Your video absolutely saved our little Lucy's life. We were about to put her down. Out of desperation I came here to YT and did a search for her symptoms. We found this video, performed the steps, and within 3 hours our little girl was back to her old self again - literally - you saved her life. Thank you so much! Merry Christmas!
Well may I just say thank you! I watched this video and subsequently saved my chickens' life! She had been suffering all day from this...determined to do all I could to keep her going I began researching, came across this extremely helpful little clip and voila! She is fine and dandy today. Thank you!
If it's just a small impaction, you can feel a small hard ball of grain, I've had great success with giving a bit of scrambled egg with oil (veg oil does it fine) and very gently massaging out the lump. Then give the bird a break from grains for a couple days. If it's possible to do it like this it's much better than emptying the crop which is traumatic for the bird and the owner. But it depends if you have an impaction or sour crop and the size of the impaction. I've also been told you can dissolve an impaction using a mixture or bicarb, lemon juice, a bit of chilli, ginger and cinnamon in 2tbsp water.
Helen, thank you. My hen has a pendulous crop that is soft but I think there is a small bit of impaction as well. I massage her crop but it doesn't seem to help much. I will try lemon juice to see if that helps.
Thanks, I followed your advice (but with coconut oil as recommended in another comment). After massaging the hard "ball" every few hours, I could feel it breaking apart. I even gently pushed it "down" towards the gizzard, a little bit at a time, being careful not to push anything up her throat. By the end of the day she pooped and in the morning she pooped A LOT! Today she seems 100% recovered. Yesterday she looked like she as going to die. Thanks again!
Here's a tip in administering vegetable oil to chicken; use cool coconut oil. It's hard enough that they will eat it on their own, and then it will liquefy as it warms inside them.
Came here for the comments, and yours was the best! My poor sick hen gobbled up the coconut oil when I presented it to her. Waited a few minutes to let it melt, then gently massaged the golfball-like impact. Earlier we had given her some water and grit, too. I could feel the "ball" start to break up. I'm sure it was long grass blades since the grassis growing like crazy now that it's summer. I massaged her crop a few hours later and it felt smaller. A few more hours and it was definitely breaking apart and traveling down into her gizzard. I let her outside on the pool deck to let her walk around, and boom! she pooped! We kept her in the house overnight and the crop was almost empty now. Once again, she pooped the biggest poop when we let her out. She seems to be fully recovered now. I really think the coconut oil helped break up the impaction. Thanks!
@@MrTarzan2day for fun, put some in the fridge and you’ll see what coconut oil looks like in cooler climates. Source: I used to live in FL and my coconut oil was always clear liquid. I’m in a cooler state and it’s a solid.
Thank you so very much, Ma'am and Sir, your video pretty much saved my little chick's life! His crop was dangerously enlarged, and because of Good Friday, most vet clinics and services here are closed tomorrow. I tried your procedure, and it worked smoothly! Now my lovely chick is back on his feet again! Thank you, and may God bless you always!
Tried this with one of my chickens who was struggling with her crop and it worked really well, only downside I pointed the chicken sideward and got leg covered in smelly chicken sick but the chicken was calm throughout and make a very speedy recovery - Thankyou for this great training video.
You are welcome Gary - thank you for your lovely comment Believe me, yo won't make that same mistake again! Always glove up, wear wellies and aim the chicken away from you. Claretaylor.com
Thank you for your video! Too many talk about everything but what their title is. You got straight to the point and taught me what I needed to know. Awesome!
Haha, I WISH!!!!! These are all stock hens, so not stooges or tame ones; they tend to wriggle around at first, but if you handle them calmly, they will settle down.
hello mam help me my chicken also having this same problem but she is so small only 3 months and have some white hairs (wings) she was so active but now she is only opening mouth and falling some saliva and sometimes shaking her head too much like something stucked in throat we also feel that something stucked pls help plssssssssssssssssssssssss humble request
Chickens are the most precious form of life on this miserable planet. I’d rather be surrounded by chickens than people any day. I think I have an Incurable chicken addiction
Thank you SO much! This video saved our little Brahma’s life! We fed her some water mixed with olive oil, waited and then rubbed the crop. She got better in the afternoon
Thank you so much for sharing this information! You helped me save my chickens life. I would have never known this if I hadn't found your video. I'm forever grateful for you ❤️😊
I have been googling and googling about impacted crop and this video is just perfect. Thank you so much for your really clear instructions. From it I was able to determine that impacted crop probably isn't the issue, which is an important step in itself.
My father my grandfather and all of my uncles raised gamecocks. I have also raised them my entire life. I tried to live without them for about 10 years, I am 48 now, and life was not the same. Even though I am married to the love of my life and have a wonderful job, and apparently good health, I needed my chickens. I was director of the Texas gamefowl breeders association for years, I rode with a good friend that was over the veterinary department of Texas A&m doing pollorum typhoid testing on various flocks across the state. I knew Mike strecker well, flock is a miracle publication that every chicken owner should own. If you own chickens and you really care for them please order that book. If they still make it which I'm sure you can find it. My copy is 20 years old LOL. I'm complimenting this channel. This is the first chicken channel I have actually subscribed to. Your knowledge and your technique is spot on, and not only that, you can tell through your touch that you care about the patient. LOL I will keep watching, keep doing a great job. Keep them Crowing
This blew my mind. I watched your video and went right out and had to clear one of my chicks crops. IT WORKED! I hardly put any water in her crop and way more came out than I put in. She would have aspirated had I not done this. I am going to keep an eye on her to be sure she doesn't have more issues. Here's hoping whatever is causing the problem will so be corrected. Thank you so much.
great ..my chiken was choking and 100% dying in my hand but lucky i am to watch this video with my phone in the same time and i saw you putting your finger in her mouth so my little chiken was dying and cant breath i did the same as you and opend her mouth with my finger and tried so hard to make her breath and she did! she actually breath hardly in the first time and she was so tired and when she looks fine i left her and she could breath now i don't know what happened but im happy i saved her now 10 minutes left and she looks fine she breath but i don't know what she going to do yet I'll see but its a good start now she breath thanks.. btw my little chiken her age is 20 days
Thank you so much for presenting this! Around evening, we had a chicken with an impacted crop and while not much came out when I tilted her, whatever had caused the blockage loosened up in the crop with a good deal of massaging. She seemed very tired from the ordeal, so we kept her in our chicken ICU (our bathroom) overnight and for a full day to make sure she was feeling alright before letting her go back to the flock. That was almost a week ago and she's right as rain now. I definitely would not have been able to save her without the demonstration and information you gave us. Thank you again so much!
I think my hen has a slow crop. I did this with her, twice. Green fluid with no odor. But it was thick so it was slow to come out. I could feel some seeds at the very bottom of her crop. Hopefully the massaging I gave her has allowed food to move into her digestive system. I never thought I would be making a hen throw up... Life is full of new experiences. LOL
This helped me! I just had to tip her forward and it was like a teapot pouring out dark liquid. It was evening so I’ll check her tomorrow. But she was feeling like crap all day. Poor thing.
You are entirely welcome, I hope that she continues to improve. A couple of mls of neat apple cider vinegar (the live sort that you get from feed stores) syringed into her beak once a day for the next couple of days would be beneficial.
hello mam help me my chicken also having this same problem but she is so small only 3 months and have some white hairs (wings) she was so active but now she is only opening mouth and falling some saliva and sometimes shaking her head too much like something stucked in throat we also feel that something stucked pls help plssssssssssssssssssssssss humble request
If the grains have already fermented, then there is less likelihood of them causing sour crop, but an impacted crop is a different matter; this is usually caused by either an obstruction in the crop, or further down the digestive system. It can also be caused by over-eating. I hope that this helps
Sadly, I found this video a day too late but am glad for the education as we still have 3 chooks and 3 ducks - all new for a city girl now living in the countryside! We discovered our favourite chook "Joséphine" very unwell when we returned late afternoon (of course it was a pubic holiday - no vets) I was distraught and nursed her until bed time not knowing what to do, sadly she was gone by the morning (we had a heat wave so I tried to give her a little water with a feeder/syringe thinking she could be dehydrated). The vet the next day did an autopsy and said her stomach was full of lettuce maybe 3 days worth but otherwise very healthy. We had recently got 3 young ducks and she was extremely jealous - she attacked us when we came out with scraps and we thought she may kill one of the ducks (she really was the favourite). We believe she ate the share of all 4 chooks and the 3 ducks worth of scraps and also neglected her grain!! (as the vet said, there was no evidence of any grain in her stomach). I am so heartbroken and also feel so guilty for not being more knowledgeable with feeding and first aid but grateful for the education and your post.
