Swollen crop - possible impaction?

[darkbrahmamama]

Yesterday I noticed that one of my 2 & 1/2 month old brahma hens had a crop that was larger than normal. Maybe about a little larger than golf ball sized. Yesterday it was very soft, & I didn't feel anything in it. Almost like a balloon. Today it is very slightly smaller, & it feels harder. They free range for about 1 to 2 hours a day, & the rest of the time their in "their stall". I'm pretty sure that she ate hay, as I've seen her get some from the nesting boxes (which I have taken the hay out & put shavings in instead). I picked up a grit mixture - starter grit, grower grit, & oyster shells. Tonight I gave her a little olive oil, & put her in a small area by herself with water & grit only, no food. She did poop a few times while she was in the stall. The first time it was pretty loose, mostly white. The other 2 had very little white, they were really small piles, & very green. How long will she be OK by herself without food? Should I be massaging her crop? I have been, but worry if I'm doing it correctly. Is their a "proper" way to massage the crop? Also, should I be trying to get more water down her? For the oil I used a 3 CC syring with a cow teat infusion cannula to help get the oil in her mouth. I was worried about giving her too much too fast, so I would put just enough in her mouth to lap it on her own. I think I got about half on me trying to give it to her! Any pointers on what to do & if I'm doing to right think would be great. Thanks all!

 

[darkbrahmamama]

Her crop still hasn't gone down today. It's about the same size. Feels like a balloon filled with stuff - so it's no rock hard, but not liquid either. Gave her more olive oil followed by some warm water & massaged her crop. Her poop does have some green color to it, so it's not just the white. But it's no where near normal or healthy looking - but it's better than white only, right? Can anyone out there let me know if it sounds like I'm doing the right thing? I've read she can go anywhere between 2 days and a week without food to help this pass ..... any clues as to how long I can let it go for? I'm kind of clueless going into this & any opinions would be good!

 

[casportpony]

White poop probably means dehydration, green is starvation. If she were mine I would weigh her and get her properly hydrated (30ml/kg every 6-8 hours) using a feeding tube and syringe. She will die without water. Once hydrated i would give her baby bird food. If her crop still wasn't emptying, I would try to figure out why... could be many things.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...cken-and-give-subcutaneous-fluid#post_9910754

Size 18 french is what I prefer for most birds.

 

[casportpony]

FYI, aspiration of oil can cause lipoid pneumonia which would probably cause death. If you really think there is a blockage, you should use miner oil instead, IMHO.

-Kathy

 

[darkbrahmamama]

Her poop looked much better this morning. The one in the back is an older pile, the one in the front is from either last night or early this morning. Now I'm 100% sure it's hay, as between yesterday morning & this morning she actually passed some. Her crop was down, maybe about 1/2 way the size it was, but she still has some stuff in there. I'm going to keep doing what I've been doing, as it seems to at least be helping, & hopefully this ends up clearing. When I give her the oil & warm water, I put just enough in her mouth to let her "lap" it up on her own, so I'm not forcing anything down her. It takes forever, but I don't want to put anything in her lungs. She's drinking on her own, so at least that's a good thing. I've read to keep a dish with grit available, but I've also read to mix it in with their feed ..... is one better than the other? With having horses, & the chickens being around hay a lot, I don't want this to happen again & want to make sure they get down enough grit.

 

[darkbrahmamama]

I'll have to look for some of those tube feeders to keep on hand ..... hope I can get some from work .....