Older Hen with Slow Crop: Slow Crop Treatment with Updates

[Kiki]

I would not suggested adding grit to the feed/mixing it in...I would say to offer it on the side in its own dish. I was wondering if offering grit could possible prevent something like this.

 

[elissarules]

I would not suggested adding grit to the feed/mixing it in...I would say to offer it on the side in its own dish. I was wondering if offering grit could possible prevent something like this.

Yeah I heard. I don’t mix it anymore.

I have heard it does. However! It doesn’t prevent a lot of grass being eaten and clogging up her crop like I assume happened. It may help but I doubt it can completely prevent it.

 

[Kiki]

Yeah I heard. I don’t mix it anymore.

I have heard it does. However! It doesn’t prevent a lot of grass being eaten and clogging up her crop like I assume happened. It may help but I doubt it can completely prevent it.

I actually think the grit does just that...it helps break up the grass so they can digest it.

eta....Grit is a must if they eat anything besides "regular" store bought chicken feed.

 

[rebrascora]

Have two water pots, one with plain water and one with electrolytes or Gatorade or get some Nutri Drench.

I was massaging 4x a day for 10-15 mins each time. The one that cleared without surgery, I was giving her a slurry made with water, olive oil, vitamin supplement like Nutri Drench and pellets..... and I mean a slurry... it was completely runny. I had to keep her without any access to bedding that she could eat and I monitored her droppings. You could tell by her poop and the reduction in her crop size that we were making progress.
The one I did surgery on was not making progress and was becoming emaciated. When she stopped wanting to eat I knew it was time to take drastic action. Two weeks after surgery she was back up to a good body weight and laid me an egg... it just happened to be my birthday that day and it was the best birthday present I could have wished for.
With the knowledge I have now, I would probably give the stool softener a go before I opted for surgery. I'm not entirely sure how it works and I know you have to give them plenty of water with it but I don't think it can hurt to try that if you are not making progress with just massage.

 

[elissarules]

I actually think the grit does just that...it helps break up the grass so they can digest it.

eta....Grit is a must if they eat anything besides "regular" store bought chicken feed.

Oh okay! You must know I’ve only taken serious interest in chickens for about 10 months! And only then I mostly focused on my young birds. Thank you for educating me! I only take what I learn from you guys and I must have misunderstood! I plan on supplying grits for the rest of the time I have chickens. Sorry if I sounded a little cheeky too

Have two water pots, one with plain water and one with electrolytes or Gatorade or get some Nutri Drench.

I was massaging 4x a day for 10-15 mins each time. The one that cleared without surgery, I was giving her a slurry made with water, olive oil, vitamin supplement like Nutri Drench and pellets..... and I mean a slurry... it was completely runny. I had to keep her without any access to bedding that she could eat and I monitored her droppings. You could tell by her poop and the reduction in her crop size that we were making progress.
The one I did surgery on was not making progress and was becoming emaciated. When she stopped wanting to eat I knew it was time to take drastic action. Two weeks after surgery she was back up to a good body weight and laid me an egg... it just happened to be my birthday that day and it was the best birthday present I could have wished for.
With the knowledge I have now, I would probably give the stool softener a go before I opted for surgery. I'm not entirely sure how it works and I know you have to give them plenty of water with it but I don't think it can hurt to try that if you are not making progress with just massage.

I keep hearing that olive oil is bad for them?? Does anyone know why that may be?

Also how runny are we talking about?? Like porridge or oatmeal? Soup?

I’m really worried about massaging her because I have a busy schedule due to schooling. Do you have any recommendations? I can mostly only do it morning and afternoon potentially, and night. But that’s if I don’t have any homework or other responsibilities.

Also what were the signs in the feces??? Her feces is completely normal and thank God she has a healthy appetite. Bernie is fairly skinny though. But it’s not quite completely unhealthy yet. But that’s with my inexperienced opinion! Thank you so much for your help! I’m very grateful to everyone.

 

[Kiki]

You see the little black badge under her name?
People with those know what they are talking about.

Make sure that you feed her mostly just regular old chicken feed. (Not old, you know what I mean?)
All the extras/treats are fun for us but not really so good for them.
When she starts eating good for you I would not offer any treats for a while...just the complete chicken feed.
I am horrible at trying to explain...so read this and see if you understand what I am trying to say:
http://articles.extension.org/pages/69065/feeding-chickens-for-egg-production

And always offer grit (on the side) if she is near anything that she can eat that is not the regular ole chicken feed.

 

[rebrascora]

I have heard it does. However! It doesn’t prevent a lot of grass being eaten and clogging up her crop like I assume happened. It may help but I doubt it can completely prevent it.

This is correct. The grit will not work in the crop to any significant extent because the crop walls are very thin. It is really just a holding pouch for food to be released into the digestive system at night, whereas the gizzard is a really thick, strong muscle with a thick lining and this is where the grinding takes place using the grit.

