CROP SURGERY

We did this, the patient lived. We made some mistakes, but you can learn from my foibles. This is what we did.

Wrap patient in a towel to control flapping and kicking. Have GOOD LIGHT and all your tools assembled. You will need someone to hold the chicken on a table, you cannot do this on your lap.

Tools: Disinfectant for bird and your hands. VERY sharp small knife, tweezers, paper towel, honey. Alcohol of choice, for a stiff shot after you are done. For you, not the chicken.

Pluck feathers from the area you are going to cut. You are going to cut on the upper part of the crop. If you make a low cut, gravity will pull all future food down toward that cut and make healing a problem, so cut on the upper area, not lower.

Pluck. Wipe with disinfectant. Wipe knife with disinfectant. You are going to cut in TWO steps. First, pinch up the skin of the breast and make an incision that is up and down, from the bird's chin towards the toes. About an inch is good. This skin should spread open a bit revealing the surface of the crop. The crop is TOUGH stuff! Here you want a sharp knife as it is like cutting leather. Second make an incision side to side in the crop. You have one incision up and down, one incision side to side. This helps the outer flesh cover over the inner incision and helps protect the crop.

All our reading said to use a tweezer to pull out the impacted material. That didn't work. It is DARK in there, the crop is stuffed into every nook and cranny inside that bird and does not lend itself well to probing with a pointed tweezer. I stuck my finger in and began digging stuff out. DISINFECT YOUR HAND! You would not believe how much stuff I got out of that bird! Be gentle, those are innards you are bumping up against! Also, avert your nose, there is often a smell associated with this, and not a nice smell.

In my case, the crop was packed with fir needles, and long hard grasses that were wound into a ball. Mashed into this was grain and corn, scratch that was not able to get through, but was happily fermenting where it was! Whew! It was slow going getting this out, but I just kept at it until I felt I had as much removed as I could.

The tricky part here and where you will run into trouble, is junk gets jammed in the space between the chest skin and the crop. If you can take steps to keep that area clean, it is better for the chicken. But it is very hard to do. Clean up as well as you can afterward, then SMEAR IT ALL WITH HONEY!!! I cannot emphasize this enough! We did not do this and had a massive infection in the surgery site. I put honey on afterward and the bird lives several more years and never got impacted crop again. But knowing what I know, I would have put honey on the very instant I was done cleaning the bird up.

We did NOT stitch or glue the incisions. If you made the outer cut up and down, it should pull fairly closed over the crop and help keep baddies out. If you have made your incisions low, all incoming food will now drain out...so be sure to make the incisions higher than the lowest area of the crop.

Separate the bird. Give her only liquid with some nutrient (honey, poulvite) dissolved for the first day. Next day try something mushy. NO GRAIN! NO PELLETS! You will have to watch the incision site for infection. I think leaving it open to drain and dry is better than covering it...not that you can get a bandaid to stick to a chicken very well. You can treat the incision topically with more honey or antibiotic cream to stay on top of any problems. We did NOT give our bird any antibiotics. By day 4 she can try small amounts of pellets. No grains yet. Put her back with flock after a week, if her insicion is not obvious. If it is, others will peck it and there will be trouble.

Now...big drink. For you. Job well done!

Experience makes the best write-up. Thanks so much. Your crop surgery description is printed and in my chicken binder, and I hope I never have to use it! So far only had one chicken with an impacted crop, and massaging mineral oil into it did the trick.

Wow. You are amazing! I have a hen I need to do this to. . . but I'm not quite brave enough.

Do not assign me more bravery than is deserved. I had no plans of doing this either! I had elected Hubby to be surgeon. It was when he plopped onto his face that plan B fell directly into my lap. Unconscious doctors perform bad surgery!

Hubby made the first incision in the chest. NOT having a knife sharp enough for the task took three tries at the crop. Thus the warning to have a VERY SHARP implement in your hand! First attempt made him have a small shiver, second attempt made him turn white and begin to sweat. On third attempt the chicken squawked and Hubby was down for the count. I had to actually puncture the crop with the extremely pointed (and sharp!) end of my quilting snips and snipped a small incision, while Dr. Faint was sprawled on the floor.

Note, people who pass out should not be holding knives when they do so. Bad stuff happens.

uno wrote:Hubby made the first incision in the chest. NOT having a knife sharp enough for the task took three tries at the crop. Thus the warning to have a VERY SHARP implement in your hand! First attempt made him have a small shiver, second attempt made him turn white and begin to sweat. On third attempt the chicken squawked and Hubby was down for the count. I had to actually puncture the crop with the extremely pointed (and sharp!) end of my quilting snips and snipped a small incision, while Dr. Faint was sprawled on the floor.

Oh I so clearly remember when you had made the post about the surgery, so long ago, that was before I had met you in the flesh (dressed of course, smiling). This accounting of you and Hubby was so imprinted in my mind, the thought of this tall, tall man, passed out of the floor still makes me laugh that inside giggle. Men can be so tough at so many things, and then other things make them shiver and pass out. My Husband is the same with needles, take blood from him, and you know what happens. I don't think he will ever overcome the flight or fight and he flights, into that never never land of unconsciousness, but give him throwup or poop clean up, tough as nails , you are a gem, Uno!! and I really mean that, smiling. Have a great and awesome day, CynthiaM.

