usually spend all day and devote myself to clearing the impaction in one day. It's labor intensive.

Offer grit, and if the patient needs it, she will gobble it. Offer soft food such as soft boiled egg and yogurt, but try to get water down her, too. Usually a chicken with impacted crop craves water and you don't need to force it.

When you massage, focus the tips of your fingers on the hardest lumps, trying to break them into smaller chunks. Use a teaspoon of coconut oil at a time with massage. Use one whole gel cap of the stool softener directly into her beak. Usually one capsule is enough. But don't use a laxative or a softener with a stimulant in it. Walmart is supposed to be open today by the way.

If the crop remains stubbornly solid, you may be doing surgery. I have a video that shows how. There is very little blood involved, and it's not very difficult. No suturing involved. You just need a helper.

 

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

It does sound like your patient can use a stool softener. Not a laxative, though. I think Miralax is a laxative.

Impacted crop usually responds to oil, massage, and a stool softener, then more massage. I usually spend all day and devote myself to clearing the impaction in one day. It's labor intensive.

Offer grit, and if the patient needs it, she will gobble it. Offer soft food such as soft boiled egg and yogurt, but try to get water down her, too. Usually a chicken with impacted crop craves water and you don't need to force it.

When you massage, focus the tips of your fingers on the hardest lumps, trying to break them into smaller chunks. Use a teaspoon of coconut oil at a time with massage. Use one whole gel cap of the stool softener directly into her beak. Usually one capsule is enough. But don't use a laxative or a softener with a stimulant in it. Walmart is supposed to be open today by the way.

If the crop remains stubbornly solid, you may be doing surgery. I have a video that shows how. There is very little blood involved, and it's not very difficult. No suturing involved. You just need a helper.

I have her two stool softeners and molasses in water ( I read on another forum in here that was the amount to give) I’ve given her water and oil to try to loosen it up i’ve gotten a little to come up but I think it was just the water I was giving her. I left her to digest the stool softener and molasses for 2 hours and it didn’t really help I didn’t know I hold give it to her orally should I give her one now? I already put two in her water and gave her all the water.