Grass is normally pecked off at nice short lengths <1inch long which cannot really become knotted up. If the bird has ingested longer strands like 3-4 inches it ravels up together and form a mass which just sits in the crop and strains the food that is eaten, damming back any larger particles like grains and these start to settle like a sediment at the front of the crop, stretching it and causing it to be pendulous. Once those grasses are matted it is impossible to unravel them or for them to be passed en masse further down the system and if it does such a bolus will just cause an impaction further down where surgery is not possible. Depending on what they are made of, they may break down over time with massage, but if it contains a lot of cellulose, it probably won't and that is where surgery comes in.

I hope that makes sense.

 

[rebrascora]

Between soup and porridge.... a thick smooth soup consistency.
I don't know why people say olive oil is a problem. I'm not talking about huge quantities just a teaspoon in a cup of feed. It will float on the surface of the slurry.
Her poop will most likely go runny when she is just eating slurry.

Massage as often as you can whenever you can..... this is the single most important part of the treatment she needs now because you are trying to break that knot of fibres up and allow nutrients past it.
Wrap her in a towel and sit and watch TV with her on your lap for 10 mins each evening before bed. Give her a quick 5 mins treatment when you come in from school. Get up 10 mins early in the morning to do it... some days you might only manage once a day, at the weekend you might manage 4x... just do whatever you can.

 

[elissarules]

You see the little black badge under her name?
People with those know what they are talking about.

View attachment 1255072

Make sure that you feed her mostly just regular old chicken feed. (Not old, you know what I mean?)
All the extras/treats are fun for us but not really so good for them.
When she starts eating good for you I would not offer any treats for a while...just the complete chicken feed.
I am horrible at trying to explain...so read this and see if you understand what I am trying to say:
http://articles.extension.org/pages/69065/feeding-chickens-for-egg-production

And always offer grit (on the side) if she is near anything that she can eat that is not the regular ole chicken feed.

No scrambled eggs either??? Darn I was just starting to like feeding her those :/ But it’s what’s best for her. I’ll be reading that here soon. Thank you for your help! And AMEN! Love the educators here. I feel like I have a bachelors degree already learning from you guys!

This is correct. The grit will not work in the crop to any significant extent because the crop walls are very thin. It is really just a holding pouch for food to be released into the digestive system at night, whereas the gizzard is a really thick, strong muscle with a thick lining and this is where the grinding takes place using the grit.

Grass is normally pecked off at nice short lengths <1inch long which cannot really become knotted up. If the bird has ingested longer strands like 3-4 inches it ravels up together and form a mass which just sits in the crop and strains the food that is eaten, damming back any larger particles like grains and these start to settle like a sediment at the front of the crop, stretching it and causing it to be pendulous. Once those grasses are matted it is impossible to unravel them or for them to be passed en masse further down the system and if it does such a bolus will just cause an impaction further down where surgery is not possible. Depending on what they are made of, they may break down over time with massage, but if it contains a lot of cellulose, it probably won't and that is where surgery comes in.

I hope that makes sense.

Ooh, so I was right!! Feels good to actually get some knowledge then! Do you mind if I ask what’s the easiest to break down vs hardest? I’d assume hay is hard along with maybe straw? But easiest with grass?

Between soup and porridge.... a thick smooth soup consistency.
I don't know why people say olive oil is a problem. I'm not talking about huge quantities just a teaspoon in a cup of feed. It will float on the surface of the slurry.
Her poop will most likely go runny when she is just eating slurry.

Massage as often as you can whenever you can..... this is the single most important part of the treatment she needs now because you are trying to break that knot of fibres up and allow nutrients past it.
Wrap her in a towel and sit and watch TV with her on your lap for 10 mins each evening before bed. Give her a quick 5 mins treatment when you come in from school. Get up 10 mins early in the morning to do it... some days you might only manage once a day, at the weekend you might manage 4x... just do whatever you can.

That sounds smart! If you don’t mind I may post some pictures in the morning or maybe message you privately and see if the consistency is right.

It sounds smart to bring her inside to massage her. My mom won’t let me bring her inside (which is pretty fair considering) but she may let me hold her in an old towel to massage her. I’ve been massaging her standing up inside the coop in the morning and set a timer. I’m not a very sporty gal so my arm is killing me by the end! Lol.

Is it an issue to massage her crop after she goes to roost? Or is that okay? I have done that in the past and was curious if that may disrupt her natural patterns or not.

Also idk if I mentioned but I did not massage her after I threw her up. Should I go do that now? How long if I should? THANK YOU!!!

 

[elissarules]

GUYS!!! Her crop is so SMALL!!!

Now, to be fair, I did check her right in the morning but! I did give her water last night. It definitely wasn’t empty when I strolled in at 11:00. I massaged her for about 15-20 minutes - I brought her inside like you guys recommended- and when I felt her crop I was overcome with joy!!!!

I’m still going to give her some Pedialyte which apparently has electrolytes and some slurry food today. I’m hoping that when I open the cage door tomorrow morning after not giving her food/water at night that she’ll be perfect!

Obviously there’s a chance it’s still buildup. But it’s SO much smaller...more than me “fasting” her ever did.

I’m hoping and praying that it was just that one piece of grass I pulled out yesterday that was causing this whole thing.

I’m never letting that grass get too high ever again!