So what did the vet say about what he would have done...how to prevent...etc?? I heard to faithfully supply them with "grit" (oyster shells) occasionally so that helps a lot to digest their food.
About 3mls is fine It's unusual for bantams to get blocked crops - you might need to look at what they are able to pick up and eat when they are out free ranging.
Hey, I’ve talked to you before my chicken with her crop but I have another question it’s about my grandmas chicken her chicken has a swollen comb is that something that could kill them? Thanks
Hello again Brittany I can't be sure without seeing a photo or video of it - did you want to email something to us that way I can see what the problem is.
Do you think that she has sour crop? Is it possible that she's had a blockage or eaten something sweet such as fruit and it has fermented in her crop. Her crop will feel like a squishy balloon full of water and her breath may smell bad. the way to treat this is similar to the video; you don't need to add any water, but you do need to empty the crop before you can start. Once you have done that, syringe 2-3mls of neat apple cider vinegar (the one with the mother thread) into her beak, keep her on just pellets to eat, and repeat the ACV dosing for about 3 days, then stop and see how her crop is. If it is filling back up at any stage, then you will need to empty it. Add ACV to their water a couple of times a week going forward, but not if the weather is hot. See how you go Clare www.claretaylor.com
about few days ago painfully we had to put to sleep one of our hen .apparently she had contracted peritonitis. we got to a stage the vet said too late to give her further antibiotics , she was infected so bad. apart from this illness what kind of situation make a chicken all of a sudden to lay inside her body and become infected
Hi, on saturday last week i caught one of my chickens carrying a long white rubber string about 2cm thick in her mouth. As soon as i tried to get it out she ran off and gobbled it down. Its now been 5 days and i was waiting to see if she would pass it in her poop but she hasnt. She is acting normal as usual, eating, drinking pooping and laying so im not sure what to do. Could you give a suggestion? Thanks
Hello Aishya I'm afraid that there's not much you can do about this; it will either pass or not! If you are inclined (and rich!) you codul take her to the vet and they might operate, but it's not something I would consider as birds are notoriously poor at tolerating anaesthetics. Chickens are curious creatures and have been known to eat weird things like hair toggles and mastic from door frames without much damage. If she's otherwise healthy, i would just leave her be... and check your garden for anything hazardous!
CotswoldChickens hi, thankyou for letting me know i will keep observing her more carefully to see if anything passes. She is a lovely bird i wouldnt wanna lose her ☹
hello mam help me my chicken also having this same problem but she is so small only 3 months and have some white hairs (wings) she was so active but now she is only opening mouth and falling some saliva and sometimes shaking her head too much like something stucked in throat we also feel that something stucked pls help plssssssssssssssssssssssss humble request
Any suggestions on how to handle this situation with a 2/3 week old chick? Eating, drinking, pooping and pretty active but seems to have a hard marble size crop impaction for days
In a tiny chick, I'm afraid that you'll need to get a chicken-savvy vet to look at it; I would increase liquid uptake, but at that age it isn't good to restrict food. If it is just on chick crumb and water, then the crop impaction shouldn't occur unless there's a blockage further down the gut. There's a list of chicken-savvy vets (UK) here www.claretaylor.com/articles
Our hen's crop was impacted this morning, so we brought her in to massage it, but she proceeded to lay 2 eggs, 1 thin shelled the other soft shelled, and now the crop has deflated quite a bit. She is standing with wings slightly spread too.
We read that a little drink of liquid paraffin would help, but we didn't have any so used extra virgin olive oil instead, along with a drop of water. We did it in the morning and evening, massaging her crop for 5 minutes. She's much perkier and vocal today, eating and pooing as soon as she came out of the cat carrier she's slept in in the bathroom. We gave her another dose/massage as her crop still had a little food in it from yesterday so we'll see how she goes.
Hello Adrian Just seen both your messages; it sounds as if she might have been egg bound, I would put the bird out with the others and keep an eye on her. There's every chance that she will improve now, but some apple cider vinegar in the water every couple of days is a good idea.
@@adrianevans7252 no veggie oil in the house or coconut oil so I used butter. After massaging his crop I put him in a cage and gave him a chunk of butter. I walked away after he started eating it. He has water with ACV in it. I hope he better when I return from work.
Great video but....how much Braggs? Cuz to much would screw up any animal.... What if my impacted cropped chicken does NOT throw up? And a few other unanswered questions I cant remember at the moment....my chicken has had an impacted crop for a week now, I make it throw up every day, bout 3 times a day, and it still wont get back to normal....my other 5 chickens are fine.... I've given it antibiotics and made it throw up and the issue wont go away. It eats like a champ every night and I've seen it poop often...but it's still the only one with a giant crop....any advice would help chicken lady....thanks
Hello Korey Antibiotics are NOT what it needs - sorry. Your bird obviously has a more serious problem than just an impacted crop; there may be a blockage further down the digestive system, or a plug in the crop which won't shift. You really must get it to the vet without delay as it will be suffering.
@@CotswoldChickens hmmmm....but it's one of the biggest out of my chickens? And it eats and poops...but it always has a big knot thing where the crop is...is it really that serious?
@@koreyhayden1368 You seemed concerned in your first post Korey, but you may not be aware of how the crop works; It is a holding bag for undigested food, which is fed down into the gizzard to be ground up and digested, it will fill up during the day and should be full and firm at the end of the day, then empty in the morning as the food will have been digested overnight. If the drop is still firm and hard in the morning, then it is probably impacted and a blockage is stopping it from emptying. The bird will gradually starve of nutrients, not to mention the discomfort. If you're not sure what you are doing, then I would strongly recommend that you visit a chicken-savvy vet promptly.
One of my hens has a large crop and it feels like a water balloon, I don't feel anything hard. She has been kinda laying around for a good bit of the day. Is this what's going on with her or would it be something else?
If it feels full and squishy, then there's a chance that she has sour crop - this is where the contents of her crop have started to ferment. You may even see some liquid coming out of her beak when you pick her up and put pressure on the crop. You can use the same process to empty her crop (just leave out the water at the first step) empty it as much as you can, then syringe in 2-3mls of neat apple cider vinegar. Keep her off food until the next day, but ensure that she is well hydrated. If it has filled up again the next morning, then empty again and repeat the ACV dose. Introduce just pellet food and see how she gets on with that - mix in some probiotics such as Fauna Flora to sort out the gut flora balance. Clare Taylor
Hi Marcey Yes, there is still a chance that it will move through. See if you can feel a plug that could be blocking the sphincter at the bottom of the crop; gentle massage and the introduction of fluid should help, check that she is pooping too. If it doesn't clear and allow her to digest, then she may need a trip to the vet. Clare Taylor
I tried to do this but my hen wasn’t able to expel what was in her crop. However the mass did go down quite a bit and looked like things got moving again due to massaging. And she did poop. Does that mean it might be broken up and everything good again?
Sounds like she's cured! I didn't even try to make my hen puke. It makes most sense to have it go... down, not up. Maybe with sour crop, puking is the answer, but with the one experience I had with an impacted crop (yesterday), feeding the hen some coconut oil, water, and grit, then massaging the impaction to the point wher I could physically feel it breaking apart was the answer. If you can get it to go down into the gizzard and digest it (and poop!), that's the best outcome, right? I'm no vet, but I can only attest to what I just experienced yesterday.
Should I do the same for a chick? She's just a week or so old & I can feel a small knot inside her distended crop. (This is my first time with chickens)
It would be very unusual for a chick to have an impacted crop, and this absolutely isn't something to try on one that small; please take it to a poultry vet soonest. I hope that it is OK www.claretaylor.com
what if its my 6 day old chick that looks to have a swollen/impacted crop? She had splay leg and I made a leg hobble and now her legs are under her and straight. Her legs look much better. But now its the crop looking bad. it's soft not hard but definately bulging out and causing her to be still a little weak.
