Large pendulous crop on hen, otherwise fine

[Smileybans]

We got her to empty with the massaging. She’s definitely foraging and eating more now. But her crop is still hanging low so I’ll try the bra tonight.

 

[Smileybans]

So now she has started to do this.

The sitting position is new but the head movements have been for a couple days. She has been wearing her bra all night and sometimes I leave it on her. Massaging has worked out but she only tolerates it for so long. Any idea what the head movements could be?

 

[azygous]

Crop issue. That neck movement is typical of a crop disorder. A chicken is trying to adjust her crop so it doesn't feel so uncomfortable. If the crop is soft and spongy like a water balloon, she probably has sour crop. Read how to treat it here. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[Smileybans]

Crop issue. That neck movement is typical of a crop disorder. A chicken is trying to adjust her crop so it doesn't feel so uncomfortable. If the crop is soft and spongy like a water balloon, she probably has sour crop. Read how to treat it here. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Her crop is hard and she’s gassy. Her breath smells like grass. Like… sweet corn or sweet grass would be my best description. Impacted crop?

 

[azygous]

Yep. Sure sounds like impacted crop. They can be a challenge. Here's the way I treat them. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[Smileybans]

Yep. Sure sounds like impacted crop. They can be a challenge. Here's the way I treat them. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Alright. I’m trying to get the oil in her now. How hard should I be pressing on her crop when massaging?

 

[azygous]

Medium pressure. You don't want to go so deep and hard that you push the content up into the esophagus. Concentrate on center mass, using finger tips to try to break the mass apart. This can take a few hours.

It's sort of like kneading bread dough, massage a bit, add a bit more oil, massage a bit more, add a bit more oil, etc. Pretty soon you'll feel the mass break apart and start to empty.

If it doesn't, add a stool softener capsule, let it work for half an hour, then massage some more, adding a bit more oil as needed.

 

[Smileybans]

Medium pressure. You don't want to go so deep and hard that you push the content up into the esophagus. Concentrate on center mass, using finger tips to try to break the mass apart. This can take a few hours.

It's sort of like kneading bread dough, massage a bit, add a bit more oil, massage a bit more, add a bit more oil, etc. Pretty soon you'll feel the mass break apart and start to empty.

If it doesn't, add a stool softener capsule, let it work for half an hour, then massage some more, adding a bit more oil as needed.

I got her to willingly eat the coconut oil. I massaged a bit but had to stop due to a hawk visit, scared it off with a big stick. When I set her down though she seemed a bit better and actually wanted to eat. Her crop isn’t that big. Only the size of a golf ball really. But still hard. I was afraid of pushing the stuff up into her throat. But since she’s so gassy she let me know if I was doing too much. I’ll probably have to massage her more tomorrow but I’ll be sure to follow your steps.

 

[Smileybans]

We are still having issues with this girl. She wears a bra night and day but doesn’t empty fully at night. In the morning she’s half this size.

This photo really doesn’t do her justice. Her crop gets so huge that her bra will slip down under her crop. I can’t get it to stay up.

Some days her crop will feel like a balloon filled with water. On those days I don’t massage her. I did once and accidentally made her throw up. I know chickens can aspirate if they vomit so I don’t want to do that. On days like today her crop feels gritty and firm. Not hard but not soft. Is there anything more I can be doing for her? Or am I doing all I can? Should I be massaging her more?

 

[azygous]

What I suggest is tightening up the crop bra so it's supported in a higher position, especially at night.

Also, in case there is impacted material in the crop or lower down, I suggest doing an Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) flush. One teaspoon of Epsom salt dissolved into one ounce to half a cup of warm water will act as a mild laxative promoting mild diarrhea to flush the digestive tract of any lingering solids.

You can syringe it into the beak or give it as the sole water source for her to drink on her own for one day. Or you can tube it into the crop at the highest amount of half a cup. You may do it as often as twice in a day for one day or twice a day for up to three days to be sure the chicken is completely flushed out.