Post crop surgery problems, ADVICE NEEDED

[Moondoll]

(Skip ahead to ** for post crop surgery problems)

So this all started 3 weeks ago. I noticed my silkie hen was just standing around in the yard and not moving along with the group.
I picked her up and noticed she has diarrhoea. I immediately took her inside and have had her isolated from them since.

I put her on oxymav B, noticed she had a bit of blood in her diarrhoea so then put her on Cocciprol, then to cover all my bases also gave her some aristopet wormer. I had her on those medication for a bit over 2 weeks.

She wasnt seeing any improvement so added some apple cider and vitamin supplements to her water. She wasnt eating enough if at all and noticed she wasn't drinking on her own any more.I felt her crop and it was very full and firm. I suspected crop impaction so gave her some oil, massaged it and fasted her for 24hrs hoping it would clear.

She got worse after the fasting and now has problems with her balance. Did some research and then started to also hive her 3ml metamucil twice daily, but after two days of that it still wasn't reducing in size.

**CROP SURGERY**

took her to the vets, they performed crop surgery. That was on Thursday.
I've stopped all medications she was previously on. Now she's taking meloxicam(for pain), nystatin(for preventing a crop infection) and amoxicillin(antibiotics).

Next day, Friday she ate small amounts of mashed pellets and a little watermelon, was drinking on her own but still had diarrhoea.
Noticed at the end of the day she had a head tilt. I think she has wry neck. I consulted the vet and have started giving a pea size of selenium twice a day.

Next day, Saturday I noticed her crop wasnt empty in the morning. She still has diarrhoea and her head tilt. She was refusing water when I offered it to her. Gave watermelon for the hydration. Won't eat mashed pellets so am giving her scrambled eggs.

Today, Sunday she still has a crop full of food in the morning. Still has diarrhoea. Is not drinking water and not eating eggs or pellets. I cant keep giving only watermelon, I know a large amount is bad for her recovering crop.

I'm worried she is getting an impaction or sour crop.
I've done some research and wondering if I should try a molasses purge?

Im just really wanting to hear about others experiences with this and some advice, thankyou for reading this far.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome To BYC

Can you give the Vet a call and ask for a follow up since she's not improving?

I'll tag @azygous who may be able to offer some suggestions about post Crop Surgery.

Silkies seem to be more prone to have some Neurological symptoms and Wry Neck is a symptom.

Are you only giving Selenium? How much is a "pea size" in mcg or mg? Giving too much Selenium can cause some Toxicity issues.

Generally Wry Neck is treated with 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4tablet B-Complex daily along with a little egg for the uptake of E. Egg has sufficient Selenium and you don't risk toxicity this way.
It can take weeks of vitamin therapy for the Symptoms to resolve if at all.

Noticed at the end of the day she had a head tilt. I think she has wry neck. I consulted the vet and have started giving a pea size of selenium twice a day.

 

[Moondoll]

Welcome To BYC

Can you give the Vet a call and ask for a follow up since she's not improving?

I'll tag @azygous who may be able to offer some suggestions about post Crop Surgery.

Silkies seem to be more prone to have some Neurological symptoms and Wry Neck is a symptom.

Are you only giving Selenium? How much is a "pea size" in mcg or mg? Giving too much Selenium can cause some Toxicity issues.

Generally Wry Neck is treated with 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4tablet B-Complex daily along with a little egg for the uptake of E. Egg has sufficient Selenium and you don't risk toxicity this way.
It can take weeks of vitamin therapy for the Symptoms to resolve if at all.

She has a follow up appointment tomorrow with the vets. I'll ask them more about her Selenium dosage, and if I should change it to the vitamin E and b complex.

I'm only giving her 0.1ml twice daily. She was eating some scrambled eggs a couple of days ago but now won't touch it.
She's hardly eating or drinking. im having to spoon feed baby food to her. She wont touch her mashed pellets either. The only thing she really goes crazy for is watermelon but I don't really want her to have it because it can cause digestive problems, but I also don't want her to starve.

 

[azygous]

The week following crop surgery, only soft or liquid foods should be given, definitely nothing with high cellulose content. Try offering her boiled rice with soft boiled egg stirred in.

