Pendulous crop

Has anyone had any experience with a bird with a pendulous crop? As I've stated in another thread, I have a respiratory problem going through my pens. The first pen to get sick (my brown layers) is over the acute respiratory stage and are acting/breathing normally now though we have one girl that is laying a shell-less egg. The next pen to hit was my 4 month old BC Marans roos. I have 5 roos in that pen and though they were very sick for the past week, they are pretty much over the respiratory symptoms now and acting much better. At least 4 of them are - one guy has been very lethargic, humped up for several days now and tonight when I went to check on them, he had a huge distended but soft crop and was acting very miserable. Since he's been sick for days, I culled him and opened him up to do some investigation. The lungs looked very pale (from the respiratory illness, I presume. His crop was very full of feed and water but did not appear like an impacted crop. The substance was very soft but nothing seemed to be going through into the intestines. I was surprised at how thin he was when I picked him up. When I did some online research, the closest thing I could get to what he looked like is called pendulous crop. I'm wondering if there can be a connection between this crop problem and the respiratory illness or is it just coincidence that the two problems happened at the same time. I've never seen anything like this before and am mystified as to the cause. Any thoughts? Anyone had any experience with this type of soft, "swinging" extended crop??

Now that he's dead, it will be hard to tell for sure if the crop problem was temporary, or permanent. It could be related. If he hada blocked crop and was slowly starving to death, that might have made him weak enough to not be able to fight off the secondary problem of a respiratory illness. BUt this is pure speculation.

If you ever encounter a puzzling crop situation again, the first thing to do is separate the bird for 12 hours with water BUT NO FOOD. Check the crop before you separate and check after 12 hours with no food. If there is no change, you have a crop problem. If the crop is smaller and emptier, then you do not have a crop problem.

In my experience, respiratory illness should not cause death by starvation. BUt birds that have died of impacted crop were alarmingly light when I picked them up...but you never would have known it by looking at them. By the time they are hunched or staggering, they have been starving for quite a while and things have gotten very bad. So if this ever happens again, separate and watch for crop changes.

Oh , you did an autopsy on the bird, wow, good on you. Sure do wish I could do that thing. Pendulous crop, now I have something else to learn about, smiling. I have seen some birds with what I think would be described as that. When they walked I could see the crop actually swinging, like a pendulum, of course, particularly the cochin gals. But those crops always begin to look normal later, think they are gorgers or something. I can't comment on what is going on, but that could be why the dude was so thin, perhaps there was a blockage. Have a great day, CynthiaM.

I have a sweet Americauna hen with a crop problem. I've kept her separated for a few days with nothing but water for the first day, then a bit of cooked oatmeal and yogurt to encourage healthy bacteria. But no change in her crop. It is soft, but feels quite full of grain still.
I keep hoping it will pass, but I'm losing hope. I've read about doing home surgery and closing it with crazy glue, but I'm really reluctant to go that route. It sounds painful and risky. So is my next option booking in surgery at the vet clinic?

Kathy, you can do this surgery!

I did this surgery!

Me, who will not kill nor clean a chicken. But I did this and saved the bird. Surgeon Hubby passed out and lay on the floor making gagging noises. Nurse Uno had to step in, after shoving him out of the way. I made Horsey Teen Daughter assist by holding the bird and she encouraged me with statements like, "You have GOT to be JOKING.!" She was a bad assistant.

It might indeed be painful. Head removal is probably painful and permanent. Remember, this surgery does not cut into the body cavity nor through large muscle. The skin and membrane you are dealing with are thin and carry few blood vessels. Think of it like getting an ear pierced. This isn't 'interior' surgery, it's about as exterior as you get.

If you are interested, I can post how we did it. Well, how I did it considering other half konked out. He is a notorious fainter. But do NOT leave this until the bird is so weak she has no chance. Timing is everything.

I am going to make a new post anyway...incase anyone is bored and wants to read something to waste some time.

Thank you Uno, I'd really appreciate any hints or help. I'm not too nervous about actually doing the surgery, just worried about screwing up. I have done other (more minor) incisions and have one avid daughter with a strong stomach who would be a good assistant. Won't ask hubby as he would no doubt suffer from the same fainting affliction as yours!

It sounds like it could be sour crop, hold the chicken upside down and massage the crop while it drains out the poor chickens mouth. Ick Good luck with your gal hope you get her fixed, if not you'll have to do UNO's surgery