Mason Farm and Ranch
Songster
I have a 3 year old Cinnamon Queen named Lucy.
I have pest and parasite protocols in place to prevent illness proactively.
My flock is Marek's positive and Lucy is a survivor. She suffered liver damage and even still laid faithfully 4-5 eggs a week.
Lucy is spoiled and a pig. She would bolt across the yard or room at the slightest hint of food. She stalked the cats for access to their leftovers. She is the epitome of stories about chickens eating everything. Except celery...she had colorful commentary on celery. (She throws it.) But she ate A LOT. She ALWAYS had a full crop.
Lucy should have died multiple times, starting at 2 months old when my Lab, curious about the new additions, managed to snag her tail feathers through the chicken wire and ripped them out, leaving her bottom bloody. Her siblings found her delicious. She was a mess when I found her, but she recovered. She was attacked by a squirrel and survived minus a few feathers and a scratch that became horribly infected. Again, she recovered. (The squirrel didn't.) She developed. Marek's Disease several months ago and has since recovered. Marek's took its toll and between Marek's and her bad eating habits, she developed liver issues. She was doing well and returned to laying with 1000mg of Milk Thistle daily.
Last week she became lethargic and stopped eating. HUGE red flag.
I thought it might be her liver. I noticed her crop was full and distended, even for her. It was full of water. I could tip her over like a teapot and fluid comes pouring out. I let her sit over night and the next morning, it was still distended with water.
I went stupid with panick. I gave her some nystatin oral in case it had gone sour. I could feel a few seeds rolling around. I gave it a good massage. 12 hours later she was still full of water. I emptied her crop and fed her an egg yolk.
Unfortunately, I only noticed she wasn't eating. I didn't notice she was continuing to drink excessively. She refilled her crop with water. I had to empty it again. It was about then I noticed she wasn't pooping. I expected diahrea, not a complete stoppage. Her Comb had become paper thin. I quarantined her without food or water for 24 hard hours. Nothing.
I let her drink again and she ate a few Blueberries. But only after I diced them up. Her crop inflated with air. A sure sign she was developing sour crop. It was HUGE. I burped her and emptied her crop again. Gave her an egg yolk smoothie with probiotics and another dose of Nystatin. Again with the massage, only in my grief in acknowledging I should consider euthanasia at this point, I massaged her a LOT.
The next morning, she had pooped. She had little poops all day. Nothing like her former bombs, but a clear indication of movement. Idiot that I am, I gave her soft food and water. She immediately filled her crop with water. Her poops turned to diahrea. But her comb is still paper thin.
Yesterday I was reading and researching and I came across Pendulous Crop. I have zero experience with this. I feel like it fits, but I am guessing.
I am unclear on if it can be resolved. The only treatment seems to be a bra, but I can't understand how it works. I understand that there should be compression, but where exactly? The whole crop, the whole chest, around the crop?
Right now I have a pet wrap bra on her, but it isn't pliable, nor does it look remotely comfortable. I am concerned that the wrap is hindering her breathing.
I need a little guidance here other than the internet vaguery. Help?
I have pest and parasite protocols in place to prevent illness proactively.
My flock is Marek's positive and Lucy is a survivor. She suffered liver damage and even still laid faithfully 4-5 eggs a week.
Lucy is spoiled and a pig. She would bolt across the yard or room at the slightest hint of food. She stalked the cats for access to their leftovers. She is the epitome of stories about chickens eating everything. Except celery...she had colorful commentary on celery. (She throws it.) But she ate A LOT. She ALWAYS had a full crop.
Lucy should have died multiple times, starting at 2 months old when my Lab, curious about the new additions, managed to snag her tail feathers through the chicken wire and ripped them out, leaving her bottom bloody. Her siblings found her delicious. She was a mess when I found her, but she recovered. She was attacked by a squirrel and survived minus a few feathers and a scratch that became horribly infected. Again, she recovered. (The squirrel didn't.) She developed. Marek's Disease several months ago and has since recovered. Marek's took its toll and between Marek's and her bad eating habits, she developed liver issues. She was doing well and returned to laying with 1000mg of Milk Thistle daily.
Last week she became lethargic and stopped eating. HUGE red flag.
I thought it might be her liver. I noticed her crop was full and distended, even for her. It was full of water. I could tip her over like a teapot and fluid comes pouring out. I let her sit over night and the next morning, it was still distended with water.
I went stupid with panick. I gave her some nystatin oral in case it had gone sour. I could feel a few seeds rolling around. I gave it a good massage. 12 hours later she was still full of water. I emptied her crop and fed her an egg yolk.
Unfortunately, I only noticed she wasn't eating. I didn't notice she was continuing to drink excessively. She refilled her crop with water. I had to empty it again. It was about then I noticed she wasn't pooping. I expected diahrea, not a complete stoppage. Her Comb had become paper thin. I quarantined her without food or water for 24 hard hours. Nothing.
I let her drink again and she ate a few Blueberries. But only after I diced them up. Her crop inflated with air. A sure sign she was developing sour crop. It was HUGE. I burped her and emptied her crop again. Gave her an egg yolk smoothie with probiotics and another dose of Nystatin. Again with the massage, only in my grief in acknowledging I should consider euthanasia at this point, I massaged her a LOT.
The next morning, she had pooped. She had little poops all day. Nothing like her former bombs, but a clear indication of movement. Idiot that I am, I gave her soft food and water. She immediately filled her crop with water. Her poops turned to diahrea. But her comb is still paper thin.
Yesterday I was reading and researching and I came across Pendulous Crop. I have zero experience with this. I feel like it fits, but I am guessing.
I am unclear on if it can be resolved. The only treatment seems to be a bra, but I can't understand how it works. I understand that there should be compression, but where exactly? The whole crop, the whole chest, around the crop?
Right now I have a pet wrap bra on her, but it isn't pliable, nor does it look remotely comfortable. I am concerned that the wrap is hindering her breathing.
I need a little guidance here other than the internet vaguery. Help?
