Is This Impacted Crop? *UPDATE* She's Gone.....

[Lunachick]

I've been reading the posts here trying to figure out why my BR isn't herself, I think she has impacted crop, it should be empty in the morning, well i just checked her crop this a.m. and she has a hard walnut sized lump in her crop. she's not interested in her feed for the last 2 days, is listless, color fading on comb etc, sleepy, small poops green with white.

I'm going to try giving her bread soaked in olive oil, but my Q is, what if she doesn't want to eat that? How do I get the bread/olive oil down her?

I'm bringing her into the porch now and try this, wish me luck, poor girl been suffering for a few days while this dummy is trying to figure this out!

An on top of it all, the other girls are giving her a hard time poking at her and chasing her.

 

[speckledhen]

Use a needleless syringe and have someone help you so you can squirt it into her mouth. I have one with sour crop (not impacted) right now and I had to do that. Mine is on the road to recovery, but I lost my Blue Orp hen, Velvet, to it a couple of weeks ago. Squirt it in and massage her hard crop carefully. Eventually, it should break up. Crossing fingers for you.

 

[mrs.67]

I have just did the same thing 30 minutes ago.
I scrambled a egg and soaked my bread in olive oil. He would not eat the bread alone but if I dipped a little bit of egg on it, he ate it right up...Goodluck

 

[Lunachick]

OK Speckledhen - just got back from the store and will be giving her some olive oil by syringe, thanks for the suggestion. I did watch her eat a few pieces of the soaked bread this morning, but now her poops are liquidy whitish

Mrs.67 - that's what I tried yesterday, scrambled eggs, but she just doesn't feel well enough to want it.

But thank you anyway.

 

[Lunachick]

I wasn't sure of the amount, so we squirted 1/2 tsp but only some of it went down, she didn't mind it so I suppose hubby squirted it into the right pipe.

How often do I do this to her? I did massage her crop before and afterward.

Specks - I remember that thread when you lost Velvet.

Hope your girl does well too.

When do I start to panic (?!) tomorrow is Sunday, and if this gets real bad, she will have to wait until Monday for any vet help.

 

[speckledhen]

Thank you for the condolences. This a.m. my Ivy is much better. She was inside 3 days before the bloated crop went down to almost nothing. I believe I have found me cause, though, and its been remedied. Not sure with impacted crop how long it will take, but you need to massage it several times a day, just dont push upward.

 

[Lunachick]

Ack - she does not look too well. We gave her some olive oil, she pooped twice - liquidy whitish with green lumps. Her comb and wattles and face got brighter red, but her comb is still down and she's started breathing a little more rapidly with her beak a little opened, and is taking power naps and just standing there in the sunshine.

If or when she starts to improve - how often do I give her the oil? Am still massaging her crop downward like, is this good to do?

 

[speckledhen]

Sounds like you're doing well. The liquid poop with green is because she hasn't been eating. Ivy's are like that, too, although she has started to eat a tiny bit now. I'd do the olive oil dosing once a day, maybe twice if you think she ought to have more or you didnt get enough down her the first time. You can also just take some raw egg yolk, add oil and a tiny amt of yogurt, blend together and administer with the syringe. The hard part is striking a balance between giving her too much for her crop to handle and her starving to death because she's not eating. Dont give her anything she has to grind up, just soft stuff like previously mentioned. I just put it in the mouth, dont force it down the throat or you may get it in the wrong pipe, not good at all.

 

[Lunachick]

thank you Specks, what about the breathing thing, is that normal? And now she's doing just watery poo. I'm thinking something's trying to give? Should I keep her isolated and indoors? Let her in the coop tonight? right now she's on my back enclosed screened porch she can look out and see the others in their run.

Sorry, this is my first major chicken issue, and she's our newest "baby".

Thanks again for being there Speckledhen.

 

[speckledhen]

I'd keep her separate. Sounds like she's in no condition to deal with the pecking order tonight. She's probably breathing hard because she's uncomfortable, if you see no actual respiratory stuff like drainage/discharge. It may take several days and if it seems the knot is diminishing in the morning, try to get her to eat some yogurt if you have any. And more oil, too. I'd give her oil every day till you know she's on the mend.