Vet says her gizzard is impacted - please HELP !!!

[simplychickens]

This is my first year raising chickens - we have nine laying hens total, all about 8 months old.

Day 1: We noticed one of our Rhode Island Reds not eating and not moving around much. Picked her up and immediately felt how skinny she was. Took her inside - she ate and drank a bit.

Day 2: Appetite seems lower - still drinking. Took her to the vet, and he said her gizzard is impacted, and that she probably has poultry 'pika' where she just kept consuming grit without eating. We also wonder if she had been bullied out of eating her normal amount of feed.

So, the vet took the attitude that 'it's just a chicken, and if you lose one, no big deal'. He seemed to think it was a poor prognosis, which may be the case but I thought I'd give the forum a try. Granted, we are not going to spend hundreds of dollars for surgery on her gizzard, but we do want to try everything we can.

At this point, I am trying to give her mineral oil with a syringe, and wondering if a warm belly bath would help. Any other ideas/tips would be VERY welcome.

 

[chickensioux]

Go online to PoultryHelp.com and look up impacted crop, it will tell you everything you need to do

 

[pawsplus]

FIND A BETTER VET!! Look for one who does exotic birds. They are VERY knowledgable and don't take that crappy attitude!

 

[CTChickenMom]

Mineral oil is a good start, I've also heard bread soaked in olive oil will help lube things up. Yogurt may not be bad either. The beneficial bacteria in it would likely help keep her system running. If she is being bullied away from the feeders, giving her gizzard something to work on other than more grit may help, like the bread with olive oil.

 

[jjthink]

The vet, and I use the term VERY loosely in this case, should change professions immediately, if not sooner.

JJ

 

[simplychickens]

Thank you so much for the replies. I am going to try giving her some more mineral oil tonight. Right now, I have some bran mixed with mineral oil in her temporary 'house' (a box in the kitchen) and will go try some bread soaked in olive oil.
I agree, that vet was VERY frustrating. It is not our normal vet (we have two dogs), because she did not feel confident diagnosing chickens, so she recommended the other. Ugh.
Again, thank you to all who replied!!! I will keep you posted on the hopeful progress.

 

[MoodyChicken]

The crop and gizzard are two totally different organs. If you mean the gizzard, I'd say put her down. If you mean the crop (that bulge on the breast), than she's treatable. Read this, it should help:

http://sites.google.com/site/moodysbantams/poultry-health-1/crop-impaction

Surgery is a last resort.

 

[simplychickens]

Yes, the vet said it is the gizzard that is impacted...however, she is still passing small bowels. Her droppings are much darker than normal with a deep yellow cap.

Her appetite was much better this evening - she ate up the bread soaked with oil and also had some lettuce.

Not sure what to do at this point (?) I am having a very difficult time finding information on an impacted gizzard....

Help!

 

[MoodyChicken]

I don't think it's possible for the gizzard to become impacted. The food would have to bipass digestion, I just don't think that happens. I think your vet needs a crash course in avian anatomy, he probably meant the crop. Feed her a laxative diet low in fiber high in liquid. Try baby parrot feed. In her case, if she's plugged up, I think it's better to give her the runs and get things moving again than letting her stay plugged up. Give her electrolytes and give her lots of olive oil.

 

[MoodyChicken]

Hang on, rethinking. Her weight is down, she is depressed, and her poop is capped with a lot of off colored uric acid, correct? Is she weak, and can she walk? Are there any strange lumps in her abdomen (not an egg, but internal lumps)?