[Paddywack]

If anyone can help it would be appreciated

Have just been to check on chucks and found one of the marans looking a bit docile,

Went to pick her up and saw a big lump on her chest/breast, at first thought it was a full crop.

This lump was bigger than a tennis ball and felt as though it was full of liquid, her corn looked dried and red.

She is 15 weeks old, is fed on grower pellets, is in a large run outside, this morning give her some cabbage greens and a few lumps of bread.  

I’ve heard of peeps talking about being crop bound is anything to do with that? what’s the remedy?

Is there anything I can do tonight to make her more comfortable?

Thanks for reading this.

[Foxy]

Hi Paddywack,
It sounds a little like sour crop. Have a look first thing in the morning to see if her crop is still full and a bit sqashy. If you can give her beak a sniff you might be able to detect a nasty odour.
Sour crop is basically the contents of the crop "fermenting" by overproduction of bacteria.
If her symptoms point to sour crop firstly stop any treats especially bread.
Then try her with some natural pro-biotic yogurt they usually love that! Add some apple cider vinegar to the water as well.
If it doesn't get any better you may need to take her to the vet who will try to manually empty the crop and probably prescribe an anti fungal like nystatin.

[Paddywack]

Thanks Foxy,

Only started giving them bread about a week ago, went against my gut instinct but you want to give them a treat!

That stops now, go back to giving them cabbage greens as a treat, a lesson learned!

Will get the yogurt and avc this morning and try and undo the damage I’ve done (I’m a person)

Thanks again

[slowef]

I had a bird with this and its nasty, I wish I had finished her off instead of trying to cure her.  Antibiotics may do it but its expensive so it depends on if your bird is for eggs/food or a pet as to what you decide.  My opinion only so please don't shoot me down for saying it :oops:

If you want to try to relieve her crop its fairly easy to do but then go to the vets to get her sorted if this is your choice of way to go.

Hold her by her legs upside down gently at your side and gently massage her crop with a soft squeezing motion and upward movement, she will begin to "reach" and the liquid will come out.  WARNING it stinks revoltingly, let her have a little break between times you need to do it several times before it starts to move.

DO not offer food just water till it has all cleared or it will just lodge and you will be back to square one, I put my bird in a box on her own to let her rest

I got covered so wear an apron or similar it does come out with force when it does.  good luck but if you are unsure let the vet do it to save her any more pain or discomfort!!

[Paddywack]

Thanks for your reply Slowef,

This morning I’ve put her in a separate cage in the run, all she has got is water with ACV in and some natural pro-biotic yogurt.

Will go and check her later today and will do as you suggest, if that doesn’t work then vets,

I did buy the birds for the eggs, but their welfare is important to me, if she has to go to the vets she goes, * the cost,

As I said earlier, lesson learnt, maybe expensive lesson but that makes sure we don’t make that mistake again.

Thanks again

[slowef]

For what its worth I don't think it was the bread so much as her eating grass that is too long or maybe you have used Hay?  that is terrible for crop probs as they take long lengths and can't digest it.

Good luck hope she gets better
xx