[richyrich7]

I'm in no way an expert in this matter but can hens burp ? I mean you can kill pigeons by feeding them with rice and bicarb mix ( not that I have ever tried it  -- mice and rats yes )

[Foxy]

I think not -might be wrong but I am sure chooks dont have  diaphragms or muscles like we do - good question though!!! after all has anyone seen a chicken with hiccups?    

[poultrygeist]

Just found the page I read it on. It's for sour crop to neutralise the acidity.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4291

Rob

[Aunt Sally]

Not for your chook then Rob  :!:

[poultrygeist]

I'm in no way an expert in this matter but can hens burp ? I mean you can kill pigeons by feeding them with rice and bicarb mix ( not that I have ever tried it  -- mice and rats yes )

Isn't it baking powder ? The yeast exapnds it as it fizzes I think.

I think. Self-raising flour might do the same. Bake itself in its own pie.  :shock:

[richyrich7]

I'm in no way an expert in this matter but can hens burp ? I mean you can kill pigeons by feeding them with rice and bicarb mix ( not that I have ever tried it  -- mice and rats yes )

Isn't it baking powder ? The yeast exapnds it as it fizzes I think.

I think. Self-raising flour might do the same. Bake itself in its own pie.  :shock:

Baking powder contains Bi-carb and tartaric acid I think,  for mice and rats mix equal voloumes bi carb, flour, sugar place out of the way and dry where ratty and pals can find and bang  

[poultrygeist]

My apologies Richie, I'm useless with anythign in the kitchen !!

At my age I should know better. I remember at school they made us use baking powder instead of self-raising flour because they were afraid of new ideas !

Rob

[richyrich7]

My apologies Richie, I'm useless with anythign in the kitchen !!

None needed matey  

At my age I should know better. I remember at school they made us use baking powder instead of self-raising flour because they were afraid of new ideas !

Rob

 :shock:  we was to busy ducking the board rubber to do any cooking  

[poultrygeist]

Update on the situation.

I have tried giving her warm water with sodium bicarbonate in (about half a teacup with a couple of good pinches in), which she loves, then massaging her crop while she's on my knee. This she doesn't like.
The bicarb neutralises any acid. She is still laying, eating and drinking with all the others and is showing no signs of stress.
She has given a couple of small burps and gurgles which I took to be a good sign.
But her crop started to look bigger yesterday and is now like a soft ball, as if full of liquid. This isn't a good sign.
Today, after some consulation, I decided to give her some liquid paraffin (mixed with squash to make it more attractive) to drink and then up-ended her and massaged her crop for a minute or so. She should vomit, or at least dribble, out the contents but refused to do so.
Her crop doesn't look as big as it did, so I'll continue the treatment for as long as she seems ok and hope to get some live maggots to try and dislodge any blockage. I'm sure she won't object.

If anyone has any suggestions I welcome anything you can offer.
I wasn't able to get her to accept any drips from a syringe which is why I let her drink the L.P. from a dish. It may be better to flush her out but I'm reluctant to pass any tubing down her throat in case I fill the breathing tubes.

Rob

[peggyprice]

How are you up-ending her Rob?

I tried clearing Princess's crop in the hope of saving her, but got only the merest dribble trickling back out; later (after she'd gone, though I don't think it would have made any difference) I read that you're supposed to hold them by the feet (!) - I'd been sort of tipping her.  Don't know if it matters  :roll:

But yours seems to be lasting well despite everything (including the liquid paraffin  :shock: )

[poultrygeist]

I did hold her by the feet and laid her back on my knees as I crouched.
She looked very disgruntled by it and, as you say, nothing came out but I will keep trying different things. The main thing seems to be to massage a couple of times a day.
Yesterday whe I 'did' her upright after some warm water, she made a few gurgling sounds and seemed happier after. She was probably just relieved that I'd let her go mind you !
My handling techniques are probably not quite honed enough yet.

Rob

[richyrich7]

Can I make a suggestion ? when you upend her don't lay her on her back over your knees, I would think this just makes the crop still horizontal but upside down, try just holding her by the legs so she is vertical upside down I'm not sure how long they can stand it, but I've seen them carried and held like this for a minute or two, incidentally on the odd occasion I've had to hold one of mine like that after the initial "flap" they seem to be pretty calm about it.

[poultrygeist]

Cheers Richy. You could be right about that. She was pretty vertical but was holding her head up a bit every now and then. She looked pretty miffed and me being a sucker for a sob story, didn't have heart to push her head back down.
I felt that if I hadn't put her against my knee, there'd have been nothing to push against if you get my drift.
It's times like this that courses on poultry keeping seem one hell of a good idea !  

Rob

[richyrich7]

It's times like this that courses on poultry keeping seem one hell of a good idea !  

Rob

Bodger was on about doing one, be a good idea to be honest. I'd like one on culling and cleaning for the table.

[poultrygeist]

We've got Brian for that little problem. If we needed any dispatching, I'd ask him for assistance. Either to do it or to show me how.

Could do with some decent video intructions on handling, etc. It's a big ask for someone, whether Bodger or someone else, even if they're being paid but it would certainly answer a lot of questions. I wonder if one could be produced on a DVD and sold openly for anyone needing to know.
Obviously I could be his agent and take a 50% fee. I'm sure he'd agree!

Rob