Sorry to hear about your chick. I certainly wouldn't try this technique with a chick. It's hard to say what the problem is without seeing it, but it codul just be that the crop looks more pronounced because of the thin chick down. Is the bird eating well and pooing? Personally, i feel that if a chick has multiple problems, it will fail to thrive in the long term and is probably best despatched... sorry.
yes she is eating and pooping well. walking better but she is weak compared to the other 3. She falls down still but her legs look much better than before. She doesn't appear to drink as much so i tried eye dropper and she drinks from it if i hold it up to her. I was hoping since you gave the adult chicken water maybe the baby just needs more water to get crop to go down in size? She holds her head different because of it and eats sideways but eats well
It sounds like something more than just a crop issue if I am honest, but it's impossible to diagnose. Make sure that it has access to water and that it is drinking. Usually when a chick has splayed legs and is otherwise healthy, just hobbling them for a few days works, but this one sounds as if it has other issues.
thank you for the advice. this is my first time with chickens and that is what i am afraid of. that its more than just her legs. i really appreciate your time (and videos)
No problem, I'd like to be able to help more, but I'd need to see the chick. Chick rearing is best left to experienced chicken keepers; it can go well and be problem-free, but equally can be beset with issues. If a young chick has lots of health problems, I will usually cull it before its quality of life is affected - sad, but it needs to be done.
Hi, I have a hen that has a lump above her crawl and I don’t know if it’s a tumor or if she has a impacted crop she’s getting better and I don’t know if they act better if they have a tumor I really don’t know what to do so if someone would please give me some advice I would really appreciate it.🙂
Where exactly do you mean when you say 'above the crawl'?. The crop is on the right side of the breast, it should be full of food in the evening when she has eaten, and empty in the morning when the food has been digested. If it is impacted (still full and hard in the morning) then follow the instructions in this video. If it doesn't clear or you're not sure, then please get her to a vet pronto. Clare www.claretaylor.com
Yes it’s above the crop I call it the crawl sorry here crop is ok it’s just a lump above her crop she’s getting better so I don’t know if it’s a tumor or not but she threw up so I don’t know if that happens if she has a tumor do they have a lump above the crop if they have an impacted crop?
@@brittanyc6175 Thank you Brittany. Check that her crop is emptying over night and also that she is pooping; it may just be that she ate something which was lodged in her trachea, just above the crop. Keep her on layers feed and water only and make sure that she has mixed grit available too. Clare www.claretaylor.com
My hen, I'm sure she had sour crop, it has cleared but she is now lethargic, and her comb is turning a dark color, please help. I don't want to lose her, she means so much to me.
Sorry to hear that. Did you dose her with neat Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) after clearing her crop? 3ml 2 times a day for 2 days, then add it to their water as a matter of routine, twice a week. It's hard for me to tell what is wrong with er without seeing the bird, but a blue or dark comb and face indicates that she is cyanosed and isn't getting enough oxygen - this could be caused by a heart condition or a problem with a lung infection; I would strongly suggest that you get her to a vet soonest. Hope that you get some good news soon
When you say that it is causing issues, do you mean that it is blocked? A baggy crop is usually caused by repeated blockages or over eating. You can restrict the bird's food intake by removing the feeder after 4pm, but that will also stop the rest of your flock from feeding. There's not a lot else to do, except to encourage the crop to empty by massaging it regularly, there is an operation the vet can do to reduce the size of the crop... a sort of tummy tuck, but it's costly.
I am sorry but this video, although trying to be helpful is ok but not really not a very good example of how to follow this procedure. Firstly, a very important point that has been missed is that the water needs to be squirted in behind the hole in the tongue which leads to the hens lungs. If liquid gets into the hole they can die very quickly, within minutes as it causes the bird to aspirate. I think the filming of this section is very unclear to view and someone else trying this for the first time could get it very wrong. That is the reason the bird was shaking it's head as you said in the video. It's a reflex to remove excess water from within the mouth when there is too much (they know best!). The hen's head/ neck should be held up straight (beak pointing upwards) carefully and a very small amount of time (a few seconds) should be taken to ensure the water is going down the back. I feel your method here is without care and too rushed. Secondly, DO NOT hold open the hens beak when turning down to make her sick. The hen will not have control of her own beak if you do this. The sick comes out automatically when you massage the crop and turn her and she will then be able to control how it comes out. Thirdly, and again very important to note, do this part for only a few seconds at a time. You may have a lot of liquid come out depending on how much is in there, do not keep her held upside down until it all comes out at once or there will be a possibility of her aspirating this through the hole in her tongue into her lungs and will drown. Turn her down, let some dribble out, then turn her back rightway up to give her a chance to swallow and catch her breath. Then repeat two or three times. If she starts stressing (she will hold her beak open and gasp a bit if she starts to stress) then leave her be for a while and repeat after a short while. I hope this helps.
Thank you for your kind and informative comment - I think that we cover off all those points in the video, which was made using the advice of a top UK poultry vet. We are careful to make a point in this video, and on our courses about the correct way to syringe dose a chicken and empty its crop, but thank you for reinforcing that. We also emphasise that the crop emptying should only be done quickly and in short bursts - your sort of comment is always helpful for our viewers.
Go for it. I did it once as a student in a vet practice, the crop was filled with whole grains of corn and heavily distended. We even used forceps to pick grains out.
@@whichnametotake i have a pigeon he is vomiting white liquid and pooping water i hand deeded him but poop is of starvation it seems to not to pass food from crop pls help
@@Xavi05 Hey there. I must admit that I don`t have experience with pigeons but what comes to my mind is candidiasis, not many pathogens will impact the crop directly. Is it a younger pigeon, are there any other signs? You could in the first line help out and clear out all that is stuck in the crop and then proceed further. Don`t allow the feed ad libitum again as the bird is probably quite hungry and the feed will get stuck again. I found a page that might be helpful for you and there are some instructions what to do in case of C. albicans but I can not make a diagnosis from a far so I am not sure whether this is the problem (www.farmersweekly.co.za/animals/pigeons/does-your-pigeon-have-candidiasis/). Good luck!
Hello again I'm afraid that I'm not a pigeon expert - I tend to stick to farm poultry, mainly chickens. It sounds like a happy move though. If oyu are worried about your birds, then it's probably best to speak to a vet in your country.
I have a lovely two-week old chick with an impacted crop. She is half the size of her sister who hatched the same day and her crop is hard and distended. For the last two nights we’ve removed food from the brooder overnight and we’ve added a dish of chick grit. It’s better in the morning but still with a hard knot. She is pooping fine. If it is bedding flakes will that pass? Will I hurt her if I pry open her beak to give water? You say to give acv in the water - at what ratio?
Hello Fiona I am sorry to hear about your chick; at that young age, I honestly wouldn't recommend that you treat it yourself - their bodies are so fragile when they are tiny. Please take it to a chicken-savvy vet quickly for prompt treatment - this is not something which should be tackled at home on such a young bird, but thank you for asking.
I noticed my rooster sounded funny a few days ago and looked a little puffy in front. It was really cold so I thought maybe he's puffed in the cold. Never thought any more about it till this morning when I feed I noticed every time he lowered his head liquid came out his mouth. I thought uh oh. Never had that happen! So I picked him up and his crop was huge. Been foraging on grass. I messaged him and his spot up some. I put him in a cage with ACV water and a chunk of butter because that's what I had. He was eating that as I walked away. I hope he's better when I return from work. Thank you. I had no idea what to do for him.
So I know this is an old video but how come you had to do this on her if she didn't have much, if anything, in there? I'm a new chicken mommy so I'm trying to learn everything I can.
Hello Heather Thank you for your comment - I understand your concerns, and it was frustrating for us too; the videos are filmed to fit in with our other work schedules (we all have other full-time jobs) and we weren't able to find a chicken with an impacted crop at that time... in fact, it was filmed in the morning when they had had very little to eat! Clare www.claretaylor.com
I’ve rescued some battery hens and they’re my first time keeping hens. One was taken by a fox which I was saddened by and then on Friday my favourite hen was ill so I called the vet but they asked to call me back but unfortunately in the time I waited for their return call she died. I’m now angry with myself. I read ALL sorts of different possible causes and thought she could have been egg bound so made a bath to soak her back end, she was a little livelier but eventually she died.
