[nicchick]

Hi, as I feared the only hen we never cuddle had an impacted crop. We thought she was quite plump and she's not. I feel awful that we didn't notice sooner, but I took her to the vet on Friday and he said I should keep her at home and feed her soft food laced with liquid parafin then massage her crop and keep going with the maggots. I must admit I was surprised that he didn't suggest operating and was keen on going on with the massage. He did warn me that it would be hard work, he also wanted me to put her upside down to try and bring it up (sorry if you're having tea!) which I have told him I don't want to do as the lump was really hard and I don't want to choke her.
Well so far it seems to be softening up so if anyone else has this problem it is worth persevering.
On another worrying note the ex-bat who is bald and is inside because of the cold had an egg break inside her, so she has had a baytril injection today and I'm really hoping she will be ok, is egg peritonitis inevitable? She seems to be ok at the moment but my friend said she will prbably die.  I thought she was pegging it last week but she has been great since then and laid two enormous eggs and has had two outside playtimes in the sun.
My workroom is an intensive care unit! Nic.

[Foxy]

Interesting, it is very simple just to open up and remove blockage, quite often no amount of massage will shift an impacted crop and the longer its left the more chance a bird 1. Will starve to death 2. Crop starts fermenting therefore increasing the risk of gut contamination

Here is a photo of Filly, I took her in last night to have her crop emptied and flushed through. You can just see her stitches where the crop has been opened. The contents were mainly fibrous grass all twisted together, fluid with a few grains.  Although there was no odour from her beak her crop smelt awful when it was opened. She is now fine, eating and on antibiotics.

[shiatsusu]

Probably a sill question but what are the signs of an impacted crop? Nic if you're worried about the non-op can you ask for a second opinion with another vet or tell the first one you want the op done?

[nicchick]

Hi, thanks for the picture Foxy! I was trying to reply last night but my computer is sick. Now on a shiny new laptop.
I was surprised he didn't suggest surgery and to be honest I was about to start ringing around chickeny people to find someone who would do it without putting her out. She is so thin she wouldn't make it. I really respect the vet I saw and I think he was worried about putting us through the expense and then her probably dying anyway.
Anyway, let's just say that the crop has been emptied and she is a lot happier. Glued up and supping very,very runny porridgy pellets and live yoghurt.

Thank you so much for the advice and support from everyone on here, here's hoping she makes a speedy recovery. She's on injectable baytril too. The other little baldy one seems to be doing ok too. Keep sending healing thoughts everybody please, Nic.
P.S.
The signs are on here in Aunt Sally's digestive problems, as I can't normally catch this hen it was her behaviour that alerted me to the problem so that when I grabbed her I had everything on hand. It has made us thnk about stockpiling a few items for a chook first aid kit though.

[Foxy]

Eveything crossed for her! It is such a simple procedure, no anaesthetic needed as there as the crop doesn't have any nerve endings. My girl is now in large broody house outside for a few days so we can keep an eye on her, but she is eating and pooping normally. Actually she has been in the kitchen this weekend so has helped herself to catfood much to the cats disgust!

[mikebucks]

Hi, I know this is unrelated but it seems fairly "live" so thought i would ask the question. What has happened to the old site front page it seems to have stalled, does this site work in a different way now.Have I missed something?  Mike

[nicchick]

Thanks Foxy, I had decided this morning that there had been no more improvement and we had nothing to lose. What would you suggest feeding her to build her up? She's in my workroom with the two baldy girls - all in separate cages. She wasn't bothered at all and was trying to re-eat the debris and I would rather had tried this than lose her and find out how bad it was after. She had 3/4 pint of straw and grass in her and it was very fibrous it wouldn't have broken down. No maggots though so she has been digesting those - yum.
What a day! My lotty neighbour has just been telling me how relaxing it is keeping chickens...

[Foxy]

Hi, I would feed her frequently but small amounts of her normal food. Make sure she is drinking and moving around a bit. I am also adding a little chopped egg just for the nutritional content to help wound healing.( Mind you mine has helped herself to catfood!)

Best to stick to her normal diet as that is what her digestive system is used to. It will take a surprising small time for her to build up her strength and weight.

[shiatsusu]

Hi, thanks for the picture Foxy! I was trying to reply last night but my computer is sick. Now on a shiny new laptop.
I was surprised he didn't suggest surgery and to be honest I was about to start ringing around chickeny people to find someone who would do it without putting her out. She is so thin she wouldn't make it. I really respect the vet I saw and I think he was worried about putting us through the expense and then her probably dying anyway.
Anyway, let's just say that the crop has been emptied and she is a lot happier. Glued up and supping very,very runny porridgy pellets and live yoghurt.

Thank you so much for the advice and support from everyone on here, here's hoping she makes a speedy recovery. She's on injectable baytril too. The other little baldy one seems to be doing ok too. Keep sending healing thoughts everybody please, Nic.
P.S.
The signs are on here in Aunt Sally's digestive problems, as I can't normally catch this hen it was her behaviour that alerted me to the problem so that when I grabbed her I had everything on hand. It has made us thnk about stockpiling a few items for a chook first aid kit though.

Being dumb probably, but where is aunt sally's digestive problems section? ps- sending her healing Nic, hope she'll be ok 

[cathangirl]

Hi Foxy,
Are you saying a Vet will do the op without an anaesthetic?!
Best wishes to all the girls with impacted crops.......... I was too late with my Maisie two weeks ago.
cathangirl

[Vember]

Being dumb probably, but where is aunt sally's digestive problems section? ps- sending her healing Nic, hope she'll be ok 

The above plus loads of other info from poops - worming and beyond can be found here

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?board=13.0

Sarah

[shiatsusu]

Thanks Sarah 

[nicchick]

Thanks everyone! Barbara has had to have a bandage as she won't leave it alone, so she's a bit fed up but eating and pooping.
I couldn't find a vet who would do this without knocking her out, but we are in a fairly rural area and  I know a lot of people who keep chickens and who have done this before in the past without any problems. I really just wanted to avoid stressing the hen out anymore than was neccessary. There is one poultry vet who may have done it but she is away on holiday. Nic.

[Foxy]

Hi Foxy,
Are you saying a Vet will do the op without an anaesthetic?!
Best wishes to all the girls with impacted crops.......... I was too late with my Maisie two weeks ago.
cathangirl

No aneathetic would be needed -emptying the crop is very straightforward. A lot of chicken keepers would probably to this themselves. I coount myself very lucky to have a vet that I know close by who is a poultry expert.

Very sorry to her about Maisie...