I have a 2.5 year old Barred Rock who is the biggest eater of everything! A year and a half ago she got into hay and made a meal of it (badly impacted) which lead to her first crop surgery. I have been watching her carefully throughout the year and noticed that her crop doesn't fully empty like all the other hens. I have had to bring her in on multiple occasions to give her Nystatin for sour crop.
She otherwise seems to enjoy her life, she gives me an egg 5 to 6 times a week... Its so sad to see her run around with a pendulous crop! She doesn't like when I put a crop bra on her, but I will make an effort to massage her crop when ever I can.
When I give the other hens fruit or ACV, I exclude her (once in a great while, she will sneak in a piece of fruit).
I pulled her in about 2 weeks ago to watch her carefully, I was able to get the crop down a lot but noticed a very hard ball (slightly bigger then a golf ball) that was not passing. Massaged further, was able to soften it up, but still was not passing. This lead me to believe that what ever was left in the bottom of her pendulous crop was also leading to her sour crop.
Her second crop surgery was Tuesday (with a vet), and she pulled out a lot of old food not digesting properly. Cleaned, flushed it out, and added probiotics. She is in my garage. I withheld solid food for 24 hours with only water w/ electrolytes available for her. Next day I gave her a scrambled egg with a dash of olive oil.... small amounts of soft food for the last few days.
After every meal, her crop is HUGE and far from empty in the morning. I hear some gas and air as I massaged her crop. Poops are looking more normal though.
Questions:
Am I doing something wrong?
Does she need to be separated from the rest of the hens with her own special diet for ever?
Can I give her an ant acid of some kind?
Or do I let her live the rest of her natural life the way she wants?
Thank you,
~anna
She otherwise seems to enjoy her life, she gives me an egg 5 to 6 times a week... Its so sad to see her run around with a pendulous crop! She doesn't like when I put a crop bra on her, but I will make an effort to massage her crop when ever I can.
When I give the other hens fruit or ACV, I exclude her (once in a great while, she will sneak in a piece of fruit).
I pulled her in about 2 weeks ago to watch her carefully, I was able to get the crop down a lot but noticed a very hard ball (slightly bigger then a golf ball) that was not passing. Massaged further, was able to soften it up, but still was not passing. This lead me to believe that what ever was left in the bottom of her pendulous crop was also leading to her sour crop.
Her second crop surgery was Tuesday (with a vet), and she pulled out a lot of old food not digesting properly. Cleaned, flushed it out, and added probiotics. She is in my garage. I withheld solid food for 24 hours with only water w/ electrolytes available for her. Next day I gave her a scrambled egg with a dash of olive oil.... small amounts of soft food for the last few days.
After every meal, her crop is HUGE and far from empty in the morning. I hear some gas and air as I massaged her crop. Poops are looking more normal though.
Questions:
Am I doing something wrong?
Does she need to be separated from the rest of the hens with her own special diet for ever?
Can I give her an ant acid of some kind?
Or do I let her live the rest of her natural life the way she wants?
Thank you,
~anna