I am sorry to hear that - it's never easy is it? The rehomed ex-commercials don't tend to last more than a couple of years post-rehoming. I'm afraid that I can't tell what was wrong without seeing her, but they do tend to suffer from egg-tackle problems. Clare Taylor
That's a hybrid rather than a pure breed; she's a Cotswold Bluebelle. A rather lovely slate blue girl, they have lovely dark legs and can also have dark combs. Big, blowsy, placid madams ;)
@@esmevellender9554 Late to the party, but we have a Bluebelle and she's the most chilled and relaxed of our chickens. Has never pecked anyone. Good layer, laying roughly once every 2 days at 2.5 years. She's always been a little poorly (not breed-specific) but just keeps on going! Very soft and lovely to stroke. Definitely would get another Bluebelle.
I'm afraid that there's not much that you can do once it has been ingested. Why did you need to give it vinegar, and what sort of vinegar did you give?
i gave it apple cide vinegar but now i am doing treatment and he is recovering. i gave it vinegar because i thought it will digest the food that i gave him
OK, so apple cider vinegar (ACV) should only be given in very small amounts and for specific reasons. It won't 'digest food'; that is what their gizzard and digestive tract are for, and if you are feeding the correct food, then the bird shouldn't have any problems.
I have a chicken that has been sick for some days, the doctor says she ate polystirene. Her crop doesn't empty during night and it has a water consistency. She mostly stays in one place and shakes her neck from time to time. I took her to two different vets and they both said to kill her :( I only have 3 chickens and they are like pets to me, I really want to save her. She still eats (not much) and drinks water. I put Rivanol in her water and today I fed her kefir. Could you please give me some more advice on what to do?
Obviously, my first suggestion would be to make sure that their free ranging area is safe for them and free of things like long grass and polystyrene, which could harm them. She will need her crop emptying as shown in the video, or by a vet who is happy to do a crop lavage - fill it with water and then empty it. Unless there is a blockage further down her digestive system, this should be all it needs to clear it. If the crop is impacted, it will feel firm and hard. A squishy crop is more suggestive of sour crop, which needs totally different treatment.... emptying and dosing with neat apple cider vinegar. I hope that this helps
Unfortunately the chicken died...I keep them in a clean and safe area but this one ate the polystirene after she escaped, Thank you for all your advice and information.
Yes, unfortunately, we didn't have any hens with full crops at the time of filming, but as I said int he video, it is actually much easier when they have something in their crops. The massaging loosens up the contents and then it is easy enough to work it up the oesophagus
How will this help get rid of large wads of grass? How can a ball of grass come out through the mouth? Why didn't you demonstrate with a chicken that had an impacted crop?
She explained it in the video. Non of her current chickens had an impacted crop. That’s why she picked a well behaved one to demonstrate on. Speaking for myself and looking at many other comments… the demo was enough to save many first timers in saving countless chickens from suffering and their lives.
It sounds as if your chicken could have sour crop, where the contents of the crop (which was blocked) have started to ferment. Follow the instructions in the video, but without syringing liquid into the bird. Empty the crop slowly and carefully, a little at a time. Then syringe in 2-3mls of neat apple cider vinegar (the live version) and keep her off food but give water until the next morning. If the crop has filled again, then repeat and re-introduce food. Avoid anything which could block their crop such as long stringy grass, or fruit which could cause a yeast problem.
I tried this on my sick chicken. It vomited everything up but then died immediately. The video was very informative and helpful for me to try and give my chicken a shot at living.
Got mine to empty her crop this way and she choked to death! (not the paraffin, by holding her upside down and emptying the crop) Could not unblock whatever was stuck and she could not breathe! DO NOT DO THIS!!!
Yes, that is always something that I recommend, but while it helps with grinding food in the gizzard, and preventing blockages further down the digestive system, it doesn't help if the crop is blocked by something they have eaten.
My poor Hen has a blocked crop I’m sure. I’m going to try this. God I hope I do it right, I would be devestated if I hurt her. But I think she will die if I don’t go anything
Your video absolutely saved our little Lucy's life. We were about to put her down. Out of desperation I came here to YT and did a search for her symptoms. We found this video, performed the steps, and within 3 hours our little girl was back to her old self again - literally - you saved her life. Thank you so much!
Merry Christmas!
Wow! Amazing. So it works - real life test! Yay!
Well may I just say thank you! I watched this video and subsequently saved my chickens' life! She had been suffering all day from this...determined to do all I could to keep her going I began researching, came across this extremely helpful little clip and voila! She is fine and dandy today. Thank you!
If it's just a small impaction, you can feel a small hard ball of grain, I've had great success with giving a bit of scrambled egg with oil (veg oil does it fine) and very gently massaging out the lump. Then give the bird a break from grains for a couple days. If it's possible to do it like this it's much better than emptying the crop which is traumatic for the bird and the owner. But it depends if you have an impaction or sour crop and the size of the impaction. I've also been told you can dissolve an impaction using a mixture or bicarb, lemon juice, a bit of chilli, ginger and cinnamon in 2tbsp water.
Helen, thank you. My hen has a pendulous crop that is soft but I think there is a small bit of impaction as well. I massage her crop but it doesn't seem to help much. I will try lemon juice to see if that helps.
Yeah this doesn't look good for the bird, very traumatic and they shouldn't of done demonstration on a hungry bird without much in crop..
Thanks, I followed your advice (but with coconut oil as recommended in another comment). After massaging the hard "ball" every few hours, I could feel it breaking apart. I even gently pushed it "down" towards the gizzard, a little bit at a time, being careful not to push anything up her throat. By the end of the day she pooped and in the morning she pooped A LOT! Today she seems 100% recovered. Yesterday she looked like she as going to die. Thanks again!
@@biankalatoma4775 SHOULDN'T HAVE, not SHOULDN'T OF.
Is this true?
How much of each?
I'm going thru this right now.
Here's a tip in administering vegetable oil to chicken; use cool coconut oil. It's hard enough that they will eat it on their own, and then it will liquefy as it warms inside them.
Came here for the comments, and yours was the best! My poor sick hen gobbled up the coconut oil when I presented it to her. Waited a few minutes to let it melt, then gently massaged the golfball-like impact. Earlier we had given her some water and grit, too. I could feel the "ball" start to break up. I'm sure it was long grass blades since the grassis growing like crazy now that it's summer. I massaged her crop a few hours later and it felt smaller. A few more hours and it was definitely breaking apart and traveling down into her gizzard. I let her outside on the pool deck to let her walk around, and boom! she pooped! We kept her in the house overnight and the crop was almost empty now. Once again, she pooped the biggest poop when we let her out. She seems to be fully recovered now. I really think the coconut oil helped break up the impaction. Thanks!
Coconut oil gets hard? Ive always used it and had some on the counter and its always been liquid... I live in Arizona
@@MrTarzan2day Yeah, it gets solid below 75 degrees or so.
@@MrTarzan2day if you're interested, try putting it somewhere cooler. It will firm up. Unless it has some kind of additive to keep it liquid?
@@MrTarzan2day for fun, put some in the fridge and you’ll see what coconut oil looks like in cooler climates. Source: I used to live in FL and my coconut oil was always clear liquid. I’m in a cooler state and it’s a solid.
Lovely kind lady. So nice to see chickens being cared for.
Thank you so very much, Ma'am and Sir, your video pretty much saved my little chick's life! His crop was dangerously enlarged, and because of Good Friday, most vet clinics and services here are closed tomorrow. I tried your procedure, and it worked smoothly!
Now my lovely chick is back on his feet again! Thank you, and may God bless you always!
so did your chick vomit out after you did the steps told???
please reply cause my chick is also in the same condition
Tried this with one of my chickens who was struggling with her crop and it worked really well, only downside I pointed the chicken sideward and got leg covered in smelly chicken sick but the chicken was calm throughout and make a very speedy recovery - Thankyou for this great training video.
