Treating a suspected crop impaction

[WhiteMtsChickens]

One of my year-old Bantam Cochins was looking kinda 'booby' in the mornings the last few days, and yesterday morning when I felt her crop, it was full and doughy (probably about ping pong ball sized). She is completely fine and was in fact attempting to stuff herself more on grass when I let them out. She's acting, laying, and pooping normally at this point. Would eat normally if I let her I'm sure. I did a bunch of reading on here (some awesome threads btw) and have been working on it since yesterday midday. She's contained in a carrier and I've been feeding oily eggs--one batch of which I added ginger, cayenne, cinnamon, and lemon juice to. I have Dulcolax to give her, I just started her on miconazole, and I've been massaging the crop a few times a day, whenever I get out there for 5-10 minutes. She has chick and adult grit available and crushed cooked eggshells. I'd say it is at least 30% smaller than it was. I'm fairly certain it's second cut hay in there--they have a bale that they like to use as a nest and has become the favorite laying spot, but I do sometimes see her eating it. I'm not sure how well she is drinking, but do have stuff to tube her if needed, which I might do later for peace of mind. I'm in a position to be able to do crop surgery if needed, but also thinking if it doesn't resolve, her neck is short enough, I might be able to anesthetize her and reach in with long hemastats and see if I can pull any of the stuff out (kinda like the snake that ate the beach towel). She seems to be feeling good and I do think it is making slow progress. I saw the one on here that looked like it took almost 2 weeks to resolve. Hoping that with the doughiness of it and the mild progress already, that won't be the case, but with the potential for long fibers, the matt might be tougher to break down. Anything I'm missing that I should be considering?
Also dealing with a chicken with a suspect leg injury that has been hopping around on 1 foot for over a week since the bobcat got our rooster and one young hen. And 4 new chicks. It never ends!! Pictured is the booby chicken Zori and her little sister, plus an Ameraucana butt.... In much nicer weather. still cold and snowy in northern NH although it feels likes pring is coming

 

[azygous]

It sounds like you're doing an amazing job. Please document what you do here on this thread and include photos, and your thread may very well be one that people will be able to learn from.

 

[WhiteMtsChickens]

Tubed her with 1.5 oz of warm water last night, did lots of massage... doesn't seem to have changed much this morning and she's not super excited about oily eggs (mostly I think she is mad about the crate). I did give her about 2 tsp of the ladies' morning 'oatmeal' (mush of scratch, their regular feed, grower feed, and some parrot pellets) just to make sure she has a little fuel for the fire, as well as 1 tsp greek yogurt with her miconazole. This may sound crazy but has anyone ever tried using Coke/Pepsi for suspected plant material crop impactions? It is useful in horses with stomach impactions that are plant based--like persimmons, or hay. It's important to use the regular stuff, not diet/caffeine-free. Any clue whether that's been attempted in chickens?
I might try it because I'm curious. Not sure whether the liquid would stay in the crop long enough to have much effect, and might make for a slightly hyperactive chicken for a while, but I'd probably just start with a small amount....photo of the booby lady hanging out last night after her tubed fluids

 

[WhiteMtsChickens]

Truly I don’t know how people tube chickens by themselves. It takes 2 of us and I’m pretty good at things like this. And she’s a reasonably well behaved and very small chicken. Tubed her again with warm water and Dulcolax. She’s passing about a tsp at a time of soft stool. Seems to be feeling ok although stressed from most recent tubing.

 

[WhiteMtsChickens]

Just gave 1 tbsp coca-cola by tube. Holding chicken under one arm works way better than having the chicken in your lap or in a table (she ripped one of her toenails off on the table) for passing the tube. Hope this helps!

 

[SPlummer]

Just gave 1 tbsp coca-cola by tube. Holding chicken under one arm works way better than having the chicken in your lap or in a table (she ripped one of her toenails off on the table) for passing the tube. Hope this helps!

Any updates? I noticed several weeks ago that one of my hens had a very large crop but I just figured she was pigging out. I just realized two days ago that there’s no way it’s just a bunch of normal food waiting to pass. I’ve had numerous hens getting their feathers picked out and I’m suspecting that may be what started the impaction. I’ve been crating her now with probiotic water and giving her oil via a syringe, but after the first day she hasn’t passed any more stool. I’m going to give her a little yogurt just to keep her nourished and hopefully it won’t add to the impaction. I’ve also been massaging the crop.
Any luck with the Coca Cola/Pepsi thing? Sounds better than other suggestions I’ve read about force feeding her water and letting her vomit the impaction out

 

[WhiteMtsChickens]

Unfortunately she died, although it was my fault. I ended up doing crop surgery and she had a huge amount of hay in there, and she aspirated under anesthesia. I didn;t have her properly positioned. I know better now and if it happens again, I'll know how to get it right. I think the coke might actually work if it were a mushy-stuff or shorter-fiber impaction, but with long stemmed hay, I'd go straight to surgery

 

[SPlummer]

Oh dear - I’m so sorry! I’m fearful that my hen may have ingested hay as well or feathers. She has been super active and eating until I crated her and showed no sign of distress otherwise, so I’m hoping if I can’t get her to pass the impaction that perhaps I can utilize a “crop bra” and just put her back with the flock Any opinion?

 

[WhiteMtsChickens]

Based on what came out of my girl’s crop, I’d go for surgery sooner vs later. But I did read through that one person’s experience that took like 2 weeks to resolve, and I’m sure that’s possible. This was what came out of a 2# bantam Cochin crop....