impacted crop

[Blue House]

This topic has probably been discussed before but I can't seem to find anything here about it. One of my good layers, a Brahma/Easter egger cross, has an impacted crop. I noticed she was raising her neck really far back and gulping as if she were trying to swallow. When I checked, I found that her crop was full and hard and obviously uncomfortable. So now I've got her in the house, have been massaging the crop and giving her warm water in small doses all day, along with about a teaspoon of warm canola oil this a.m. The crop seems to get a little looser after massage, but then hardens up again. Her poo is normal looking but very dry. She's bright-eyed and perky; tried to eat with the others this morning until I picked her up. Haven't given any other food today.

I read somewhere that you could irrigate the crop by using aquarium tubing, but I hesitate to try that without knowing any more about it. There seems to be something larger than a seed in there, and she could choke. I lost two hens in one week back in March--one by a hawk, the other by a dog--so I'm naturally anxious about losing another. I'd appreciate any suggestions.

[Glenda L Heywood]

I have used this flushing method on chickens and pigeons. We raised English Pouters and they were famous for getting impacted crop

I took 1/2 cup of baking soda to 1 pint of warm water
then take a childs ear syringe and fill with the water
put it in the chickens mouth clear to the back so as not to
strasngle the bird
flush and then come up from under the crop and force the contents of
the crop out the chickens beak
do this three times and it will be cleaned out

If it is something like grass wound up in a ball you will have to do surgery on it.

This is very easy and safe
take and have some one hold the bird
now take a razor blade that has been taped on one side
and cut the first layer of skin
then cut the crop its self

take the soda water and clean out the crop good
then take pure iodine and clean the crop area
then have a large needle and strong thread and sew up the two layers at one time
whip stitching the thread
now put pure iodine on the whip stitch flesh

put bird in cage by her self
revery day put the iodine on her stitching
also I gave them the probiotic recipe for the time of healing
1/4 cup dry crumbles
1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
1/8 cup of plan non flavored yogurt
mix good and leasve for 1 hr so she can eat it all
the milk souring does not hurt the bird but is very good for her

Then DO NOT feed any thing else but wet mash for 1 week
do not give her whole grains till the stiching heals
and be sure she get grit with grains

The bird will heal and be good to go. I never lost any birds as you
do the job as soon as you notice the impacted crop
Glenda L Heywood
http://www.gkpet.com
click on pet forum

[Patrick]

If one has the skills, more power to them if they want to do surgery on their own animals, but I'm pretty sure that not many people here would tolerate being held down to have their appendix removed. The many stresses that this bird has been under already, coupled with surgery without the benfit of anesthesia or pain management, and the chance of infection, seems like a huge risk to me, especially in untrained hands. It just seems barbaric.

[Evy]

If one has the skills, more power to them if they want to do surgery on their own animals, but I'm pretty sure that not many people here would tolerate being held down to have their appendix removed. The many stresses that this bird has been under already, coupled with surgery without the benfit of anesthesia or pain management, and the chance of infection, seems like a huge risk to me, especially in untrained hands. It just seems barbaric.

Amen ! I'm glad someone in the veterinary field agrees . That rates up there with caponizing.

[Glenda L Heywood]

Sorry if I offended any one
Back in my day there was not extra money for veterinaries.
I never had a problem with doctoring my own birds. I have never lost any birds to any thing when doing this.
The bird was going to die any way IF I did not help it by getting the compacted spoiled feed out of the craw
So the bird was taken care of and lived a better life than letting it die from poisioned feed or grass wound up in its crop

So if people can afford the Veternary do so. I was just trying to save them momey.
The crop flush does work and many can be saved by flushing out the poisoned feed from the crop
Glenda L Heywood

[Blue House]

Much thanks to Glenda, Patrick, and Evy. You all have useful things to say. The hen was still impacted this morning but seemed hungry. I gave her a piece of bread soaked in plain yogurt with a little oil, and she ate about half. She's drinking a lot of water. Now, at the end of the day, the crop is still huge but softer, and she's pacing to get out with the others. I'll keep her up another day and see what happens. I can't feel the rock-hard lump that was in there yesterday.