You are welcome Gary - thank you for your lovely comment
Believe me, yo won't make that same mistake again! Always glove up, wear wellies and aim the chicken away from you.
Claretaylor.com
Mine flicked her head and I got an eyefull of chick sick
Provide oyster shells to help digest their food.
Thank you for your video!
Too many talk about everything but what their title is.
You got straight to the point and taught me what I needed to know.
Awesome!
That hen is very laid back, she must be trained for television lol.
Haha, I WISH!!!!!
These are all stock hens, so not stooges or tame ones; they tend to wriggle around at first, but if you handle them calmly, they will settle down.
hello mam help me my chicken also having this same problem
but she is so small only 3 months and have some white hairs (wings)
she was so active but now she is only opening mouth and falling some saliva
and sometimes shaking her head too much like something stucked in throat
we also feel that something stucked
pls help
plssssssssssssssssssssssss
humble request
@@RUSTLESSMIND Try following the video or maybe take them to the vet. I hope your chicken will be ok xx
@@bananabuttons6637 there is no vet near me
it is 5 km away
@@RUSTLESSMIND that isn’t very far. I did not make this video though.
Chickens are the most precious form of life on this miserable planet. I’d rather be surrounded by chickens than people any day. I think I have an Incurable chicken addiction
Wrong but okay.
Weirdo
Noah's Ark was not full of people but animals. That's how disappointing people can be
@@MatttAt2 of every kind, but 8 people plus many animals such as sheep, goats, oxen for food for all.
Thank you SO much! This video saved our little Brahma’s life! We fed her some water mixed with olive oil, waited and then rubbed the crop. She got better in the afternoon
Was brahma a baby chick?
@@nikkicaswelll yes, she was
Thank you so much for this video. We are learning how to look after and help our chickens!
Thank you so much for sharing this information! You helped me save my chickens life. I would have never known this if I hadn't found your video. I'm forever grateful for you ❤️😊
The lovely hen could become the latest media sensation? You've provided a concise & clearly understood explanation.
I have been googling and googling about impacted crop and this video is just perfect. Thank you so much for your really clear instructions. From it I was able to determine that impacted crop probably isn't the issue, which is an important step in itself.
Wonderful video! I’ve been searching for this exact information and you’ve explained it beautifully. Thank you 🙏🏼
Thanks so much! This helped us immensely!
My father my grandfather and all of my uncles raised gamecocks. I have also raised them my entire life. I tried to live without them for about 10 years, I am 48 now, and life was not the same. Even though I am married to the love of my life and have a wonderful job, and apparently good health, I needed my chickens. I was director of the Texas gamefowl breeders association for years, I rode with a good friend that was over the veterinary department of Texas A&m doing pollorum typhoid testing on various flocks across the state. I knew Mike strecker well, flock is a miracle publication that every chicken owner should own. If you own chickens and you really care for them please order that book. If they still make it which I'm sure you can find it. My copy is 20 years old LOL. I'm complimenting this channel. This is the first chicken channel I have actually subscribed to. Your knowledge and your technique is spot on, and not only that, you can tell through your touch that you care about the patient. LOL I will keep watching, keep doing a great job. Keep them Crowing
Great video, great explanation, thanks! Will need to do this on one of our chooks on the Sunshine Coast Australia!
Hey I'm in Melbourne, do you know much about respiratory issues with chickens and open mouth breathing??
Thank you for posting this video so long ago! Helped us get our #1 hens crop fixed!❤
This blew my mind. I watched your video and went right out and had to clear one of my chicks crops. IT WORKED! I hardly put any water in her crop and way more came out than I put in. She would have aspirated had I not done this. I am going to keep an eye on her to be sure she doesn't have more issues. Here's hoping whatever is causing the problem will so be corrected. Thank you so much.
You just saved my sweet silkie’s life! Thank you so much for this
great ..my chiken was choking and 100% dying in my hand but lucky i am to watch this video with my phone in the same time and i saw you putting your finger in her mouth so my little chiken was dying and cant breath i did the same as you and opend her mouth with my finger and tried so hard to make her breath and she did! she actually breath hardly in the first time and she was so tired and when she looks fine i left her and she could breath now i don't know what happened but im happy i saved her now 10 minutes left and she looks fine she breath but i don't know what she going to do yet I'll see but its a good start now she breath thanks.. btw my little chiken her age is 20 days
Thank you. You just saved our chicken's life.
Thank you so much. This has totally sorted my hen she wasn’t moving, eating or drinking. Noticed her crop was bloated after watching this. x
Provide oyster shells to help digest their food.
Thank you so much for presenting this! Around evening, we had a chicken with an impacted crop and while not much came out when I tilted her, whatever had caused the blockage loosened up in the crop with a good deal of massaging. She seemed very tired from the ordeal, so we kept her in our chicken ICU (our bathroom) overnight and for a full day to make sure she was feeling alright before letting her go back to the flock. That was almost a week ago and she's right as rain now. I definitely would not have been able to save her without the demonstration and information you gave us. Thank you again so much!
This was brilliant worked exactly as you said and the chicken wasn’t stressed by it. Thanks
I think my hen has a slow crop. I did this with her, twice. Green fluid with no odor. But it was thick so it was slow to come out. I could feel some seeds at the very bottom of her crop. Hopefully the massaging I gave her has allowed food to move into her digestive system. I never thought I would be making a hen throw up... Life is full of new experiences. LOL
Thanks for the demo. Even though you didn't manage to get your hen to vomit, we have just managed to do it. Fingers crossed it will help.
Thank you so much for this video. It saved my Tammy Wyandotte’s life!
I named my Wyandotte Wynona. Nice to see another country chick. ;)
Excellent video thank you
Very good video,love the way you are with the chicken.I’m new to the whole chicken thing so have subscribed 😊🐔
This helped me! I just had to tip her forward and it was like a teapot pouring out dark liquid. It was evening so I’ll check her tomorrow. But she was feeling like crap all day. Poor thing.
Teapot the rooster?
Provide oyster shells to help digest their food.
Very helpful video thanks
Thank you. You saved another girls or boys life today. Can’t tell yet.
Danke für das hilfreiche Video🤗🐔
Thank you!!!! This was a huge help!!!
Thank you.
Thank You Thank you Thank you. I really needed this video fob my little red hen
Is it possible to help a baby chicken (4 days old) with a stopped or sour crop? Please answer quickly since this little one is not feeling well 🙁
Amazing help! Thank you! My chicken is cured now :)
Thank you for you
Thank you for this video. I think we may have saved our chicken because of it :)
You are entirely welcome, I hope that she continues to improve. A couple of mls of neat apple cider vinegar (the live sort that you get from feed stores) syringed into her beak once a day for the next couple of days would be beneficial.
hello mam help me my chicken also having this same problem
but she is so small only 3 months and have some white hairs (wings)
she was so active but now she is only opening mouth and falling some saliva
and sometimes shaking her head too much like something stucked in throat
we also feel that something stucked
pls help
plssssssssssssssssssssssss
humble request
What is your opinion of fermented grains for chickens? Does it cause problems in the crop?
If the grains have already fermented, then there is less likelihood of them causing sour crop, but an impacted crop is a different matter; this is usually caused by either an obstruction in the crop, or further down the digestive system. It can also be caused by over-eating.
I hope that this helps
Such useful information, many thanks!! This is very good to know. Curious how apple cider vinegar is so good for people too.
If she doesn't throw up is that bad? Also what's it supposed to feel, I did it and it went from feeling like a golf ball to a slightly firm bean bag
Sadly, I found this video a day too late but am glad for the education as we still have 3 chooks and 3 ducks - all new for a city girl now living in the countryside! We discovered our favourite chook "Joséphine" very unwell when we returned late afternoon (of course it was a pubic holiday - no vets) I was distraught and nursed her until bed time not knowing what to do, sadly she was gone by the morning (we had a heat wave so I tried to give her a little water with a feeder/syringe thinking she could be dehydrated). The vet the next day did an autopsy and said her stomach was full of lettuce maybe 3 days worth but otherwise very healthy. We had recently got 3 young ducks and she was extremely jealous - she attacked us when we came out with scraps and we thought she may kill one of the ducks (she really was the favourite). We believe she ate the share of all 4 chooks and the 3 ducks worth of scraps and also neglected her grain!! (as the vet said, there was no evidence of any grain in her stomach). I am so heartbroken and also feel so guilty for not being more knowledgeable with feeding and first aid but grateful for the education and your post.
