Help needed… impacted ESOPHAGUS

[Ocho 8 Farm]

Hello! My hen has what I think is an impacted esophagus. Not her crop but esophagus. It is swollen and hard but her crop is empty. She is drinking water but not eating anything other than a few pecks of grass here and there. This has been going on for a few days and she’s really starting to decline. Should I try to clear it? I know it hurts her because when I pick her up she’s not happy and she’s always been fine with me picking her up. From her head to her abdomen she’s shaped like an “S” it’s bulging. How do I help her? Would it be the same as for an impacted crop? Should I try to vomit her? I feel like that would be hard to do because she gets upset when I touch it.
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

 

[Loving my girls]

Will she let you massage it ? It really doesn’t sound like it, but if at all possible try a little oil, olive perhaps, and massage to see it it releases it.
I have also heard, although never tried it, that an Epsom salt with warm water mix can clear it.
I hope she is okay,
Big Hugz

 

[Ocho 8 Farm]

Will she let you massage it ? It really doesn’t sound like it, but if at all possible try a little oil, olive perhaps, and massage to see it it releases it.
I have also heard, although never tried it, that an Epsom salt with warm water mix can clear it.
I hope she is okay,
Big Hugz

Thanks for the reply. I did try to massage it but she squirmed and pulled away so much I knew it was hurting her so i put her down. I was hopeful that I had managed to loosen it a bit in the 8 seconds of massage but nope, it hasn’t budged. I was thinking I would try the olive oil today but I’m just hoping some one else has delt with this specifically and knows exactly how I need to proceed. Thanks for your support and suggestion.

 

[Ocho 8 Farm]

Hello! My hen has what I think is an impacted esophagus. Not her crop but esophagus. It is swollen and hard but her crop is empty. She is drinking water but not eating anything other than a few pecks of grass here and there. This has been going on for a few days and she’s really starting to decline. Should I try to clear it? I know it hurts her because when I pick her up she’s not happy and she’s always been fine with me picking her up. From her head to her abdomen she’s shaped like an “S” it’s bulging. How do I help her? Would it be the same as for an impacted crop? Should I try to vomit her? I feel like that would be hard to do because she gets upset when I touch it.
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Bump

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you show a picture of how she looks? Could she have wry neck (torticolis?) The shape of her neck sounds like it. It may not be an impacted esophagus at all. Can you tell us age, diet, if she has grit available, does she lay eggs, and is her belly enlarged under the vent? Does she eat and drink or do you have to help her? If she has wry neck, I would get some human vitamin E 400 IU, and human B Complex vitamins 1/2 tablet and give those daily. A small amount of egg will also give some selenium.

 

[Eggcessive]

This article show pictures of the different appearance of wry neck:
https://www.cacklehatchery.com/what-causes-wry-neck-in-chickens/

 

[Ocho 8 Farm]

Can you show a picture of how she looks? Could she have wry neck (torticolis?) The shape of her neck sounds like it. It may not be an impacted esophagus at all. Can you tell us age, diet, if she has grit available, does she lay eggs, and is her belly enlarged under the vent? Does she eat and drink or do you have to help her? If she has wry neck, I would get some human vitamin E 400 IU, and human B Complex vitamins 1/2 tablet and give those daily. A small amount of egg will also give some selenium.

Yeah it’s definitely not wry neck. You can feel stuff in her esophagus. The esophagus is bulging out and hard. I will take a picture of her soon but we are in a rain storm at the moment.
She is 1.5 years old and was a terrific layer up until maybe a week ago. Her belly is soft and not distended. She free ranges every day and yes she has access to grit. She definitely is getting some fluids because her poop is watery white and I think she’s trying to pretend she’s eating so none of the others notice she’s ill. She will peck at the ground with them but I can’t really tell if she’s ingesting anything. By the looks of her poop I would say no and her crop is empty.

 

[coach723]

Is vet care an option? An x-ray or ultrasound might identify if something is lodged in there, whether it could be removed manually or surgically, or whether there may be a possible tumor. If there is a foreign object that is sharp or hooked, then massage or manipulation could possibly do more damage.

 

[Ocho 8 Farm]

Is vet care an option? An x-ray or ultrasound might identify if something is lodged in there, whether it could be removed manually or surgically, or whether there may be a possible tumor. If there is a foreign object that is sharp or hooked, then massage or manipulation could possibly do more damage.

Yeah that’s what I was afraid of.
We have “livestock “ vets but no one sees chickens.