Don't worry about her starving. It takes a long time for a chicken to starve.

 

[Moondoll]

So I've taken her to the vet for a check up. The vet said she isn't worried about the contents of her crop yet, just to massage it to help move things along.
She suspects that her head tilt could be a side effect of the medications she's on since it happened the day after I started her on them.
She has gained 50g of weight since her surgery too so that's a plus. The vet OK'd her to start eating boiled rice and mushed up cat food too. She said I can take her outside for some grass but I'm going to wait on that for another week or so.

She's definitely got her appetite back, she's loving the boiled rice, still not drinking water through and she still has diarrhoea.

(Here's the hen in question, Zina. Enjoying some sun)

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So I've taken her to the vet for a check up. The vet said she isn't worried about the contents of her crop yet, just to massage it to help move things along.
She suspects that her head tilt could be a side effect of the medications she's on since it happened the day after I started her on them.
She has gained 50g of weight since her surgery too so that's a plus. The vet OK'd her to start eating boiled rice and mushed up cat food too. She said I can take her outside for some grass but I'm going to wait on that for another week or so.

She's definitely got her appetite back, she's loving the boiled rice, still not drinking water through and she still has diarrhoea.

(Here's the hen in question, Zina. Enjoying some sun)

I'm glad you were able to see the vet for a follow up. It sounds like Zina is improving!
She's very cute, I'm sure she's enjoying the sun.

 

[Ccort]

The week following crop surgery, only soft or liquid foods should be given, definitely nothing with high cellulose content. Try offering her boiled rice with soft boiled egg stirred in.

Don't worry about her starving. It takes a long time for a chicken to starve.

My hen had crop surgery this morning but isn't eating yet. Advice? What sorts of foods can I give? Vet doesn't want to send her home since she snot eating yet so she's staying the night there. But I wonder if I can do more with her at my home.

 

[Moondoll]

My hen had crop surgery this morning but isn't eating yet. Advice? What sorts of foods can I give? Vet doesn't want to send her home since she snot eating yet so she's staying the night there. But I wonder if I can do more with her at my home.

My hen has also been eating on and off after her surgery. Ive realised shes just very picky with her food.
I've tried baby food, scambled eggs(mix in a little of everything), mushed soaked pellets, Greek yoghurt. Experiment with her preferences.
My hen was more likely to eat when I spoon the food in little bits onto the floor and she pecks it up.
I only started giving her boiled rice when it hit the 7 day post op mark.
Now she has a preference for only the whites of boiled eggs.
It's alot of experimenting with what she's interested to eat. But Google has definitely been my go to with what she could eat or not.
If your hen is on antibiotics after the surgery that could also be making her feel a little queasy.
Basically feed for the first week soft, easily digestive foods. No grains. No hard foods.

 

[Ccort]

The ve

My hen has also been eating on and off after her surgery. Ive realised shes just very picky with her food.
I've tried baby food, scambled eggs(mix in a little of everything), mushed soaked pellets, Greek yoghurt. Experiment with her preferences.
My hen was more likely to eat when I spoon the food in little bits onto the floor and she pecks it up.
I only started giving her boiled rice when it hit the 7 day post op mark.
Now she has a preference for only the whites of boiled eggs.
It's alot of experimenting with what she's interested to eat. But Google has definitely been my go to with what she could eat or not.
If your hen is on antibiotics after the surgery that could also be making her feel a little queasy.
Basically feed for the first week soft, easily digestive foods. No grains. No hard foods.so

Thank you! Not sure why I didn't think of yogurt. So it doesn't have to be LIQUID, just soft foods, even at first? I wonder if applesauce would be ok?

 

[Moondoll]

The ve

Thank you! Not sure why I didn't think of yogurt. So it doesn't have to be LIQUID, just soft foods, even at first? I wonder if applesauce would be ok?

Its best to consult your vet first if they are happy for her to start soft foods.
I, myself was told by my vet the best thing for her would be the soaked pellets because of all the nutrients inside will be good for her, but it's always good to double check before starting soft foods.
It's been a process for me, my hen didn't want the soaked pellets after her first day so I've tried the baby food, I think apple sauce is alright as long as it's unsweetened, no sugar. Only small amounts throughout the day.