Crop Issue Advice: Update, Surgery Was A Success

[UncleDougsChickens]

I posted a while back about a chicken with a rather large crop, im talking grapefruit sized. Its been a couple months since then and its still large but shes still alive. Shes clearly in some sort of discomfort since she constantly tries to shift the contents around. I have been calling around to various vets(animal hospitals) but they all quoted me several hundred dollars for the exam + xrays + whatever treatment they actually do. I cant afford to spend several hundred dollars on surgery. The other option is to do the surgery myself but i cant tell if the crop is actually impacted and a surgery would help or if it would be pointless and wouldnt solve anything. I have had her inside for about a week around thanksgiving last year and the crop definitely went down to a more normal level but as soon as i put her back outside it inflated to a grapefruit again. None of my other chickens have this problem but they have eaten just as much dried grass as her and they all are the same species/same age/eat the same diet. What should i be doing here? Do some animal hospitals do charity work? Are there any vets on here that would help? I live south of boston for what its worth. I dont want to kill her and dont want her to suffer but like i said a few hundred dollars is just too much. Any advice besides "just kill her" would be appreciated thank you.

 

[cleoandtheflock]

Do you have some pictures of her
If her crop seems big and hard it could be impacted if her breath smells like sauerkraut she has a sour crop Sometimes they have both at a time
I know don’t feed them their feed just yogurt and egg
@Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock @casportpony know more than me

 

[Sequel]

There was a really good thread on here a few days ago about crop bras, the idea being you make a bra thing that holds the crop up so that it can empty, because the exit tube is actually about 1/3 down from the top. I don't remember who posted it but I'll tag a few experts and someone with real experience will help you. I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this, it is so frustrating!

@Eggcessive @azygous @Texas Kiki @Wyorp Rock

 

[Kiki]

Have you tried massaging it several times a day yet?

 

[UncleDougsChickens]

Have you tried massaging it several times a day yet?

I stopped massaging it a few months ago when it wasnt making any improvement although maybe you have to continue to do it regularly to see any change. Anyway, i always imagined that it feels bad like if you had acid reflux would you want someone squeezing the acid up? The consistency is that of an inflated balloon so its hard to tell whats inside because all you feel is a...inflated sack of skin. I can try massaging it again if it will actually help but if its just gonna make her uncomfortable and not improve her situation then I'll leave her alone. Can a knot of grass/hay thats impacting the crop eventually pass (assuming thats what it is)? I was optimistic it would a year ago but now im not so sure...

 

[azygous]

Pendulous crop. I discuss it in this article. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

There's a basic pattern for a crop bra. It's easy to make, no sewing if you just wish to glue the pieces. You will need to make it larger or smaller to accommodate your individual hen. It also requires a few days of adjustment to get it to fit in such a way that the crop empties.

 

[UncleDougsChickens]

I felt the crop today, it was much harder than it was last time I checked (maybe 2 months ago). I can still try the crop bra, but will it actually help? For reference, the crop is the size of a grapefruit and the hardness of an inflated basketball.

 

[Kiki]

I felt the crop today, it was much harder than it was last time I checked (maybe 2 months ago). I can still try the crop bra, but will it actually help? For reference, the crop is the size of a grapefruit and the hardness of an inflated basketball.

Are you able to weight her? I wonder if she is slowly starving.
She may have a blockage in the gizzard and I am not sure there is much that you could do for that.

 

[UncleDougsChickens]

Are you able to weight her? I wonder if she is slowly starving.
She may have a blockage in the gizzard and I am not sure there is much that you could do for that.

shes skinnier than her sisters but shes definitely eating, pooping and laying

 

[Kiki]

shes skinnier than her sisters but shes definitely eating, pooping and laying

That's good news.