Update: crop surgery with graphic photos

[Emilysclukscluks]

 

[azygous]

Supplies to assemble:

A helper
Vetericyn wound spray
Betadine or alcohol
Saline wound flush
Sharp, sterilized cutting tool such as a one-sided razor blade or Xacto knife.
Sterile gauze
Tube of super glue gel
Latex gloves
Bath towel
Scissors to cut away feathers from incision site

Surgery:
-Wrap hen securely in a bath towel confining wings and feet, but leaving the crop exposed. No anesthesia is required. No pain meds.
-Have your helper hold the hen on her back on a hard surface or table.
-Locate the spot where the lump is most concentrated.
-Trim her feathers away so just skin is exposed.
-Prep the site with Betadine or alcohol to remove external bacteria.

Make a one inch incision in the skin. Do not cut any deeper than the outer layer. This will expose the crop sack.

Next, cut a one-inch opening into the crop sack, slightly offset to the outer cut. This is very important. You should be able to see the obstruction, grass or maybe something else that shouldn't be in there.

Putting slight pressure on the crop, push the obstruction toward the opening and pull it out. Continue until you can't get anything else out of it.

Irrigate the inside of the crop with a generous amount of saline until the saline comes out clean.

Dry the incisions by patting with sterile gauze. First apply super glue to the edges of the inner incision. Stretch the incision and hold the tissue together until it bonds, about one minute. If it doesn't hold, apply more glue and continue to hold it until it bonds.

Glue the outer incision as you just did the inner one. Spray the incision liberally with Vetericyn. This promotes the tissue to grow together and heal. Do this twice a day for the next two days.

Feed only soft food such as yogurt, soft boiled egg, apple sauce, or gruel made from mixing water into her feed until it's soupy for the week following surgery. Give her a dose of Nutri-drench each day for five days plus continuing the miconazole for seven days.

 

[micstrachan]

So @azygous, you are recommending surgery, correct?

@Emilysclukscluks did you ever try stool softener?

 

[Emilysclukscluks]

I will do the stool softener today, I have not yet tried that. I would have to wait till tonight to preform surgery so my wife is home to help. What type of softener do you recommend and dosage? I feel like its such a confusing case, doesnt seem like a text book case of sour crop or impacted crop, but im definitely leaning toward some kind of blockage.

 

[Emilysclukscluks]

Dulcolax's active ingredient is BISACODYL but I guess thats a laxative, I don't want that? I Want a stool softener-docusate sodium, correct? Give her a whole liquid gel im assuming?

 

[Rooapalooza]

Supplies to assemble:

A helper
Vetericyn wound spray
Betadine or alcohol
Saline wound flush
Sharp, sterilized cutting tool such as a one-sided razor blade or Xacto knife.
Sterile gauze
Tube of super glue gel
Latex gloves
Bath towel
Scissors to cut away feathers from incision site

Surgery:
-Wrap hen securely in a bath towel confining wings and feet, but leaving the crop exposed. No anesthesia is required. No pain meds.
-Have your helper hold the hen on her back on a hard surface or table.
-Locate the spot where the lump is most concentrated.
-Trim her feathers away so just skin is exposed.
-Prep the site with Betadine or alcohol to remove external bacteria.

Make a one inch incision in the skin. Do not cut any deeper than the outer layer. This will expose the crop sack.

Next, cut a one-inch opening into the crop sack, slightly offset to the outer cut. This is very important. You should be able to see the obstruction, grass or maybe something else that shouldn't be in there.

Putting slight pressure on the crop, push the obstruction toward the opening and pull it out. Continue until you can't get anything else out of it.

Irrigate the inside of the crop with a generous amount of saline until the saline comes out clean.

Dry the incisions by patting with sterile gauze. First apply super glue to the edges of the inner incision. Stretch the incision and hold the tissue together until it bonds, about one minute. If it doesn't hold, apply more glue and continue to hold it until it bonds.

Glue the outer incision as you just did the inner one. Spray the incision liberally with Vetericyn. This promotes the tissue to grow together and heal. Do this twice a day for the next two days.

Feed only soft food such as yogurt, soft boiled egg, apple sauce, or gruel made from mixing water into her feed until it's soupy for the week following surgery. Give her a dose of Nutri-drench each day for five days plus continuing the miconazole for seven days.

Azygous, you seem to have a lot of experience with crop issues. How common would you say they are? Are they more common in older chickens? And how often should everyone be checking their chickens' crops? Sorry to jump in on this thread; but I feel like I've been seeing a lot of these crop issues lately.

 

[azygous]

Azygous, you seem to have a lot of experience with crop issues. How common would you say they are? Are they more common in older chickens? And how often should everyone be checking their chickens' crops? Sorry to jump in on this thread; but I feel like I've been seeing a lot of these crop issues lately.

Crop issues are probably the most common of all chicken illnesses, and something many chicken keepers fail to be aware of or check.

Older chickens are more apt to get them, and crop disorders often present as secondary issues from a more serious issue such as cancer or reproductive infection.

No need to check crops every day. But when you see a chicken acting "off", it's the first thing you should check.

 

[azygous]

I'm not recommending surgery, but I won't discourage it. The decision on chicken treatment always lies with the chicken care giver. They are the only ones to have hands on knowledge of their chicken and the ability to sense how seriously ill their chicken is. Surgery on the crop is relatively safe. It's something anyone can do since it just involves making two incisions and cleaning out the crop sack and then gluing it back together.

You won't see me recommending abdominal surgery, though.

 

[Emilysclukscluks]

@azygous I really wish there was a way for me to know that I was making the right decision. I just feel like everything I have tried, has not made a difference, and I'm at the point that I feel like I am basically watching her starve. I have given her a stool softener with no change.

 

[azygous]

Then surgery is a viable option. I suggest you prepare her for the stress of surgery by giving her some warm Gatoraid to hydrate her and get her electrolytes and glucose up. Try to get at least a fourth of a cup of the fluid down her. Do this several hours before you plan on the surgery so the crop can hopefully drain some of the liquid into her system.

If you are able, take photos of the process and share them here on your thread so others can learn from your experience.