Slow Crop?

[LaurenDickens]

UPDATE 2: This morning she was once again more empty than during the day, but not completely. The crop felt more doughy than water balloon like. I'm becoming more and more concerned that she ate something she shouldn't have, in which case the only option I'm afraid is surgery or waiting on a slow demise The vet said when he examined her he felt something larger & irregular shaped and softer than the grit in there. When I massage her I can feel it as well. It doesn't feel like anything natural. It feels like something that won't be broken down no matter how much massage, I try to kind of run it between my fingers to get some to break off and nothing. Kind of rubbery in texture and long. I have NO idea what it could be. I always monitor them so maybe she dug in the dirt and found something that had been buried in her coop.

Anywho, she's still pooping and eating. She LOVES the soft scrambled egg. Eats it up. I got a whole egg in her yesterday, and she's almost eaten a whole one today. I'm syringing her a mixture of probiotics, red wine, lemon juice, cayenne, ginger, and cinnamon, and her crop bra is supposed to come today.

Does anyone have experience with chickens and foreign bodies?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

If you think she has a foreign body in the crop, then removal is probably the only way to go. Can your vet perform that for you?

 

[N F C]

I wonder if the vet could do an x-ray to see if something out of the ordinary shows up. No idea what that would cost.

 

[LaurenDickens]

Yes, but it's very expensive and he says it's not without risk. I love this girl but I have to be realistic about my finances. I'm really torn up about what to do

 

[LaurenDickens]

I wonder if the vet could do an x-ray to see if something out of the ordinary shows up. No idea what that would cost.

They did an x-ray, and the only thing that showed up was grit. However, the vet said that some substances don't show up on x-rays, the type of beam just passes right through them. So just because it doesn't show up on x-ray, doesn't mean it's not there.

 

[N F C]

Yes, but it's very expensive and he says it's not without risk. I love this girl but I have to be realistic about my finances. I'm really torn up about what to do

It's hard, what you're going through. I've never lived any place where a vet would even consider treating a chicken. Always had to make the decision myself and judge things like are they suffering and what is the chance they'll pull through, what is the quality of the life they are currently living.

It is hard and no easy answers.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

What all have you tried?
Massaging the crop several times a day, stool softener, nystatin, etc.?

It could be a foreign object, a ball of wound of grass/hay/straw - you never can tell. See if you can continue to massage and break it up - see if that helps.

 

[LaurenDickens]

Thank you both. She doesn't seem to be declining necessarily, definitely not lethargic (she puts up a struggle when I shove those monistats down her beak) but she's definitely not putting on weight like the others. She's still alert and turning her head and walking around in the brooder, but I'd say she's less active than she used to be. I just don't think leaving her like this long-term is sustainable or good for her.

I massage her everyday morning and night. The grit seems to be passing finally, but this weird thing...I've tried breaking it up in my fingers and it just won't give. I'll continue trying. It's not gigantic, but large enough to where her proventriculus is refusing it. I've tried sort of pushing it down towards the V opening and it won't be taken up. I have to think that if it eventually made it to the gizzard she could pass it, but so far it won't leave the crop. It obviously not big enough to where it's creating a full blockage, because she's still passing her soft food and water.

 

[Cragg Klefor]

Thank you both. She doesn't seem to be declining necessarily, definitely not lethargic (she puts up a struggle when I shove those monistats down her beak) but she's definitely not putting on weight like the others. She's still alert and turning her head and walking around in the brooder, but I'd say she's less active than she used to be. I just don't think leaving her like this long-term is sustainable or good for her.

I massage her everyday morning and night. The grit seems to be passing finally, but this weird thing...I've tried breaking it up in my fingers and it just won't give. I'll continue trying. It's not gigantic, but large enough to where her proventriculus is refusing it. I've tried sort of pushing it down towards the V opening and it won't be taken up. I have to think that if it eventually made it to the gizzard she could pass it, but so far it won't leave the crop. It obviously not big enough to where it's creating a full blockage, because she's still passing her soft food and water.

You have some time with this girl to get things working. She is getting some food and liquid through her it seems so she is not immediately in danger. Try upping the massages, can you do that?? Try massaging her crop every couple of hours, for 2 days even, and see if that works. It may come down to you doing the surgery yourself, it can be done. But obviously when you have the time you can try everything else first! You would be amazed at how grass alone can form a solid feeling lump in a crop so it could be something as simple as that. I had one chicken who was presenting the very same, and like you are doing I tried all the recommended methods. I ended up using the Acidified Copper Sulphate although I really didn't want to, it was a last resort. But it worked. She's happy and healthy ever since (this was around 4 months ago).

 

[LaurenDickens]

What all have you tried?
Massaging the crop several times a day, stool softener, nystatin, etc.?

It could be a foreign object, a ball of wound of grass/hay/straw - you never can tell. See if you can continue to massage and break it up - see if that helps.

I have not tried stool softener. So far I've tried ACV in water, probiotics, yogurt, mineral oil massages, monistat suppositories (on my last day of those), red wine mixture with turmeric, probiotics, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, lemon juice, and a bit of yogurt syringe fed. And the first day I gave her the GI stimulator the vet prescribed. I stopped after little improve meant but could give that a shot again.

Things I have read about but haven't tried:
Acidified Copper Sulfate
Stool Softener
Bread soaked in Olive Oil
Medistatin