impacted or sour crop is there an easy solution??? updated

[max101]

I have a 1 1/2 year old Silkies hen with a very large crop.
It feels like a big plasticine ball you can actually mould it.
I have given her some oil last night to try and dislodge it and have her inside away from food.
This morning there is no difference in the size or texture of the lump.
I cannot smell anything on her breathe
She appears to be trying to bring up meaning she is pushing her chest forward.
I have read here that I may give her epson salt then turn her upside down??
I will wait for responses before I try that though..
I have also read that I may have to cut her open.
Please if there is another way to fix this please tell me as I dont know if I can open her up.
I would probaly cut a major vein or something
I live in Australia and there is not many vets around that operate on chickens as they say the chicken will not come out of antisetics.
Thanks

 

[elmo]

Is she still pooping? How does her poop look, normal or abnormal?

 

[tulie13]

Hey, there. Sorry to hear about your chickie. Try some more oil (vegetable, olive, canola - not mineral oil) plus massage the lump to break it up, and try massaging DOWNWARD to push stuff through. If it doesn't clear up overnight after one more night, you may need to try a flush. But if it's a wad of grass or hay, it might not come up readily. Do you have any idea what it IS? Has she had access to lots of grass clippings suddenly?

Flushing is not fun, I would try the oil and massage for at least another day, and also you can put some apple cider vinegar (brown stuff, not white/clear) down her throat, either squirt WAY back behind the tongue (their breathing hole is under the tongue!) or dribble some into the beak and let her just take it in slowly. This can help knock down any fungal growth that may be starting in the crop due to stuff sitting in there and "rotting".

How much oil did you give her?

 

[max101]

Her poop was water for 2-3 of them then went to small yellow soft poo
I think hay is impacted in her crop
I have apple cider vinegar with mother will that do for a flush.
Do I turn the hen upside down???

I didnt give alot of oil maybe 2 tblspoons

 

[shay20]

Quote:
I agree, I do the same thing.
I dont think it is sour crop, sour crop is usally very soft and squishy and huge, like it is full of air. i think thats sour crop, i could be wrong though.

but yea give her some olive oil message it through.

sounds as if your girl ate way to much not enough water, so it harden in her crop.

 

[tulie13]

I've seen baking soda water recommended for the flush, then you give them the Apple Cider Vinegar to drink and keep down. If it is hay, it will likely not come out with a flush. I would recommend trying oil for one more day, and see if you can break it up with massage and push it down. Keep her isolated so you can watch how much she eats and poos. Try feeding some applesauce, NO grains or seeds right now. Some layer pellets moistened in applesauce so it's a mash would be good. You need soft stuff that can pass through the blockage. Massage several times a day with a downward motion. Keep up the oil. See if it goes down any overnight with one more day of oil and massage.

I have dealt with Sour Crop but not really with a true impaction before. But with my Sour crop experience, I can say that I would not look forward with trying to get a chicken to expel a large wad of hay - it most likely would not come up! I had enough trouble when my chickens had grains and dirt in their crops.

 

[max101]

I just gave more oil to her and I massaged her crop.
It is definetly hay inside.
I can hear it. It sounds like hay and feels like it.
Will I just keep massaging it
I will give her more oil later
Can I overdose her with oil????
Has anyone massaged a hen enough to push the hay down??
If the hay moves down will it cause other problems????

 

[shay20]

I have masseage food enough that it went down, but i am not sure about the hay. sorry.

I have also had promblems with chicks swallowing the wood chips, and gave them apple cider viniger in there water, and that also hepls with digestion.

 

[max101]

I have given her more oil and some yoghurt
The ball is now getting softer
I can now mould it into any shape
Do you think this is a good sign???
I have been massaging and massaging
I cant seem to untangle the ball though
I definetly wont flush as she will choke on the mass

 

[shay20]

Yep that is a good sighn that it is getting softer, that means it is working.
keep up what you are doing.

oh make sure she is drinking water, put a little bit of apple cider viniger.