Impacted Crop

[vanyen5400]

I just had one of the strangest chicken experiences I've ever had...As I learned from previous posts for an impacted crop you gently massage the crop and give olive oil. She wouldn't open her mouth so I kept gently massaging her crop. She finally open just a crack so I gave her some oil. She barely got that down and she started to gurgle. Then up came some of the vilest smelling liquid. I tipped her forward and it just poured out. She'd shake her head - splattering the stuff - YUCK - and then pull her head back in and I set her up. This happened 4-5 times in less than 5 minutes. There was one recognizable chunk - a piece of red pepper. The rest was just tiny pieces and LOTS of liquid! - probably 1 1/2 - 2 cups total. Her crop is much reduced in size and softer. She is in her own coop now with water only. I plan to check her again tonight and give more oil - but not massage for now. She must be rather sore. But hopefully the pain of the huge crop is over with.
Anyone ever had this happen to them??
marti

 

[ipana]

Hopefully, the red pepper chunk is the culprit for blocking her crop. If her crop does not go down overnight, let us know and we can possibly help with further action to take. I would not try to give her more oil at this point. Wait to see if her crop empties overnight as it should. If it does not, you will be well served to flush the crop to try to remove the blockage. Hang in there.

 

[vanyen5400]

I thought the crop was for solids. What"s all the liquid?
It's soft and pliable but still a bit enlarged. She got up on a roost - which is a good sign.

thanks for responding
marti

 

[enola]

Everything a chicken puts in her mouth goes straight to the crop.

 

[ipana]

After eating/drinking everything, as stated above, goes to the crop. The crop, contrary to most people's thinking, is not muscular. It is only a sac that holds the consumed foods. From the crop, everything goes to the proventricula which is the true stomach. When the crop is blocked, nothing can go further so the bird is getting no nutrition. Chickens go to bed at night with the crop full. Overnight, the crop empties. If you have a chicken with a full crop the first thing in the morning prior to eating, there is a problem. In my opinion, flushing the crop can remove the blockage many times. Sometimes the blockage is so large or so tangled, that it cannot be gotten out. A chicken cannot vomit on its own since the crop is not muscular.

Let us know if your bird's crop is empty in the morning. If not, we will suggest ways for you to flush the crop to try to get that system working again.

 

[canesisters]

I was doing a search to try and help my chick when I found this thread.

A little more info, please, if possible? Hard hard do you massage the crop? Is it safe to drop liquid into her beak? Or - how to do it safely?

I have a 2.5week old EE who is one of eight that came home from a swap this past weekend. Yesterday she was doing great. Sometime yesterday this started. When I got home she was stretching out her neck, making a wheezing coo-koo sound, and opening her beak. She really looks like she's trying to swallow something. There is a small, hard lump in front of her breastbone - crop? Her eyes are bright and clear. No discharge from her nostrils or mouth. Poo last night was normal. She has not had any grit - I was bringing in the bag when I found her like this. They're on wood shavings bedding, eating medicated chick starter and drinking water with save-a-chick. I got a couple of drops of water down her last night and again this morning but haven't seen her eat or drink on her own since yesterday morning.

Any ideas?????

 

[Nicole01]

It could be. I had a chick with major impacted crop and she was in the corner of the brooder standing with her head on the brooder floor. I gave her a small drop of olive oil and massaged her crop. This did the trick. It was giving treats too young with grit not large enough to cut the food. I gave them fine sand with their treats. Now I don't give any treats until they are 3 months old and in the coop.

I also had a very sick chick or 3 that did the gasping motion thing your describing. My girls had brooder pnemounia. Their waterer tipped in the night, one got wet and got the others sick. I treated with poly vi sol vitamins without iron, probiotics and the sickest one did get antibiotics. They all lived and are thriving. They have not gotten sick again, but I don't allow them in the rain.

 

[canesisters]

How hard do you massage the crop? I'm scared I'm going to hurt her.

 

[Nicole01]

Gently. It didn't hurt her at all. After her crop went down, she was back to being a chick.

 

[canesisters]

Thank you!
I've got some olive oil today and will try the oil and massages when I got home.