Sick hen. Impacted crop?? Need help

[gingersnnapps]

We have just two hens that we adore! Our plymouth barred rock, Sarah, has not been well for about 3 weeks now. Symptoms are tail feathers down, standing or laying by our sliding glass door with her eyes closed, fluffed up feathers, moves about kind of slow, diarrhea, and she has lost a lot of weight. She is still eating and drinking water. I notice that when she eats bread that we occasionally feed her, she sometimes stretches out her neck and opens her mouth, like she has something stuck in her crop. A week or so ago i felt around her crop and neck. Didn't find anything concerning. I thought maybe this behavior was due to a recent molt or perhaps poisoning from an asparagus fern?? (THe asparagus fern was finally moved today)

Today she seemed to be worse. her comb seems to be a bit lighter and dry and I could feel a large golf ball size mass in her crop. Ugh!!! I gave her some mineral oil and she ate some bread soaked in vegi broth. She couldn't get enough of it. She walked around this evening and was scratching at the grass and leaves a bit. She seemed to be happy for a bit. Really worried about her weight loss and her tired appearance. If it is an impacted crop, I would know by tomorrow right? I'm going to inspect her in the am before she eats. Also, should she be under a lamp? Our evening low's are in the low 40's.
Any info would help.
Thanks,
Ginger

 

[branston]

I think I would stop giving her the bread. I just had an impacted crop and then sour crop. I gave her 1/2 teaspoon olive oil twice a day and massaged her crop for about 10 minutes as often as I could through the day. I also got some water down her. I used an oral syringe for both. For the sour crop I mixed some honey with natural yogurt and gave her that and it seemed to do the job. Good luck!

 

[Henny peeny]

I had a Blue Amerucauana she got crop bound impacted crop? twice in her life I did all was told oil massage what ever I was told and I couldn't get it to go through I finnaly had to operate. My husband helped me since I see blood and panic he is near pedimedic and does not panic under pressure he made the hole a it was very small and with tweesers I removed all in the crop the first time she did well we pity her crop back together with supper glue a year ago I was on here and someone said it was much of what the vet uses she did great and was able to show even after that, She was goos for a year but fell to crop bound again so I went through everything again but in waiting I think I waited a little to long my husband wasn't able to help me and I had to have him make time for her we did it again and she didn't do so well she would eat bread and that is all and not much she was not getting better and just droping weight her wings was low as was her tail and she didn't ever sit right her eyes were bright but you could tell she was not well I decide she was not gaining and would not eat enough to survive I had to do the deed she didn't fight much since she was so weak. She had just got her first trophy.
Don't wait to long if you need help in operatiing I will help you I will give step by step as I think other can do here to I have did this twice if I didn't wait so long she might of been around still yes I have guilt a lot of guilt but I think in taking her life might of been the best thing to do as she was just skin and bones. Please let me know if I can help you in anyway.

Rhayden

OH this may help

the first time she had scratch feed and hay I dion't know why she was eating hay the second time she had feathers I never saw her eating them but it was not gonna pass I read there is a protien deficency (dang can't spell forgive me please) but she had not been given anything different and was on what she has always been on. a at the time I didn't know scratch was just a treat I now have them on crumble ONLY I through ground up calcium in and the beet pulp but this is mixed in the feed. They get some veggie scraps and some deer since it is deer season now raw deer meat the liver the heart that is if we don't want it it is not there is anything wrong with it but sometimes we just don't want it.


PLease let me know if I can help you further time is ticking.

 

[gingersnnapps]

Thank you for the tips. tonight i gave her some scrambled eggs. I also gave her some more oil. I spent a lot of time massaging her crop. I also gave her natural yogurt with honey. She really loved that! I was surprised. I held her for almost an hour! I swear the mass seemed softer. We shall see tomorrow! We are keeping her inside tonight. we don't have a heating lamp. I figured it would probably be best to keep her warm. I will keep you posted. Thank you
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[gingersnnapps]

Glad to hear that the first time worked. Pretty amazing that you guys were able to do that. Didn't it hurt a lot to do the little operation without any anesthetics? Makes me sad that the second time around didn't work. I talked to someone on the phone today and they said if I don't take her in to the vet, I should kill her. Gosh, that's extreme! I'm not a chicken farmer. I imagine that's probably what most farmers would do. SHe is a member of our family! We love her. She still is eating and drinking. That's a good sign. SHe did real well tonight. I made her some scrambled eggs and yogurt with honey. SHe loved it all! I also gave her some oil and massaged her crop for about 20 minutes. I swear the mass seemed to be softer!! I held her for almost an hour while my husband made her a bed to sleep inside tonight. so far she is quite and seems content. thanks for your help. I will keep you posted!!
GInger
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[M@M@2four]

If she has an impacted crop you need to stop ALL food. Separate her and give her plenty of water ONLY. You want to give her about 1/4 tsp of olive oil and massage her crop(breaking up the impacted material) and stroke in a downward motion while massaging. Do this(oil and massage) every 4-6 hours for the next 24 hours. She can be without food for a good 24 hours and still be fine. This is important because you need to fully clear her crop. After her crop is clear, you can then give her chick food(I give the medicated kind) and vanilla yogurt(good probiotics) for the next few days. She should be fine. I have had this happen and had successful outcomes when I have done this. Good luck!