[HENrietta]

hi, have just noticed that my white leg horn is swollen on the right side of her chest! Would this be a impacted crop?
She seems as right as rain. The only difference i have noticed is that she laid a really soft egg three days ago (almost transparent) nothing yesterday and then a squashed soft one today  I have just finished worming them all) and since then her egg laying has stopped and she was one of the best at it!!! Can anyone tell me what i need to do as i have not got a clue? THey have grit down, ACV in their water fresh daily. Oyster shell, and pellets. Corn for a treat! I am really stuck as to what it is??
Please help.

MAny many thanks HENrietta

[Vember]

Have a feel at her in the morning Hen, the crop should have some food in it at night so always check first thing before food If it's hard and full then it could be it's impacted.

I'd knock of the corn for a day or two and see if that helps at all


Sarah

[HENrietta]

THanks Sarah, my hubby has just told me that he gave them quite a bit of corn last night!
We are going to leave it out their diet for a couple of days. If it is impacted what should we do?

[Vember]

I put a little oil down their throat and massage, until it feels less, it takes time

There's loads of good info on it here, towards the end of Aunt Sally's first post.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=4345.0

Let us know how she gets on

sarah

[HENrietta]

Hi Sarah, thought i would update you, well all seems well. She has started laying again, but her crop does seem more on the right hand side than in the centre?
She is white leg horn, so she is very slight. I am not sure if she has always looked like this, and i am looking to  toooo much. Anyway i will keep a close eye on her. Thanks for your concern.

HENrietta.

[cathangirl]

Hello Hen,
The crop is to the right of the chest.
If full and firm in the mornings, give some cod liver oil and massage the crop gently. If it doesn't ease in a few days, I would take her to your chicken vet.  I lost a leghorn hybrid by waiting too long.
When I wormed my girls recently I started getting 8 and 9 eggs daily!  (I have 9 hybrids.)
No sign of worms, so I put it down to them being in their smaller run (no free range) for 7 days and only having water and layers pellets.  They've certainly developed more of a taste for it since then.
It broke my heart not giving them treats and the way they scolded me, too!  lol
cathangirl

[HENrietta]

HI Cathangirl, thanks for your info. She is in a run all day and then i let her out for an hour or so. I have noticed that she forage's like mad. More than my other rangers. I didnt know their crop was on the right, i feel better knowing that.
Do you think i should keep her in the coup for a couple of days and give her cod liver oil. (Shall i do this in their pellets?) NO treats just pellets! What do you think?
How did your leg horn pass away? And what symptoms did she have? (hope you dont me asking) 
My Flora does seem fine except for a very full crop, she is laying, drinking and of course eating.

Thanks for your time.
HENrietta 

[Foxy]

Have a look here for information on digestive ailments in chickens. Did you check her crop first thing? How did it feel? Large and bloated with an odour from the beak indicates sour crop, hard can mean the crop is impacted (crop blocked with fibrous material like grass)
Mortality due to impacted crop is due the chicken starving to death primarily, sour crop leads to infection of the gut and complications from that will cause death. Both conditions are treatable and preventive measures are ensuring that there is no long fibrous grass in the run and that they have plenty of access to grit, partiulary if you give them mixed corn.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=4345.0

[nicchick]

Foxy, I don't know if you would remember my girl Barbara and her impacted crop? You had an op done on one of your hens at the same time. Our hen recovered well from the op and is back in her run on woodchip - no long grass and her crop has filled up again! I have been grabbing her first thing and massaging it, checking her breath and feeding live yoghurt and maggots a couple of times a week. She doesn't like being handled but in all other respects she seems really well. I spoke to a really good poultry vet who did the same op on a turkey and had the same thing happen so never bothered doing it again. My mate reckons that if it's an enzyme problem then it should be treatable. We have considered doing a laproscopy to see if there is a blockage. Have you any thoughts on why this has happened? How is your hen by the way? Thanks and sorry for butting in, Nic.

[Foxy]

Hi nichick, firstly check that it really is impacted by making sure that she has no food from about 6pm then putting her inside overnight to check the crop in the morning, chooks this time of year sometimes don't always completely empty their crop.
The problem may be further down as well, sometimes stasis of the gut can occur due to infection.
Check her droppings as well to make sure they are normal. Watery or whitish, or green would indicate a digestive dysfunction.
Treatment I would continue with the pro-biotic,there is a good one that auntie recommends (can remember of the top of my head) personally wouldn't bother with cod liver oil or massage but she may need a course of antibiotics. Add ACV to her water at double the rate so 50ml per litre.
You can also give a lavage, which is a sort of "washout" for chickens will have a look for the recipe, I have it somewhere!
Oh and Filly has made a complete recovery, she has a bald spot though as her feathers haven't grown back

[Foxy]

Chicken flushes - from "The chicken Health Handbook" by Gail Damerow

When a chicken suffers from an intestinal disease or form food poisoning you can hasten its recovery by flushing its system with a laxative that absorbs toxins and removes them from the body.

Epsom-salt flush: I teaspoon Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) in 1/2 a cup of water, poured or squirted down the birds throat twice daily for 2 or 3 days, or until the bird recovers

Maybe try this Nichick but might be an idea to have a chat with the vet first to get his opinion.

[nicchick]

Thanks Foxy, will do as you suggest. Cheers, Nic.

[cathangirl]

Henrietta, I am so sorry not to have replied to your question sooner.... don't know how I missed it.   
Maisie died from an impacted crop back in February.  I either left it too long, having been advised it could take a few weeks for full recovery, or I didn't notice it soon enough.  Either way, I felt very guilty and indeed still do.
Hope your little girl has fully recovered.
cathangirl

[HENrietta]

Cathangirl, dont worry about answering straight away. Thanks any how, aaahh so sorry about maizie! My flora is absoluetly fine, have kept a close eye on her and she is doing really well. Thanks again, take care.