Severely swollen crop - EDITED to add OMG and pics!!

[sammi]

here is a link to a ton of information about crop problems (including pendulous crop, sour crop, impacted crop, and canker)..
with suggestions for treatment:

http://fowlfacts.proboards40.com/in...iondiseaseff&action=display&thread=1121043460

 

[Pine Grove]

Quote:
The contents in her crop will sour and send toxins into her bloodstream, Her crop has lost it's elasticity, It cant squeeze the food into the proventriculus(stomach)and this will cause her to slowly starve to death, It's really a no win situation without surgery or at least getting the contents out of her crop, Just giving her water at this point is actually making the problem worse.
If surgery is not an option you need to get the contents out, Do this by holding her by the legs upside down and massaging her crop(it wont all come out at once)you will need to do this several times, giving her a break inbetween, Once emptied, a crop sling/cradle will need to be made to hold her crop up, And then only feed her small amounts of feed and vitamin water several times a day

 

[Jillylam]

Silkhope,
I was just wondering how she is doing. Any luck on getting anything out? Hope she's doing ok.

 

[gardener]

There is an article on digestion in the december/january issue of backyard poultry. They talk about crop impaction. They make it sound pretty simple to treat yourself. Take a very sharp blade and disinfect the skin over the crop and slit through the skin and pull it aside and make a slit in the crop and clean out the contents. Isolate the bird and keep wound clean.

 

[SeaChick]

Silkhope,

There are a couple of threads from November on here where karri25 and us (Seachick) talk about our experiences with crop problems. My hen had an impacted crop which ballooned up all squishy and gassy after we started getting the impaction to pass. She is fine now. Karri's girl had the balloon crop like yours.

My hen got emaciated REALLY quickly, her breast and keel bones were protruding in a scary way, maybe that's what you're feeling?

I'll try to find the threads for you so you can read through them. Best of luck...

Stacey

 

[SeaChick]

Here are the threads... I hope they contain useful information for you:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=21498

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=22357

If you read through these you'll see wwhat symptoms our hens had, what we tried, and what seemed to work. Maybe it can be of some help to you. I found the hardest part was determining the actual problem (as there are lots of crop issues) and then deciding on a course of treatment. Good luck!

 

[silkhope]

Thanks guys... Big Mama passed Friday

I will bookmark the threads so I can go back to them if this ever arises again. I certainly hope it doesn't!!!

 

[Jillylam]

I'm so sorry she didn't make it.

 

[SeaChick]

silkhope, I am sorry!

 

[Pinenot]

She was a beautiful chicken. I am sooo soorrry!!!

:aww