So what did the vet say about what he would have done...how to prevent...etc??
I heard to faithfully supply them with "grit" (oyster shells) occasionally so that helps a lot to digest their food.
I understand the guilt you speak of. Am also an ex city girl, learning about caring for farm animals.
How many mls are you using to rinse out the crop?. I have bantams so id use less so was just wondering. Great vid and many thanks for posting.
About 3mls is fine
It's unusual for bantams to get blocked crops - you might need to look at what they are able to pick up and eat when they are out free ranging.
Hey, I’ve talked to you before my chicken with her crop but I have another question it’s about my grandmas chicken her chicken has a swollen comb is that something that could kill them? Thanks
Hello again Brittany
I can't be sure without seeing a photo or video of it - did you want to email something to us that way I can see what the problem is.
this is very helpful! thanks for the help :)
Any suggestions for a swollen crop? My hen seems to retain water for a long period of time.
Do you think that she has sour crop? Is it possible that she's had a blockage or eaten something sweet such as fruit and it has fermented in her crop. Her crop will feel like a squishy balloon full of water and her breath may smell bad. the way to treat this is similar to the video; you don't need to add any water, but you do need to empty the crop before you can start. Once you have done that, syringe 2-3mls of neat apple cider vinegar (the one with the mother thread) into her beak, keep her on just pellets to eat, and repeat the ACV dosing for about 3 days, then stop and see how her crop is. If it is filling back up at any stage, then you will need to empty it. Add ACV to their water a couple of times a week going forward, but not if the weather is hot.
See how you go
Clare www.claretaylor.com
@@CotswoldChickens That sounds exactly what my own hen has!
about few days ago painfully we had to put to sleep one of our hen .apparently she had contracted peritonitis. we got to a stage the vet said too late to give her further antibiotics , she was infected so bad. apart from this illness what kind of situation make a chicken all of a sudden to lay inside her body and become infected
Hi, on saturday last week i caught one of my chickens carrying a long white rubber string about 2cm thick in her mouth. As soon as i tried to get it out she ran off and gobbled it down. Its now been 5 days and i was waiting to see if she would pass it in her poop but she hasnt. She is acting normal as usual, eating, drinking pooping and laying so im not sure what to do. Could you give a suggestion? Thanks
Hello Aishya
I'm afraid that there's not much you can do about this; it will either pass or not! If you are inclined (and rich!) you codul take her to the vet and they might operate, but it's not something I would consider as birds are notoriously poor at tolerating anaesthetics. Chickens are curious creatures and have been known to eat weird things like hair toggles and mastic from door frames without much damage. If she's otherwise healthy, i would just leave her be... and check your garden for anything hazardous!
CotswoldChickens hi, thankyou for letting me know i will keep observing her more carefully to see if anything passes. She is a lovely bird i wouldnt wanna lose her ☹
good video but I am just not sure if our chickens have the same symptoms, mine has a hard lump
It sounds as if the crop is impacted then - watch the video and try emptying it.
hello mam help me my chicken also having this same problem
but she is so small only 3 months and have some white hairs (wings)
she was so active but now she is only opening mouth and falling some saliva
and sometimes shaking her head too much like something stucked in throat
we also feel that something stucked
pls help
plssssssssssssssssssssssss
humble request
Would a full crop cause the chicken have mucus in mouth? And trying peck at their chest?
Informative vid. Thanks so much.
Hi just followed this word for word..... saved a chicken.... so much gratitude
Thank you
Excellent video - thank you for posting
I think you help me save my chicken. Thanks so much for this video.😊👍
Any suggestions on how to handle this situation with a 2/3 week old chick? Eating, drinking, pooping and pretty active but seems to have a hard marble size crop impaction for days
In a tiny chick, I'm afraid that you'll need to get a chicken-savvy vet to look at it; I would increase liquid uptake, but at that age it isn't good to restrict food. If it is just on chick crumb and water, then the crop impaction shouldn't occur unless there's a blockage further down the gut.
There's a list of chicken-savvy vets (UK) here www.claretaylor.com/articles
Our hen's crop was impacted this morning, so we brought her in to massage it, but she proceeded to lay 2 eggs, 1 thin shelled the other soft shelled, and now the crop has deflated quite a bit. She is standing with wings slightly spread too.
I would see how she goes; check that she is eating and drinking... and pooing. It may be that she was just a little 'backed-up'!
We read that a little drink of liquid paraffin would help, but we didn't have any so used extra virgin olive oil instead, along with a drop of water. We did it in the morning and evening, massaging her crop for 5 minutes. She's much perkier and vocal today, eating and pooing as soon as she came out of the cat carrier she's slept in in the bathroom. We gave her another dose/massage as her crop still had a little food in it from yesterday so we'll see how she goes.
Hello Adrian
Just seen both your messages; it sounds as if she might have been egg bound, I would put the bird out with the others and keep an eye on her. There's every chance that she will improve now, but some apple cider vinegar in the water every couple of days is a good idea.
@@adrianevans7252 no veggie oil in the house or coconut oil so I used butter. After massaging his crop I put him in a cage and gave him a chunk of butter. I walked away after he started eating it. He has water with ACV in it. I hope he better when I return from work.
No acv please!!
Can this be done with budgies?
Great video but....how much Braggs? Cuz to much would screw up any animal.... What if my impacted cropped chicken does NOT throw up? And a few other unanswered questions I cant remember at the moment....my chicken has had an impacted crop for a week now, I make it throw up every day, bout 3 times a day, and it still wont get back to normal....my other 5 chickens are fine.... I've given it antibiotics and made it throw up and the issue wont go away. It eats like a champ every night and I've seen it poop often...but it's still the only one with a giant crop....any advice would help chicken lady....thanks
Hello Korey
Antibiotics are NOT what it needs - sorry. Your bird obviously has a more serious problem than just an impacted crop; there may be a blockage further down the digestive system, or a plug in the crop which won't shift. You really must get it to the vet without delay as it will be suffering.
@@CotswoldChickens hmmmm....but it's one of the biggest out of my chickens? And it eats and poops...but it always has a big knot thing where the crop is...is it really that serious?
@@koreyhayden1368 You seemed concerned in your first post Korey, but you may not be aware of how the crop works;
It is a holding bag for undigested food, which is fed down into the gizzard to be ground up and digested, it will fill up during the day and should be full and firm at the end of the day, then empty in the morning as the food will have been digested overnight. If the drop is still firm and hard in the morning, then it is probably impacted and a blockage is stopping it from emptying. The bird will gradually starve of nutrients, not to mention the discomfort. If you're not sure what you are doing, then I would strongly recommend that you visit a chicken-savvy vet promptly.
@@CotswoldChickens copy that thanks!
One of my hens has a large crop and it feels like a water balloon, I don't feel anything hard. She has been kinda laying around for a good bit of the day. Is this what's going on with her or would it be something else?
If it feels full and squishy, then there's a chance that she has sour crop - this is where the contents of her crop have started to ferment. You may even see some liquid coming out of her beak when you pick her up and put pressure on the crop.
You can use the same process to empty her crop (just leave out the water at the first step) empty it as much as you can, then syringe in 2-3mls of neat apple cider vinegar. Keep her off food until the next day, but ensure that she is well hydrated. If it has filled up again the next morning, then empty again and repeat the ACV dose. Introduce just pellet food and see how she gets on with that - mix in some probiotics such as Fauna Flora to sort out the gut flora balance.
Clare Taylor
This worked for us. Grape tomato stuck in crop for about an hour and then it came right out after doing this.
After this method my chicken is soon weak..what should I feed him
If you get some out but still feel substance in their crop, is there a chance the rest will move itself through?
Hi Marcey
Yes, there is still a chance that it will move through. See if you can feel a plug that could be blocking the sphincter at the bottom of the crop; gentle massage and the introduction of fluid should help, check that she is pooping too.
