Older Hen with Slow Crop: Slow Crop Treatment with Updates

[elissarules]

Oyster shell is a soluble form of calcium, laying hens will eat it when they need calcium.
Poultry grit is usually crushed granite, which is insoluble. These small stones are used in the gizzard to help a chicken process/grind foods. I'm a bit confused at your mentioning the granite kind has probiotics? Does the bag they have added probiotics to the grit?

Does this hen still lay eggs? You can make the oyster shell free choice along with the granite grit if you like, but I would worry since you are limiting her food, that she may over-consume both because it sounds like she is hungry.

Is she pooping o.k.? Let us know what her crop feels like first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks. Along with a photo of her in the morning of her standing up, not being held so we can see the crop.

Unfortunately I threw the bag out! But it said formulated with probiotics...so I’m not too sure.

And alright that is smart! I won’t be giving her anymore of the granite nor the oyster shell. Tbh, I don’t really know if she does or not. She hasn’t laid since I put her in the cage (obviously) but since she’s sick I just assume she doesn’t.

Whenever I feed her more grains than yogurt, her poop is normal. However if I put too much yogurt in there she has diarrhea, which I read is normal.

I will! I felt her crop about 20 minutes ago, very full. I’m worried about her aspirating or respirating - whichever it is - since it’s so full. I try my best to lift her closer to her legs than her chest, but she does this thing with her beak like after they drink water. It worries me a little.

I took the food and water away from her, too. And I added a little branch for her to roost on. I think it made her feel safer! She looks happier.

I think she choked eating some crumbles today. She keeps doing this weird thing with her neck. She only does it every once in a while. How worried should I be? Im starting to rethink the fasting thing.

I’ll take plenty of pictures tomorrow! Thank you again!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Whenever I feed her more grains than yogurt, her poop is normal. However if I put too much yogurt in there she has diarrhea, which I read is normal.

I felt her crop about 20 minutes ago, very full.

So, the crop is full in the morning and she hasn't had anything to eat/drink?
She does need to have water, take out the grit and os. Massage the crop a few times a day. Really you don't want to "fast" her more than one day total.
Her normal feed given wet, no grains which are hard to digest and if you feel she needs a "treat" you can give hard boiled egg.

You may want to read this - very helpful with treating crop issues. http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

 

[elissarules]

So, the crop is full in the morning and she hasn't had anything to eat/drink?
She does need to have water, take out the grit and os. Massage the crop a few times a day. Really you don't want to "fast" her more than one day total.
Her normal feed given wet, no grains which are hard to digest and if you feel she needs a "treat" you can give hard boiled egg.

You may want to read this - very helpful with treating crop issues. http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

It was full this morning around 8:15am. Firm, not as squishy but still full. Thank you so much. Is the yogurt with the crumble feed okay? Or just use water?

Attached are some pictures of her before I have her food and water. Very full crop. I will look into that link thank you so much for your help!!!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It was full this morning around 8:15am. Firm, not as squishy but still full. Thank you so much. Is the yogurt with the crumble feed okay? Or just use water?

Attached are some pictures of her before I have her food and water. Very full crop. I will look into that link thank you so much for your help!!!!

View attachment 1249808 View attachment 1249809 View attachment 1249810 View attachment 1249812

Yes, yogurt with the crumble is o.k. about 1teaspoon should be good. To make it a wet mash use a little water too.

She is quite full looking. Since she is older, she may have a pendulous crop, over time the crop can stretch and doesn't empty as well as it should. You may want to investigate crop bras to see if lifting the crop will make a difference in helping the crop to empty.

 

[elissarules]

Yes, yogurt with the crumble is o.k. about 1teaspoon should be good. To make it a wet mash use a little water too.

She is quite full looking. Since she is older, she may have a pendulous crop, over time the crop can stretch and doesn't empty as well as it should. You may want to investigate crop bras to see if lifting the crop will make a difference in helping the crop to empty.

Now that I’ve read the article you’ve listed, I’m thinking she may actually have slow crop!! Which I didn’t even know was an option! I’m going to try and see if maybe the feed is upsetting her and I’m going to purchase/make (whichever it is) a cropbra. She seems to have lost her appetite today. She will only eat some mealworms. I will dampen her feed some more. Also I think she definitely has pendulous crop. So I’m going to look into the cropbra some more.

EDIT: I dampened her regular feed (layer crumble) and she went to town!! So nvm about the appetite thing!

 

[elissarules]

ANOTHER UPDATE: Her crop is very full; I just checked her about 20 minutes ago. I looked into crop bras and it seems right to me. I wanted to see if I could do a quick fix in the mean time with an ace bandage - I read a lot of people use them for it. But she had poo all over her (the makeshift roost had fallen sometime ago so I redid it) and it was so messy. She keeps gurgling? And smacking her beak. She seemed out of balance every time I put the bandage around her too. I couldn't tell if I was accidentally asphyxiating her or if it was just because she wasn't familiar with "clothing". Either way, I gave up for tonight. It was making me very worried.

Right before I took the food and water away, she gave me a solid poo though! So I know she's working; I just think she's working slower than we'd all like.

If anyone knows like...detailed instructions or a video to make a crop bra, that'd be amazing. So far all I can find are sock tutorials (which probably won't work with how large her crop is) and an "H" shape bra which sounds gimmicky to me. The ace bandage seems like the cheapest, easiest option for me that will work. I just need to figure it out.

Also, am I supposed to apply the most pressure on the bottom, middle, top, or the whole crop?

Thank you everyone. I feel like I'm living in this Forum of Emergencies/Illnesses. It's bumming me out... All I can think is of how many questions I have. I'm trying to do research online but it's for naught. Or at least currently. Anyway, that should be it for tonight. x

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@azygous ? Thoughts?

@elissarules you're doing good Once crop issues start, they can sometimes be hard to resolve.
Let's hope that Carol chimes in with some better ideas than I have had. I'm rooting for your girl.

 

[azygous]

Good for you for diagnosing the problem. She does appear a bit "front heavy". I think the crop bra is definitely worth trying. Here's some more information with some pics. http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2016/02/pendulous-crop-in-backyard-chickens.html

I've made an "H" crop bra, and it seemed to fit fine. I made it as a demo to photograph for a thread I was participating on. The OP then took the design and made their own, modifying it a few times over a few days to get it just right.

The objective is to adjust the bra so it supports enough to help the crop empty completely by morning. If the crop is still partially full come morning, the bra needs to be tightened to provide a bit more support. You will know it's correct when the crop is empty in the morning. It may take a week to get it to fit right and do its job. Be patient. Have confidence that you will be able to do this. Your hen believes in you and so do we.

Meanwhile, massage will help your hen be more comfortable. Do it gently with your finger tips, in a circular, upward motion. In fact, it helps to support the heavy lower part of the crop as you massage the middle. As the crop empties from being massaged, then work on the lower crop, pushing the contents upward. Think of your hen's crop as having a "drain" that is higher up than the lowest contents and you need to get them up toward the drain so they can empty.

 

[rebrascora]

I agree and @azygous has described it very well. A crop bra in itself will probably not cure the problem but will prevent it from becoming such an issue in the future. The key is to massage that mass of contents out of her crop and down into her digestive tract and not give her any solid/lumpy foods like grains or even meal worms until you get it empty. Making a slurry with her food and water and oil and perhaps a little scrambled egg every now and then is better than dry or lumpy food, but regular massage for about 10-15 mins as often as you can do it (4x a day if possible) will be key and make sure she has no bedding she can eat.

 

[azygous]

One word of caution. Be very gentle and avoid pushing the contents any higher than the middle of the crop or else the contents might be vomited, risking aspiration.