[mickwood]

OH MY GOD....

We've been having problems with Violet for a while and finally the poor girl started to go downhill with an impacted crop. Affer speaking to folks it was suggested that we cut the crop and remove the blockage. Has ANYONE ever done this? Is it normal?

Long story short, we thought Violet was gonna die this morning so we gave it a go...I say we...I held violet and sat there with a green face! Claire did the hard work, seeing as she's a nurse I think that was best!! It was an awful job, but after stitching everything back up Violets happily exploring the back garden once again!

Is this a 'normal' job for chicken owners?? It seemed very extreme but has worked?  :blink:

[nicchick]

Our Barbara is in our recovery unit as we speak after having exactly the same on Sunday. It's the second time she has had to have it and both times the culprit has been long tough grass.
We have to keep her separate and on soft food for a while but found no problems re-introducing her last time she just slotted right back in the pecking order in the same place as if she had never been away.
In my opinion this is safer than trying to bring it up or putting a bird under anaesthetic.
We thought that it was a problem with her as they are on a wood chip run with no grass but have since found out that people have been feeding them grass through the run wire.
We are going to have to put a polite sign up for people.
Hope she carries on recovering well, Nic.

[Foxy]

wow! well done you and especially Claire, you have saved her life as she would have starved to death. Dont give her too much food, little and often until her crop recovers.

[pawsnclaws]

does it not hurt the chicken??

[Foxy]

does it not hurt the chicken??

the crop is basically a bag which holds the food. It doesn't actually contain nerve endings, so doesn't need an aneasthetic, fairly straight forward really, only a bit messy!

[mickwood]

Hi, its Claire ( mick at work) I have a couple of questions!!
She is a feather picker ( naughty Vi) but there was loads of grass in her crop, so no more grass post recovery?? Will she be ok with greens? Have also ordered her a beak ring, any good?  Thought she had died mid surgery, not doing that again! She is in the back room now in the cat box ( minus cat!) with some water and little bit of food. Anything else i need to think of? I'm not a chicken nurse.

[Foxy]

Hello Claire!

She will be a bit sore and sorry for herself. Just stick to pellets, just small amounts you could make a mash by adding a little warm water. Avoid grass, and mixed corn for a couple of weeks to allow the crop to heal. Leave the wound to heal on its on, and, any signs of redness, heat  around the wound, ask the vet for Baytril (antibiotic)

[Doodle]

Thanks for that. I joined!! I sutured her.....so will take those out in 5 days or so. It was a fairly big hole. Will keep an eye on her, hope it heals ok.

[chickenlady]

Hope her recovery continues and well done you! beak rings are fab my amberlink spent 4-5 months away from the flock cause she feather plucked badly! she has had the ring on for 2 weeks and she is so happy! you can tell cause her eggs were always small and pale in the last week they are big and dark!  and she lays every day now!

Debbie

[Doodle]

Cool! I seperated her a few days ago and she spent all day by the fence desperate to get back in. Will be nice to have the others with feathers and her not ill all the time. Is feather pecking habitual after a while? Do they ever 'grow out of it'?

[nicchick]

Hi, Barbara was a feather pecker too - it was this that alerted me to her crop problem as she does not like to be picked up unlike our other girlies. Since emptying her crop the first time she hasn't done it. I think that she was looking for protein. We are putting Babs back this weekend to join the others. My mate is a vet nurse and recommends Dermasol for the wound area and also for the ammonia burns that ex-bats get on their bums! Both times Barbara has been recovering post op we have fed her a fairly high protein, easily digestable diet - scrambled eggs, chick crumbs, sweetcorn and some greens and an apple to peck at. The apple keeps her busy to stop her worrying her wound, we also put a halterneck on her. Hope some of this is useful, Nic.

[Kate and her Ducks]

Well done Doodles!

Who needs a vet with you about! Fnacy specialising a poultry and you would make a fortune on this forum.

[Doodle]

Once and on one chicken is enough!! Far too stressful to do that to the fave chicky  . She is ok this morning, she said she had a rough night, but i checked on her and she was asleep ( typical patient). Will give her some special post op recovery diet.

[Vember]

Wow

Fantastic work Doodles *Bows down to you*

Sleep is probably the best thing for her

Well Done

Sarah

[Foxy]

sounds like she is in excellent hands Doodle! Keep up posted!