If it doesn't clear and allow her to digest, then she may need a trip to the vet.
Clare Taylor
@@CotswoldChickens Thank you for the reply! I think I caught it early, and hoping it keeps clearing up.
I tried to do this but my hen wasn’t able to expel what was in her crop. However the mass did go down quite a bit and looked like things got moving again due to massaging. And she did poop. Does that mean it might be broken up and everything good again?
Sounds like she's cured! I didn't even try to make my hen puke. It makes most sense to have it go... down, not up. Maybe with sour crop, puking is the answer, but with the one experience I had with an impacted crop (yesterday), feeding the hen some coconut oil, water, and grit, then massaging the impaction to the point wher I could physically feel it breaking apart was the answer. If you can get it to go down into the gizzard and digest it (and poop!), that's the best outcome, right? I'm no vet, but I can only attest to what I just experienced yesterday.
Should I do the same for a chick? She's just a week or so old & I can feel a small knot inside her distended crop. (This is my first time with chickens)
It would be very unusual for a chick to have an impacted crop, and this absolutely isn't something to try on one that small; please take it to a poultry vet soonest.
I hope that it is OK
www.claretaylor.com
what if its my 6 day old chick that looks to have a swollen/impacted crop? She had splay leg and I made a leg hobble and now her legs are under her and straight. Her legs look much better. But now its the crop looking bad. it's soft not hard but definately bulging out and causing her to be still a little weak.
Sorry to hear about your chick. I certainly wouldn't try this technique with a chick.
It's hard to say what the problem is without seeing it, but it codul just be that the crop looks more pronounced because of the thin chick down. Is the bird eating well and pooing?
Personally, i feel that if a chick has multiple problems, it will fail to thrive in the long term and is probably best despatched... sorry.
yes she is eating and pooping well. walking better but she is weak compared to the other 3. She falls down still but her legs look much better than before. She doesn't appear to drink as much so i tried eye dropper and she drinks from it if i hold it up to her. I was hoping since you gave the adult chicken water maybe the baby just needs more water to get crop to go down in size? She holds her head different because of it and eats sideways but eats well
It sounds like something more than just a crop issue if I am honest, but it's impossible to diagnose. Make sure that it has access to water and that it is drinking.
Usually when a chick has splayed legs and is otherwise healthy, just hobbling them for a few days works, but this one sounds as if it has other issues.
thank you for the advice. this is my first time with chickens and that is what i am afraid of. that its more than just her legs. i really appreciate your time (and videos)
No problem, I'd like to be able to help more, but I'd need to see the chick.
Chick rearing is best left to experienced chicken keepers; it can go well and be problem-free, but equally can be beset with issues. If a young chick has lots of health problems, I will usually cull it before its quality of life is affected - sad, but it needs to be done.
Hi, I have a hen that has a lump above her crawl and I don’t know if it’s a tumor or if she has a impacted crop she’s getting better and I don’t know if they act better if they have a tumor I really don’t know what to do so if someone would please give me some advice I would really appreciate it.🙂
Where exactly do you mean when you say 'above the crawl'?. The crop is on the right side of the breast, it should be full of food in the evening when she has eaten, and empty in the morning when the food has been digested. If it is impacted (still full and hard in the morning) then follow the instructions in this video. If it doesn't clear or you're not sure, then please get her to a vet pronto.
Clare www.claretaylor.com
Yes it’s above the crop I call it the crawl sorry here crop is ok it’s just a lump above her crop she’s getting better so I don’t know if it’s a tumor or not but she threw up so I don’t know if that happens if she has a tumor do they have a lump above the crop if they have an impacted crop?
@@brittanyc6175 Thank you Brittany. Check that her crop is emptying over night and also that she is pooping; it may just be that she ate something which was lodged in her trachea, just above the crop. Keep her on layers feed and water only and make sure that she has mixed grit available too.
Clare www.claretaylor.com
Thank you so much I really appreciate all you have done for me!! I’ll try to do all the stuff you told me to do😁😁
Thank you , you saved my maantoo
Good job picking the single hen that hadn't eaten :-)
My hen, I'm sure she had sour crop, it has cleared but she is now lethargic, and her comb is turning a dark color, please help. I don't want to lose her, she means so much to me.
Sorry to hear that. Did you dose her with neat Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) after clearing her crop? 3ml 2 times a day for 2 days, then add it to their water as a matter of routine, twice a week.
It's hard for me to tell what is wrong with er without seeing the bird, but a blue or dark comb and face indicates that she is cyanosed and isn't getting enough oxygen - this could be caused by a heart condition or a problem with a lung infection; I would strongly suggest that you get her to a vet soonest.
Hope that you get some good news soon
My girl has a pendulous crop which is causing issues - how do you treat that?
When you say that it is causing issues, do you mean that it is blocked?
A baggy crop is usually caused by repeated blockages or over eating. You can restrict the bird's food intake by removing the feeder after 4pm, but that will also stop the rest of your flock from feeding. There's not a lot else to do, except to encourage the crop to empty by massaging it regularly, there is an operation the vet can do to reduce the size of the crop... a sort of tummy tuck, but it's costly.
Haha
I am sorry but this video, although trying to be helpful is ok but not really not a very good example of how to follow this procedure. Firstly, a very important point that has been missed is that the water needs to be squirted in behind the hole in the tongue which leads to the hens lungs. If liquid gets into the hole they can die very quickly, within minutes as it causes the bird to aspirate. I think the filming of this section is very unclear to view and someone else trying this for the first time could get it very wrong. That is the reason the bird was shaking it's head as you said in the video. It's a reflex to remove excess water from within the mouth when there is too much (they know best!). The hen's head/ neck should be held up straight (beak pointing upwards) carefully and a very small amount of time (a few seconds) should be taken to ensure the water is going down the back. I feel your method here is without care and too rushed. Secondly, DO NOT hold open the hens beak when turning down to make her sick. The hen will not have control of her own beak if you do this. The sick comes out automatically when you massage the crop and turn her and she will then be able to control how it comes out. Thirdly, and again very important to note, do this part for only a few seconds at a time. You may have a lot of liquid come out depending on how much is in there, do not keep her held upside down until it all comes out at once or there will be a possibility of her aspirating this through the hole in her tongue into her lungs and will drown. Turn her down, let some dribble out, then turn her back rightway up to give her a chance to swallow and catch her breath. Then repeat two or three times. If she starts stressing (she will hold her beak open and gasp a bit if she starts to stress) then leave her be for a while and repeat after a short while. I hope this helps.
Thank you for your kind and informative comment - I think that we cover off all those points in the video, which was made using the advice of a top UK poultry vet. We are careful to make a point in this video, and on our courses about the correct way to syringe dose a chicken and empty its crop, but thank you for reinforcing that. We also emphasise that the crop emptying should only be done quickly and in short bursts - your sort of comment is always helpful for our viewers.
This is exactly why I always reed the comments. Thanks!
would you use this method on a pigeon? Beautiful hen, very informative, thanks for posting
Hello Vivian. I never have, but you 'could' as the physiology is the same. Just be that bit more gentle due to size.
Go for it. I did it once as a student in a vet practice, the crop was filled with whole grains of corn and heavily distended. We even used forceps to pick grains out.
@@whichnametotake i have a pigeon he is vomiting white liquid and pooping water i hand deeded him but poop is of starvation it seems to not to pass food from crop pls help
@@Xavi05 Hey there. I must admit that I don`t have experience with pigeons but what comes to my mind is candidiasis, not many pathogens will impact the crop directly. Is it a younger pigeon, are there any other signs? You could in the first line help out and clear out all that is stuck in the crop and then proceed further. Don`t allow the feed ad libitum again as the bird is probably quite hungry and the feed will get stuck again. I found a page that might be helpful for you and there are some instructions what to do in case of C. albicans but I can not make a diagnosis from a far so I am not sure whether this is the problem (www.farmersweekly.co.za/animals/pigeons/does-your-pigeon-have-candidiasis/). Good luck!
