REALLY NEED HELP: I've read swollen/sour/impacted/pendulous crop(pic)

[ipana]

OOops. Forgot to paste the poop picture link.

http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

 

[ipana]

One more thing...after you've done all you can for the day and she is resting overnight, allow her to have water. No food...only water. She may not drink any but at least it's available if she wants it.

 

[LoveMyChicks2]

Okay, so we've done all we can for the day. My husband helped me flush her out 2 more times, this time using more water. I put 60 cc in her at a time this time. Still, only a couple of grains of corn came out and a little blade of grass. The stink did lighten up and she pooped what the link ipana provided said was normal. I put her up with fresh water. I feel so bad for her but I know I've to start again in the morning.

I just don't understand why a bunch of grain does not come out at once -- it feels like there is so much in there.

I cannot tell you all how much you are appreciated in helping me through this.

Blessings

 

[ipana]

Great news that your hen has pooped! Don't give up on the process. Massage as much as you can, particularly at the bottom of the crop. Also, the warm water you are using to flush will help break up some of the clumps. I know it's hard to withhold food. If she's beginning to poop, something is able to get through and that's good. Tomorrow, after you have flushed her, see if she will eat some of the dilute baby food on her own and maybe some applesauce. Don't give a whole lot at once...maybe 2 TBSP of each. Whatever you do, do NOT give her anything that is solid. Keep doing the flushing...do 3-4 complete flushes. That is, inject 100cc+ of warm water then vomit her, then repeat for 3-4 times. Massage all the while she is vomiting to try to get the junk out.

Keep watching the poop, too. That's a key indicator.

Keep us posted. I'm hoping that this is working itself out.

 

[LoveMyChicks2]

We just flushed her twice and got some grit and bits of corn, also what looked like either part of a frog leg or grass (hard to tell). And she pooped again!! Never thought I'd be so happy to see chicken poop. I'm going to let her rest for an hour or so and then try to flush her 3 times in a row. To be quite honest I had to stop because my stomach got queasy. I've offered her food (diluted yogurt/applesauce) but she isn't interested and since she pooped I just didn't have the heart to put the tube back in her throat and force feed her. She's such a sweet girl during all this. She probably won't let me get near her once all this is over with..LOL

Thank you so very much for the encouragement. It helps me immensely.

Blessings

 

[ipana]

What great news! It is funny to think how great we think chicken poop is at times like this! Sounds like you're making real progress. For what it's worth, my hen didn't like yogurt either. She did like the applesauce and the baby food but I guess they are like people in some ways. Not everybody likes grits. Anyway, keep up the good work. Things may be breaking up and beginning to move. Don't forget that this hen needs calories. Try to avoid any solid foods. Any chance you have some baby food? The kind with meat has the most calories. It has to be pretty dilute to get through the tube but she needs to have something to eat. Once things begin to move, you will see runny poop, I would guess. If you can, get some calories into her. She needs to have strength and that can only come by soft foods right now. It takes quite a bit. You would probably need 2-3 jars of food/day just for minimum. At least, that's what I learned. She may be willing to eat the baby food from a saucer by herself. She is probably getting hungry.

Don't worry about her not wanting you to bother her later. My hen that had the troubles has never turned her back on me. She looks at me like she really knows me. And, for that matter, she does. We went through a lot. She was a trooper and I love her for it. I would imagine that you will treasure this hen more, too. She sits on my knee and we have long conversations about the past.

Thanks for posting. It's an encouragement to know that you're progressing. Don't give up. Remember...this is a process. It's not an overnight wonder cure.

 

[Lunakai]

I am going through the same thing with my 8 month old Australorp. Her crop looks just like your birds, maybe even bigger. The only difference is that I can't feel any solid lumps. It is fairly squishy. The fluid that comes out when I vomit her is a creamy yellowish color and smells sour. I will follow the advice given to you. I will try to get pictures of her and post them. She is a sweet girl as well.

 

[ipana]

Lunaki, it sounds very much like your bird has sour crop...yellowish, smelly liquid. If you can follow the info above about making your hen vomit, then use a feeding tube to inject water to continue making her vomit. This helps remove the contents. Be very careful to hold the bird's head down. This is a process that can be lethal if the bird aspirates some of the fluid. If you read the above and have questions, please post them.

 

[Lunakai]

Is there a thread where I can learn how to insert a tube. I've never done it before. How big a tube and where should I get it? Thank you for your help.

 

[ipana]

Lunaki, I found this site. Scroll down and you'll see a feeding tube with syringe attached and some instructions. I got a feeding tube from my vet. It is a 12 French in size. You can use other tube material if you can't get the "real thing."

I would add to the instructions on the website. First, hold the tube on the outside of the hen's body so that you can place a mark with a sharpie or something permanent to show you when you have inserted it far enough. I found that to be helpful. Just put the tip toward the bottom of the crop you can see on the outside and then make your mark where the tube is at the beak.

To insert, hold the hen's head in your left hand (if you're right handed) so that the top of her head is touching your palm. You are just coming down on her head with your hand. Then, as you wrap your fingers around her head to hold her, you can use your index finger to pull her beak upward. Your thumb and other fingers under her neck will help hold her. She will squirm a bit at first but after you've done this a few times, they don't seem to object. Also, put a little vegetable oil on the outside of the tubing so it will slide easily.

Look for the large opening where food goes into the crop. You will see her tongue and it's at the back of the tongue. The air passage is under the tongue so you must be sure to let that tube slide down the back of the tongue.

It sounds difficult but it isn't. Once you get the tube in there, you must keep holding her head or she'll shake her head and it will come out. Once you've injected the warm water, slowly withdraw the tube.

If this doesn't make sense, please post questions. You can do this!