Why Would A Chicken Eat Too Much Grit?

[carolMI]

Hi Everyone. I buried my favorite Silkie rooster this morning and am having trouble dealing with the loss. I'm hoping someone can offer some advise.

My Porcelain Silkie Rooster Mack was about 3 years old and very healthy until 5 weeks ago. When he didn't come running out of the coop hatch crowing, I knew immediately something was wrong. He was lethargic and with a severely distended crop. I took him to the vet who advised his gall bladder (gut) was full of grit which caused a back-up in his crop so nothing was digesting. Vet said had to clear the crop to get the gut moving again. Expressing the crop was unsuccessful so the vet kept him overnight and gave hydrotherapy treatment. He came home the next day with METOCLOPRAMIDE SYRUP, 0.6ml every 12 hours for 14 days. Initially, Mack did pretty well but relapsed. He also lost weight and became a skeleton. Per vet instructions, I provided him a thin mixture of Kaytee Exact Hand Feeding Formula, along with Avia Charge (for vitamins & minerals) to give him some nutrition and keep him hydrated. When he wouldn't eat on his own, I force feed him small amounts with an eye dropper 2x @ day. The entire time, massaging/expressing his crop and continuing the Metoclopramide Syrup. He was so bad last week, I didn't expect him to live through the night, but he rallied and was doing better for a few days. Then relapsed again but with no recovery this time. I know most people would think me stupid for spending so much money on a chicken or very silly for being so attached, but I am so sad over his death.

If the vet's diagnosis was correct, why would a chicken eat too much grit? Was something missing in his diet? The rest of the flock are very healthy, vibrant and spoiled rotten. I really miss his crowing. Any advise is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

CarolMI

 

[Michael OShay]

What type of grit are you using? Did the vet give you any indications of the type or size of the grit that was in the crop? Do you have sand in your coop? Fine sand such as playground sand or beach sand should not be used in a coop or run as it can sometimes impact a chicken's crop.

 

[crazyfeathers]

Hi Carol,
I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved roo Mack. I don't think it's silly to spend money on trying to cure a sick chicken, I think you were wonderfully caring and loved your roo. Don't be too hard on yourself as from what I read you went above and beyond to try to help Mack. God bless you and may he help you through this difficult time.

 

[tridentk9]

What type of grit are you using?  Did the vet give you any indications of the type or size of the grit that was in the crop?  Do you have sand in your coop?  Fine sand such as playground sand or beach sand should not be used in a coop or run as it can sometimes impact a chicken's crop.

Does sand size make a difference if it's large fowl or bantam?

 

[Michael OShay]

Does sand size make a difference if it's large fowl or bantam?

You should not use fine sand on either standard breeds or bantams as it can impact their crops. If you use sand, use a coarse river sand with varying sized pebbles in it.

 

[carolMI]

Hi Michael. Thanks for your reply. I was using commercially sold grit but have stopped using it all together now. The grit was not in his crop but in his gizzard - I think stomach or gut but found out chickens don't have a stomach or gut. X-rays confirmed his gizzard was so full of grit and didn't pass that it backed up his crop. Vet said the crop had to be emptied before the gizzard would clear up. The medication, plus massaging and expressing the crop seemed to work at first. When the crop returned to normal size, felt like it was filled with a semi-hard paste substance. Massaging broke it up but it came right back. It was alarming how fast he lost weight, like his system wasn't processing food and he starved to death.

I don't use playground sand or beach sand in my outdoor coop. It's just normal ground dirt...but when the ground became too hard, I broke it up and replenished with sandy soil taken from another part of the yard so the chickens could take dirt baths. There is plenty of natural grit in the sandy soil but the commercial grit was available then too. (The flock also free ranges so they can eat grass, bugs, worms, etc.) Questions are "Why would a chicken eat too much grit?" and "What was that semi-hard paste substance in his crop that wouldn't go away?" Guess I should have had a necropsy done because I'll probably never know why he got sick. I was hoping someone out there had the same experience and might know.

Thanks again for your thoughts.
CarolMI

 

[carolMI]

Thanks for your kind words crazyfeathers. Good to know there's some out there who wouldn't think me crazy!! On the bright side, Mack fathered a chick who is now 5 weeks old. I'm so hoping it's a rooster! Could use some crowing around here again - it's too quiet.

 

[Michael OShay]

Hi Michael. Thanks for your reply. I was using commercially sold grit but have stopped using it all together now. The grit was not in his crop but in his gizzard - I think stomach or gut but found out chickens don't have a stomach or gut. X-rays confirmed his gizzard was so full of grit and didn't pass that it backed up his crop. Vet said the crop had to be emptied before the gizzard would clear up. The medication, plus massaging and expressing the crop seemed to work at first. When the crop returned to normal size, felt like it was filled with a semi-hard paste substance. Massaging broke it up but it came right back. It was alarming how fast he lost weight, like his system wasn't processing food and he starved to death.

I don't use playground sand or beach sand in my outdoor coop. It's just normal ground dirt...but when the ground became too hard, I broke it up and replenished with sandy soil taken from another part of the yard so the chickens could take dirt baths. There is plenty of natural grit in the sandy soil but the commercial grit was available then too. (The flock also free ranges so they can eat grass, bugs, worms, etc.) Questions are "Why would a chicken eat too much grit?" and "What was that semi-hard paste substance in his crop that wouldn't go away?" Guess I should have had a necropsy done because I'll probably never know why he got sick. I was hoping someone out there had the same experience and might know.

Thanks again for your thoughts.
CarolMI

You're welcome. I'm sorry for the loss of your chicken and hope you never have the same problem again.

 

[tridentk9]

The eating of inappropriate objects, can be caused by ulcers, stress, allergies, irritated intestinal systems as well as the unknown. Well, in other species so I think it could be the same for chickens.