If there isn't a lot of improvement by tomorrow evening I'll do the irrigation that Glenda describes. It sounds simple enough, and this hen is young and could stand the stress. As for the surgery, I'd do it if I had to, if it were the only way to save the bird, but I'd make sure I had some help and pain meds on hand. I happen to have some that I got from the only vet in our area who will treat birds and who took care of my little pet Phoenix, who was not a layer but a real pet. Phoenix and I conversed daily on matters large and small, and she loved to ride on my shoulder down to the mailbox. So when she nearly lost her scalp by a vicious rooster I did try very hard to save her and did a little stitching up to hold the skin before we could get her to the vet. After much care and expense she recovered nicely. I learned a lot by watching the vet and by taking care of her as she healed, but I can't afford to take every hen that gets an ailment to be treated there. Avian first aid, if done carefully, is better than just letting the bird suffer and die, I think.

Back to the impaction--this is the first hen I've had in my eight years of keeping them that's come down with this. Usually it's the mushy crop thing, when they get dozy and won't eat and the crop is all swollen and squishy. That's easily solved by holding them upside down and squeezing out the sour stuff, and then a regimen of yogurt and soft food. No problem there! This is a little different, and thanks again for the advice. It's nice to know that there are people out there who care for their birds as much as I do mine.

Margaret

[Glenda L Heywood]

friend of mine made this up for impacted crop surrgery
more professional than mine

Items Needed:

Betadine solution
Isopropyl Alcohol
Gauze Pads
Razor blade or Exacto-knife
Tweezers (surgical - if available, find at Vet Supply or Pet)
Hand Towel
Sutures or Heavy weight Thread
Sharpie sewing needle that will accommodate thread
Scissors
Antibiotic ointment
access to warm water, preferably a kitchen sprayer

To perform the surgery, a "surgeon" and "assistant" are needed. The assistant holds the bird, wrapped in a hand towel,from behind being sure to keep the wings secure and unflapping.

1. Approximately 1/3 of the way down the crop, located on the right the breast; push back the feathers and have the assistant hold the feathers away from the site. Place a few drops of betadine solution on a gauze pad and clean the dermis of the crop at the site of the incision.

2. Wipe the area with an alcohol pad. Allow to dry.

3. Holding the skin slightly spread, cut through the outer dermis with the cutting tool. The opening needs to be only 3/4" - 1" in length. (The incision that we made was more horizontal than vertical.) The skin is fairly tough, so you may have to apply several strokes. The tool will pass through the outer dermis and you might encounter adipose (fat) and then flesh before entering the crop.

4. Once the crop has been opened, material may start to be seen through the opening. Place the bird over the sink and massage the crop so that the contents move towards the opening. The surgeon can grab the contents and dispose in the sink. Once the material is removed, rise the site thoroughly with warm water. Additional material may come to the surface, massage the crop to feel if there are any additional contents. (Tweezers may be needed to remove blades of grass or in our case a cigarette filter.)

-Be careful not to tear the skin around the site with the massaging.

5. Rinse the site again. Pat dry with a gauze pad. Take a minimum of a dime size dose of antibiotic ointment and "pack" the site - lightly smearing the cream or ointment into the site.

6. Thread your needle, cutting a 12" section of doubled thread. Knot the end, leaving a 1/2" tail. Place 3-4 stitches through the dermis, catching the lining of the crop. End the stitches with a knot on the opposite end from which you started.

7. Allow the "patient" to recuperate isolated from the flock. Use newspaper for bedding, offer water and withhold grain. Offer plain yogurt 6-8 hours after. Yogurt and mash/grain can be offered on day 2. Water at all times.

8. Keep an eye on the incision, being sure that their is no tearing or redness. The stitches can be removed 7 days after surgery. Apply antibiotic ointment to the site.

We put our girl back with the flock on day 4, watching her closely.

I hope that this helps for future reference.

Glenda L Heywood
http:/www.gkpet.com
click on pet forum

[Glenda L Heywood]

How did the impacted chicken come out?
hopefully it is okay
let us know
Glenda L Heywood
http://www.gkpet.com
click on pet forum for articles