Leghorn with issues, advice please.

[microchick]

I have a Speckled Sussex hen with a 'tricky' crop that she brought on herself by being a little piggy when it comes to food. She too suffered from doughy crop. I did the ginger and cinnamon treatment, massaged her crop regularly but the thing that helped her the most was the Dulcolax stool softener. I just opened a gelcap, squeezed it out on her favorite treat and gave it to her. Next day her crop was down in size and she was a lot more comfortable. When I used the cinnamon/ginger/garlic/lemon juice treatment, I made sure to massage her crop afterwards to help move it through the 'dough ball' and break it up. She seemed to enjoy the massage. But it was the Dulcolax that did the trick.

She has a bit of a pendulous crop from her ordeal and I have to keep an eye on her. Every now and then I give her another Dulcolax treatment just to make sure her crop is emptying and once a week I make up wet feed with water or broth and put about a half a cup of olive oil in it. The whole flock loves it and the Olive Oil is good for their crop.

Hope your girl gets to feeling better. If her crop size isn't reduced I'd go ahead with the Dulcolax.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

After finally getting home tonight I don't think her crop has gone down enough. Wyorp Rock, thank you for the article on crops, I am worried she has impacted or doughy crop...I started her on the home remedy recipe for doughy crop tonight and I am keeping her in w/o food...I syringe administered the first bit and now she has free choice water hanging in her hospital box. No food until tomorrow and then it will be scrambled eggs or banana...she still seems lively enough which is good, and she's still my only hen laying....she happily scratched up all the fresh straw in the box I put her in for the night. I have started a new job, so this is just really stressful to deal with, ugh...I have heard of people helping to treat sour crop and such with AC vinegar? Is this a good thing to add to the water at all?

Originally Posted by blondiebee181

I was planning to wait until tomorrow to start Dulcolax if needed.....what do you all think?

Since you just started treatment, wait to see if this moves the crop contents along. If you see not improvement then take the next step with the Dulcolax.

A new job is always exciting! I understand your stress level must be through the roof. Take a deep breath...you've got this.

Here's another article, you may have already seen it's very good as well:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

 

[blondiebee181]

Thanks all.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How is she doing? Did her crop go down?

 

[blondiebee181]

Sorry y'all, meant to post an update sooner...after doing the home remedy mix in the first link post from Two Crows? and keeping her in with nothing but water, it seemed to move through because when I got home from work last night, it was almost completely down....I think extra fluids must have done the trick in this case, (whew!) which also makes sense because it's been so cold lately that their water will freeze in the evening and sometimes I won't get out to bust it up/refresh it until 8 or 9am etc. so maybe just a little dehydration here....in either case she enjoyed her warm, luxury straw-lined suite for the night and is happily back outside with her friends. Her comb is still icky....whitish and still some blisters, but doesn't look black yet or infected and thankfully it's been warmer at night so we will see how that turns out (darn large combs...) I wish I could use heated waterers, but it's too far to run ext. cords to and I don't trust 'em. Thanks for hanging in there with me, chicken friends!! Cheers!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sorry y'all, meant to post an update sooner...after doing the home remedy mix in the first link post from Two Crows? and keeping her in with nothing but water, it seemed to move through because when I got home from work last night, it was almost completely down....I think extra fluids must have done the trick in this case, (whew!) which also makes sense because it's been so cold lately that their water will freeze in the evening and sometimes I won't get out to bust it up/refresh it until 8 or 9am etc. so maybe just a little dehydration here....in either case she enjoyed her warm, luxury straw-lined suite for the night and is happily back outside with her friends. Her comb is still icky....whitish and still some blisters, but doesn't look black yet or infected and thankfully it's been warmer at night so we will see how that turns out (darn large combs...) I wish I could use heated waterers, but it's too far to run ext. cords to and I don't trust 'em. Thanks for hanging in there with me, chicken friends!! Cheers!

Thanks for the update.

I'm glad to hear she is improving. Just keep watch on the comb to see if any of the others are picking at it. Usually it will heal on it's own. If you do see that you need to put something on it, I would recommend using some type of triple antibiotic in spray form, this way your not rubbing the comb itself.

Keep us posted.

 

[blondiebee181]

When I used to work at the feed store we sold this stuff called like "picks-no-more" or something...it was brown and gooey looking stuff....supposed to taste real nasty so none of the others peck at the injured one....dunno if it's approved for sores though....the Neosporin seems to be doing it's job and keeping Petrie (my bully BR) from pecking her at least...

 

[Wyorp Rock]

When I used to work at the feed store we sold this stuff called like "picks-no-more" or something...it was brown and gooey looking stuff....supposed to taste real nasty so none of the others peck at the injured one....dunno if it's approved for sores though....the Neosporin seems to be doing it's job and keeping Petrie (my bully BR) from pecking her at least...

If the Neosporin is working then I would stick with that. The pick no more looks like it may have healing ingredients as well, but the first ingredient is water. Since you are having cold temps, I would worry about it freezing and causing more frostbite.

 

[blondiebee181]

Comb update since it's warmed up...it's turned mostly opaque at the top and still scabbed. I can post a pic later. Anyone know their frostbite stages and can tell me if it'll heal or not?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Comb update since it's warmed up...it's turned mostly opaque at the top and still scabbed. I can post a pic later. Anyone know their frostbite stages and can tell me if it'll heal or not?

Photos are always welcome

I really don't know the stages of frostbite. Depending on the severity, the top portion may die and eventually fall off. As long as it's not infected, then time will tell how much will stay.