@@whichnametotake it is old like 2 years
when i give food to baby pigeon it waggs its tail .what does it mean.is it a sign of illnes
Hello again
I'm afraid that I'm not a pigeon expert - I tend to stick to farm poultry, mainly chickens. It sounds like a happy move though. If oyu are worried about your birds, then it's probably best to speak to a vet in your country.
Baby birds do that, it means feed me more. They flap their wings and wiggle.
Did this to one of mine today. Liquid can out and it smelled rancid 🤢
That means you cleared it. You did good. Hope they are still well
I have a lovely two-week old chick with an impacted crop. She is half the size of her sister who hatched the same day and her crop is hard and distended. For the last two nights we’ve removed food from the brooder overnight and we’ve added a dish of chick grit. It’s better in the morning but still with a hard knot. She is pooping fine. If it is bedding flakes will that pass? Will I hurt her if I pry open her beak to give water? You say to give acv in the water - at what ratio?
Hello Fiona
I am sorry to hear about your chick; at that young age, I honestly wouldn't recommend that you treat it yourself - their bodies are so fragile when they are tiny. Please take it to a chicken-savvy vet quickly for prompt treatment - this is not something which should be tackled at home on such a young bird, but thank you for asking.
@@CotswoldChickens Thanks so much for your reply. That is what I shall do. All the best.
I noticed my rooster sounded funny a few days ago and looked a little puffy in front. It was really cold so I thought maybe he's puffed in the cold. Never thought any more about it till this morning when I feed I noticed every time he lowered his head liquid came out his mouth. I thought uh oh. Never had that happen! So I picked him up and his crop was huge. Been foraging on grass. I messaged him and his spot up some. I put him in a cage with ACV water and a chunk of butter because that's what I had. He was eating that as I walked away. I hope he's better when I return from work. Thank you. I had no idea what to do for him.
Provide oyster shells to help digest their food.
@@gkarenstrattonI always give them some winegum.
I'm so scared I dont wana do this :((
So I know this is an old video but how come you had to do this on her if she didn't have much, if anything, in there? I'm a new chicken mommy so I'm trying to learn everything I can.
Hello Heather
Thank you for your comment - I understand your concerns, and it was frustrating for us too; the videos are filmed to fit in with our other work schedules (we all have other full-time jobs) and we weren't able to find a chicken with an impacted crop at that time... in fact, it was filmed in the morning when they had had very little to eat!
Clare www.claretaylor.com
I’ve rescued some battery hens and they’re my first time keeping hens. One was taken by a fox which I was saddened by and then on Friday my favourite hen was ill so I called the vet but they asked to call me back but unfortunately in the time I waited for their return call she died. I’m now angry with myself. I read ALL sorts of different possible causes and thought she could have been egg bound so made a bath to soak her back end, she was a little livelier but eventually she died.
I am sorry to hear that - it's never easy is it? The rehomed ex-commercials don't tend to last more than a couple of years post-rehoming. I'm afraid that I can't tell what was wrong without seeing her, but they do tend to suffer from egg-tackle problems.
Clare Taylor
@@CotswoldChickens Many thanks for your kind words!
I have a turkey thats got a big one please help me for turkey
What breed of chicken is that?
That's a hybrid rather than a pure breed; she's a Cotswold Bluebelle. A rather lovely slate blue girl, they have lovely dark legs and can also have dark combs. Big, blowsy, placid madams ;)
CotswoldChickens would you say they are good layers and okay with children
Yes, they are generally quite easy going and like most hybrids, they lay well.
@@esmevellender9554 Late to the party, but we have a Bluebelle and she's the most chilled and relaxed of our chickens. Has never pecked anyone. Good layer, laying roughly once every 2 days at 2.5 years. She's always been a little poorly (not breed-specific) but just keeps on going! Very soft and lovely to stroke.
Definitely would get another Bluebelle.
i gave my pigeon vinegar in water...by mistake the vinegar was more in water .now he has diarrhea ..plzz tell something
I'm afraid that there's not much that you can do once it has been ingested. Why did you need to give it vinegar, and what sort of vinegar did you give?
i gave it apple cide vinegar but now i am doing treatment and he is recovering. i gave it vinegar because i thought it will digest the food that i gave him
OK, so apple cider vinegar (ACV) should only be given in very small amounts and for specific reasons. It won't 'digest food'; that is what their gizzard and digestive tract are for, and if you are feeding the correct food, then the bird shouldn't have any problems.
Should the crop feel hard at he end of the day?
It should feel full, but not absolutely rigid. The crucial thing is that it is emptying over night.
Clare Taylor
I have a chicken that has been sick for some days, the doctor says she
ate polystirene. Her crop doesn't empty during night and it has a water
consistency. She mostly stays in one place and shakes her neck from time
to time. I took her to two different vets and they both said to kill
her :( I only have 3 chickens and they are like pets to me, I really
want to save her. She still eats (not much) and drinks water. I put Rivanol in her
water and today I fed her kefir. Could you please give me some more
advice on what to do?
Obviously, my first suggestion would be to make sure that their free ranging area is safe for them and free of things like long grass and polystyrene, which could harm them.
She will need her crop emptying as shown in the video, or by a vet who is happy to do a crop lavage - fill it with water and then empty it. Unless there is a blockage further down her digestive system, this should be all it needs to clear it. If the crop is impacted, it will feel firm and hard. A squishy crop is more suggestive of sour crop, which needs totally different treatment.... emptying and dosing with neat apple cider vinegar.
I hope that this helps
Unfortunately the chicken died...I keep them in a clean and safe area but this one ate the polystirene after she escaped, Thank you for all your advice and information.
Is this the same process for ducks?
Yes, it is.
My black and white cute fluffy Orpington died today😢
Sorry. We do become quite attached to our chickens. :(
Sorry losing our little friends is so sad 😥
Not good that you cant a little bit out, what about those who have a full crop, its going to be much more difficult to empty their crops
Yes, unfortunately, we didn't have any hens with full crops at the time of filming, but as I said int he video, it is actually much easier when they have something in their crops. The massaging loosens up the contents and then it is easy enough to work it up the oesophagus
OK THanks
"A bit of water." HOW MUCH WATER? A gallon? A mL? A pint? How much water should we give the bird?
Watch the video you will see she is using a syringe so not a pint or gallon .
How will this help get rid of large wads of grass? How can a ball of grass come out through the mouth? Why didn't you demonstrate with a chicken that had an impacted crop?
She explained it in the video. Non of her current chickens had an impacted crop. That’s why she picked a well behaved one to demonstrate on. Speaking for myself and looking at many other comments… the demo was enough to save many first timers in saving countless chickens from suffering and their lives.
If you watched the entire video… she also explained what to do if that didn’t work especially for impacted balls of grass. Surgery with the vet time.
What if they're having discharge from the noise and throwing up clear liquid. What do I do?
It sounds as if your chicken could have sour crop, where the contents of the crop (which was blocked) have started to ferment.
Follow the instructions in the video, but without syringing liquid into the bird. Empty the crop slowly and carefully, a little at a time. Then syringe in 2-3mls of neat apple cider vinegar (the live version) and keep her off food but give water until the next morning. If the crop has filled again, then repeat and re-introduce food. Avoid anything which could block their crop such as long stringy grass, or fruit which could cause a yeast problem.
I tried this on my sick chicken. It vomited everything up but then died immediately. The video was very informative and helpful for me to try and give my chicken a shot at living.
Chickens are so fragile. So sorry.
Liquid paraffin carefully squeezed into the mouth for blocked crop, never fails making them sick can be dangerous
Got mine to empty her crop this way and she choked to death! (not the paraffin, by holding her upside down and emptying the crop) Could not unblock whatever was stuck and she could not breathe! DO NOT DO THIS!!!
@@patwilliams2187 you don't hold upside down longer than 3 seconds or they choke.
Be very careful when forcing the water. You can make the chicken aspirate it in to the lungs.
PUT SOME GRITS IN THEIR DIET
Yes, that is always something that I recommend, but while it helps with grinding food in the gizzard, and preventing blockages further down the digestive system, it doesn't help if the crop is blocked by something they have eaten.
My poor Hen has a blocked crop I’m sure. I’m going to try this. God I hope I do it right, I would be devestated if I hurt her. But I think she will die if I don’t go anything