Crop issues

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Chickachicka
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Crop issues

Post by Chickachicka »

Hi everyone,

I have a 1 year old Vorwerk. She started to be off colour Thursday evening, she's prone to laying the odd soft shell and is occasionally "off" when she is close to laying one so I put it down to that and put her to bed as normal, as she tends to bounce back immediately after she has laid. Next morning she bounced out, but just wandered around the garden and wasn't eating.

I brought her in, and had a good feel and thought her crop felt a little squishy. Since then I've followed previous advice on here re sour crop. She has been indoors in a small dog crate in the quiet. I've given her ACV syringed with water, some tinned tomatoes and some scrambled egg, plus some olive oil mixed in. Also she has had one dose of Daktarin oral gel. I've been massaging her crop - it does feel a little fluidy, but I can't smell any sourness. I can feel lumps of what feels like straw or maybe grass in there (we have long grass at the end of the garden and of course I'd never read to avoid that until now!). I have tried to do the tipping thing, but don't have the technique as she just shouts at me and struggles a lot!


Dare I say it this afternoon she is perhaps a little brighter. We had a couple of hours out and when I got back she ate some more tinned toms, and some warm mash with olive oil. She then had a good scratch about in the crate, which is a definite improvement as she has just been hunched with her eyes closed. She's worn herself out now though and is back to eyes closed.

So, sour crop or not? Partially impacted perhaps? I can't help worrying that she won't be able to get better unless this coarse material I can feel in her crop works through. For further info her abdomen feels quite normal to me. Any ideas or advice gratefully received.

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Mo
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Re: Crop issues

Post by Mo »

Not sure, maybe keep doing the gentle massage - can't do any harm. >fi<
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KarenE
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Re: Crop issues

Post by KarenE »

Not sure too - as Mo says, keep doing the gentle massage, maybe restrict her diet to something easily digestible like mash porridge but keep with the tomato and ACV. Check her crop when she gets up in the morning, that will help narrow it down to impaction (if it's still full). I'd be tempted to give the daktarin a miss unless you smell the sour smell. Don't tip her until you know for sure it's sour.

Did she lay a softie?
Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell
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Chickachicka
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Re: Crop issues

Post by Chickachicka »

No she hasn't laid since Wednesday. She is voluntarily pecking at the tomato this afternoon, rather than me holding it in my hand to encourage her. Her crop was still squishy this morning when i felt it, and when I haven't massaged it for a few hours it feels more fluid-like, but with these coarse bits throughout - but then she is eating more now.

Would the sour smell be really obvious?

It's tiring having one to worry about!
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kitla
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Re: Crop issues

Post by kitla »

what are her poops like? that can sometimes give a clue. Also does she feel rather
hot under her wings & belly? If one of the softies has broken inside her she
could have an infection & need antibiotics from the vet
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
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KarenE
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Re: Crop issues

Post by KarenE »

The sour smell is pretty obvious but not all the time. I must admit I thought the same as Kit - she may have an infection from a broken softie or an internally laid egg, the crop may just be because she's not eating much. If you can, get to the vets. If it is sour crop, that can be a pretty nasty thing too.
See if you can figure out whether she's got a temperature. And her poos?
Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell
Chief servant to Marley the cat
Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey.
Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper
Chickachicka
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Re: Crop issues

Post by Chickachicka »

Thanks Karen and Kitla,

Mostly white poo, a bit foamy a couple of times but the ones she passed overnight seemed mostly white and runny.

This morning when I felt her crop, There was still a lot of stuff in it, and when I moved it round a bit could feel where it would normally empty into - like a V in her chest? It all pushed down quite easily and the crop was empty. She went and sat quietly after that and then about 45 minutes later was up, eating mash quite readily and squawking at the top of her voice. When I let the others out to free range I put her out too. She has wandered about with them, and I have seen her eating. I've found her a couple of times just sitting under the patio table. I might bring her back in again this evening.....

Temperature - she did feel warm on the first evening, mostly her white 'ears' were warm, but I'm not sure if they are any different to normal. I've tried to compare her to my Maran and she maybe does feel a little warmer under her belly - they were both so and so's to catch! Also I've felt her crop this afternoon and it feels no different to the others.

Am I barking up the wrong tree then? Would her crop not empty if she was poorly with an infection? We're booked to go to Legoland all day tomorrow- feel awful not being able to get her to a vet if she needs it. I might try and call the most local vet and see if anyone chicken-y is on duty tonight.
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kitla
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Re: Crop issues

Post by kitla »

I've found that sometimes if a hen is poorly her system seems to slow down &
the crop doesnt empty very fast. It's hard to know what's going on in there and
to make it harder being a prey species they try to disguise their illness.
About her droppings, I've found infections usually produce yellowy-white runny
poops. If they're very runny it could indicate a stuck egg (nothing solid can get past)
When she's sitting around is her vent sort of pulsing?
A build up of worms can also make them poorly.
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
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KarenE
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Re: Crop issues

Post by KarenE »

Really difficult to say if it is the crop or an infection. It sounds like it isn't sour crop, that would be filling up like a balloon by now I think. Could be she had a slight impaction so keep up the gentle massages if it's full again tomorrow morning. Is she eating long grass? Or straw?

Kit makes a good point about worms. When was she last wormed, and what with?

Have a look and see how she is tomorrow. Is she eating okay still?
Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell
Chief servant to Marley the cat
Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey.
Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper
Chickachicka
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Re: Crop issues

Post by Chickachicka »

Hello, well, she's right as rain today!

Kept her indoors Sunday night, and gave her a warm bath in the evening before bed. She shot a couple of normal looking poos out when I tried to have a feel of her vent but I couldn't feel anything egg like. Not sure I would if it were soft? Anyway, put her to bed to dry and she was up and eating the next morning, and had passed some normal poo. Then left her with plenty of mash and water/ACV and indoors in the crate while we were out yesterday. When we got home she seemed quite bright so put her out to free range for the last hour of the daylight and she went to bed with the others. Completely normal today!

Dunno if it was the crop or not but she's pulled through.

Thanks for all the advice. Its been a learning curve!

I think these softies will be a problem for her long term. Should I supplement with calcium do you think? I leave them in to make sure they fill up with layers before free ranging but perhaps she needs more help. Sometimes she will lay a normal egg and then a softie later that day, she seems to be on overdrive.
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Mo
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Re: Crop issues

Post by Mo »

Limestone flour can help if they are short of calcium, But if her system is not keeping them in the shell gland long enough I'm not sure. Worth a try anyway.
It does sound as if you managed to massage the blockage away, glad she's better.

Learning curve... yes ...but it's always a bit of guess work (even the vets don't always know)

Good luck.
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Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire
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sandy
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Re: Crop issues

Post by sandy »

Just catching up, so glad she is doing well )t' Just to say dont give daktarin unless she is really sour, trust me you will now by the smell
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