rooster with large crop

[crittercaretech]

hello,
I have a NN silkie rooster that has a very large water balloon type feeling crop. It is a large handful and hangs low and hangs to the right side more than I have ever noticed. I have been away for several days and not sure how long he has been like this. my husband was kind enough to feed and water but I'm certain he wouldn't have noticed it if it was there in previous days. I noticed it this morning when I trimmed his nails. he was happy to eat breakfast when I put him back in his pen. the crop feels about the same as this morning. it doesn't really feel hot but he is a naked neck so with no feathers their skin always seems hot. this afternoon he seems like he has the hiccups is the best way to explain it. he has his neck arched in a S shape and periodically he moves his neck back and forth at his shoulders. I have never had this problem but it was suggested to me it might be sour crop. If that is the case I have heard so many cures what is the recommended treatment . some say to drain it out the mouth by massaging his crop with him upside down. Others say Never do that he could aspirate. I know the best of the best chicken keepers are on this site so that's why I'm here. I am sure there are many posts on this subject but I am having computer connection issues and if I stay on here too long I get blown off the internet so searching has been hard. thank you in advance for any help. also being I do not know how long he has been like this how emergent is this situation in general. obviously each case is different. a photo of my boy below. i will sign off and check back for replies so I don't get blown off the internet again

 

[MysteryChicken]

hello,
I have a NN silkie rooster that has a very large water balloon type feeling crop. It is a large handful and hangs low and hangs to the right side more than I have ever noticed. I have been away for several days and not sure how long he has been like this. my husband was kind enough to feed and water but I'm certain he wouldn't have noticed it if it was there in previous days. I noticed it this morning when I trimmed his nails. he was happy to eat breakfast when I put him back in his pen. the crop feels about the same as this morning. it doesn't really feel hot but he is a naked neck so with no feathers their skin always seems hot. this afternoon he seems like he has the hiccups is the best way to explain it. he has his neck arched in a S shape and periodically he moves his neck back and forth at his shoulders. I have never had this problem but it was suggested to me it might be sour crop. If that is the case I have heard so many cures what is the recommended treatment . some say to drain it out the mouth by massaging his crop with him upside down. Others say Never do that he could aspirate. I know the best of the best chicken keepers are on this site so that's why I'm here. I am sure there are many posts on this subject but I am having computer connection issues and if I stay on here too long I get blown off the internet so searching has been hard. thank you in advance for any help. also being I do not know how long he has been like this how emergent is this situation in general. obviously each case is different. a photo of my boy below. i will sign off and check back for replies so I don't get blown off the internet again
View attachment 2493382

He may have a blockage.

I've dealt with it once.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Coconut oil, crop massages, & more grit helped. He became a spoiled little boy during treatment.

First before you try any treatment. Test to see if his crop goes down overnight. That means no food until after you check. If he has a blockage, make sure he drinks mostly water.

 

[JCaseyHammond]

Will your internet let you search”crop surgery” on this site? Reading through might help, while you’re waiting overnight for it to drain.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/what-suture-type-for-crop-surgery.1384783/#post-22741497

 

[crittercaretech]

Coconut oil, crop massages, & more grit helped. He became a spoiled little boy during treatment.

First before you try any treatment. Test to see if his crop goes down overnight. That means no food until after you check. If he has a blockage, make sure he drinks mostly water.

ok thank you I will take away his food now. right now he has some water with probiotics in it, is that Ok or should I just give him plain water. I tried to separate him from his girlfriend and neither were having any of that so I put them back together so he wouldn't get upset. Excuse my dumbness here I am associating this to a colic in a horse. if he pooped would that be a good sign indicating there is not a blockage. if his crop is still the same in the morning I am assuming I would not feed him or am I wrong. I can try to get him to
our avian vet but I took another chicken there last week with a ear infection and they said the first appointment even if I wanted to pay for an emergency visit they had was 3 days later with the avian vet and he is the only bird vet around. they talked me into seeing the other vet at the clinic and he gave her ear drops for dogs that were too strong for birds and her inner ear and around her ear where scalded with chemical burns. so the other vet is not an option. took me an additional 2 days to get her seen by the avian vet after her ears where injured. my point being I do not have immediate access to a vet if the crop doesn't go down overnight. So curious what the next step would be if hos crop went down or if it stayed the same.

 

[crittercaretech]

Will your internet let you search”crop surgery” on this site? Reading through might help, while you’re waiting overnight for it to drain.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/what-suture-type-for-crop-surgery.1384783/#post-22741497

i will give it a try and see what happens. i love living out in the middle of no where except for the internet and cell phone complications it brings.

 

[crittercaretech]

He may have a blockage.View attachment 2493433I've dealt with it once.

did it resolve on its own or did it require surgery.

 

[MysteryChicken]

did it resolve on its own or did it require surgery.

No surgery. I'm not equipped for that. It took lots of patience to get his crop working again.

 

[MysteryChicken]

ok thank you I will take away his food now. right now he has some water with probiotics in it, is that Ok or should I just give him plain water. I tried to separate him from his girlfriend and neither were having any of that so I put them back together so he wouldn't get upset. Excuse my dumbness here I am associating this to a colic in a horse. if he pooped would that be a good sign indicating there is not a blockage. if his crop is still the same in the morning I am assuming I would not feed him or am I wrong. I can try to get him to
our avian vet but I took another chicken there last week with a ear infection and they said the first appointment even if I wanted to pay for an emergency visit they had was 3 days later with the avian vet and he is the only bird vet around. they talked me into seeing the other vet at the clinic and he gave her ear drops for dogs that were too strong for birds and her inner ear and around her ear where scalded with chemical burns. so the other vet is not an option. took me an additional 2 days to get her seen by the avian vet after her ears where injured. my point being I do not have immediate access to a vet if the crop doesn't go down overnight. So curious what the next step would be if hos crop went down or if it stayed the same.

Probiotics is fine.

Mine still pooped, but not much.

If his crop goes down, then there's no blockage. If his crop remains the same, then he has a blockage that needs to be removed.

 

[JCaseyHammond]

If it were my bird, I’d keep him warm and quiet until the vet can see him. Let him drink water with probiotic and vitamin b niacin mixed in. My go-to is Savachick or Nutridrench from Tractor Supply