Impacted Crop (Crop Surgery)

[Australorp94]

Hi BYC community. I have a chicken with an impacted crop. I've been trying to get the impaction to pass, but I'm having a hard time. Massaging the crop and a mild laxative called Dulcolax aren't working. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I think I'm getting to the point where crop surgery is my only option. It's been 2-3 days and the impaction hasn't cleared; the crop is still the same size. I have no confidence in making my chicken vomit, I have tried and failed. I also don't feel confident performing a surgery by myself and I can't afford a surgery performed by a vet. Is there anyone in the Tampa, FL area that can help in that department? Like I said, any advice is helpful. Thanks.

 

[LadyAchee]

Hi BYC community. I have a chicken with an impacted crop. I've been trying to get the impaction to pass, but I'm having a hard time. Massaging the crop and a mild laxative called Dulcolax aren't working. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I think I'm getting to the point where crop surgery is my only option. It's been 2-3 days and the impaction hasn't cleared; the crop is still the same size. I have no confidence in making my chicken vomit, I have tried and failed. I also don't feel confident performing a surgery by myself and I can't afford a surgery performed by a vet. Is there anyone in the Tampa, FL area that can help in that department? Like I said, any advice is helpful. Thanks.

@azygous
No experience but found this article.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[MysteryChicken]

Try using coconut oil?
Give her chunks of hardened coconut oil, & massage her crop in a circular motion to work the food down the crop tube?

 

[coach723]

How old is the bird in question? When you do the massage does the mass in the crop feel like it's breaking up, or do you have a hard, solid mass? Are you giving lots of fluids when you massage? Some crop problems turn out to be a symptom of something going on farther down the digestive tract and not an actual crop problem, so trying to narrow it down can be a challenge, but can help. I would not give any food other than the regular feed mixed with some water, nothing fiberous especially. Give fluids and coconut oil several times a day and do the massage. Do you know when this bird last laid? Is there any abdominal bloat between the legs and below the vent? What do droppings look like? The article that @LadyAchee linked to is good, and here is another one:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

 

[Australorp94]

He's actually a rooster. He is about 9 months old. I'll try coconut oil. I've tried using olive/veg oil and then massaging the crop, but it doesn't seem to be working. His crop has deflated quite a bit, but there is still a small squishy lump that kind of feels like a wad of straw. I'm not really sure if its breaking down, but its not very solid. There's definitely something in there though. There is no bloating anywhere else, just the crop. I've massaged it but that little lump won't go away. His poops look normal, they're just really small, which makes sense to me since he hasn't been eating. He's had problems in the past. He stretched his crop out so bad that it became pendulous. Do you think the mass can't pass because of that? Maybe his crop is hanging too low? This is the first time I haven't been able to clear an impaction for him. I really don't want to do surgery, but I'm running out of options. Thank you for all of the help!

 

[MysteryChicken]

He's actually a rooster. He is about 9 months old. I'll try coconut oil. I've tried using olive/veg oil and then massaging the crop, but it doesn't seem to be working. His crop has deflated quite a bit, but there is still a small squishy lump that kind of feels like a wad of straw. I'm not really sure if its breaking down, but its not very solid. There's definitely something in there though. There is no bloating anywhere else, just the crop. I've massaged it but that little lump won't go away. His poops look normal, they're just really small, which makes sense to me since he hasn't been eating. He's had problems in the past. He stretched his crop out so bad that it became pendulous. Do you think the mass can't pass because of that? Maybe his crop is hanging too low? This is the first time I haven't been able to clear an impaction for him. I really don't want to do surgery, but I'm running out of options. Thank you for all of the help!

Maybe a pendulous crop maybe an issue, so a crop bra may help too.

 

[Australorp94]

I have a temporary crop bra that I can put on him. I have a better one coming in the mail soon. I'll see if that helps, it can't hurt right? After reading some of the articles posted, I'm thinking it's either an impacted/sour crop or a doughy crop. Looks like I'm going to the store to pick up some treatments. I'll let you know how they do. Thanks again for the help!

 

[coach723]

Yes, I would try a crop bra and see if it helps. Pendulous crop can be a chronic thing, once the muscle stretches out it may not ever go back to normal.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I have a temporary crop bra that I can put on him. I have a better one coming in the mail soon. I'll see if that helps, it can't hurt right? After reading some of the articles posted, I'm thinking it's either an impacted/sour crop or a doughy crop. Looks like I'm going to the store to pick up some treatments. I'll let you know how they do. Thanks again for the help!

Does his breath stink like sour milk? If so then it's sour crop.

 

[Australorp94]

His breath stinks, but not like sour milk. It kind of smells like the veg oil, but that's probably because he just had some.