I've been meaning to write an update here but somehow keep forgetting...
Anyway, I did end up doing this surgery.
I tried everything to avoid it. First I tried the oil method - syringing vegetable oil into the crop through the mouth, massaging it and then you attempt to help the chicken vomit up whatever is stuck in the crop. Did this twice, but nothing was coming up, and the poor hen was miserable. By this time she was passing nothing..no stool at all, and was getting thinner and weaker each day.
I knew I had to give the surgery a try or she was going to die. So I assembled all the tools and assigned my daughter to be my assistant. (She loves this kind of stuff, so was happy to oblige!)
I did it just the way Uno described. The instructions were excellent.I had no problems. Digging out the grass bound up in there was not pleasant..that is absolutely the most disgusting smell in the world!
I took Uno's advice of having a very sharp cutting tool, and got myself a surgical blade, which was a good idea. It sliced through so easily.
Only other thing I did different was to use polysporin salve instead of honey on the wound, (didn't have unpasturized honey) and lots of betadine antiseptic on the incision to ward off infection. My hen didn't need any antibiotics afterwards either.
This dear little hen handled it all so well. She was so weak and tired at that time she did not even struggle or make a noise, poor thing.
But her recovery was amazing!
By the next day I was giving her some soft porridge and yogurt. And a week later she was back on regular food. Now she's back in with the flock, being bossy and sassy just like nothing ever happened.
Thank you Uno for giving me the know-how and confidence to do this.
When you have 50 or so laying hens, you simply can't be running them to the vet for things you can fix yourself. I really like this hen, and I'm so glad she is better!

Could we perhaps make this post... permanent? Maybe in the "Advice Needed" section? Would be handy if was a real emergency to be able to find this gem in a hurry!

I have a hen with an impacted crop. . . and every time I look at her I think of you, Uno.

Thing is, she's been like this since she was very young (2 months?), and she's now over a year old - she eats, lays, poops, does all the right chook-things. She reminds me of my great-aunt Bessie, with her large, pendulous, low-slung bosom.

Should I operate? Since she shows no signs of grief or stress, I haven't felt inclined (or had the nerve).

Do you think it is really an impacted crop then ipf? Maybe a tumour or something lodged in the crop?

Something lodged in the crop - like a big wad of grass, yes. Isn't that what an impacted crop is?idon't think it's a tumour, due to location and age.

In that amount of time, you would think grass would be digested. I was thinking something inorganic.

Kathys, BRAVO! You are a brave soul! Good for having a sharp cutting tool, that is very important. And also good for going the extra mile on disinfecting the site, which was a mistake we made and now I know better.

Any honey, even pasturized, has healing qualities. But it is a sticky mess. If the Polysporin worked, along with the disinfectant to keep the incision infection free, then whatever works is what you go with! I am so pleased to hear it turned out well. Good for you and the hen. And yes...don't they lay there trustingly with their eyes blinking at you as you dig out that junk? Poor hen. BUt now she's good, thanks to Dr. Kathy.

Susan, about grass in the crop. The crop doesn't do much digesting. It's more like a purse than a stomach. Just a place to store stuff until it moves into the gizzard for further processing. Grass has a better chance of rotting in the crop, over a loooonng period of time. But some grasses are incredibly fibrous and the time required for them to breakdown in extreme. I have to think that obvioulsy ipf's hen is getting enough food to survive. A truly blocked hen slowly starves then begins to stagger then plops over dead. If she isn't dead from a blocked crop in two years, she isn't going to be.

Oh no, I think I am going to throw up. Gads, Kathy, how on earth can such stuff be done!! (oh lawdy, and you too Uno and anyone else that has ever done this). I really think I am going to puke. Hold on, gotta get my stomach settled. Takin' a short walk outside....there, feeling better.

this is amazing to me that anyone can do this, and my hat off to yas!! What a saving grace to be able to do this thing. I wonder if I ever could. I know that something that wrecks my heart is culling a sick or bad bird, but you know, each time I perform this horrible thing, it gets easier. Maybe surgery on an crop would be that way too. Oh oh, that sick feeling again. Deep breaths.....

OK, back. Now onto ipf. I am wondering if there is something in there that is not organic as was mentioned. Maybe she ate a rock that was just too big and it has become bigger, like in how an oyster pearl gets bigger and bigger. I think you need to do some crop surgery just to see what is in there. Oh, oh, that sick feeling again, walking for a third time now.....no wonder I am having no time on the internet, thanks

I need to know how to get my heart out of my guts, cause I bet my bottom dollar I am GOING TO HAVE to do this one day. Uno, I'll be speakin' to ya tomorrow at breaky to get the real gist in person, then maybe I won't feel like vomiting. Oh I gotta go, can't stand anymore the thought of what you have done Kathy . Beautiful days, to us all, without chickens with impacted crops!! CynthiaM.

Susan wrote:In that amount of time, you would think grass would be digested. I was thinking something inorganic.

Yes, I agree it could be a bit of twine or plastic. Those poly feed sacks can be bad. If they are cut open they can fray and spread around little shreds that look like something yummy to a chicken.
I would agree that as long as she is doing OK and not losing weight, might be best to just leave her be.

Just another note on this topic, I'm sure of the cause of my hen becoming crop-bound, and it was my own doing. I had been fighting weeds in the garden, and part of that included digging out quack grass - roots and all. I emptied the wheel barrow full into the hen pen, thinking they would sort through and eat what they could. It was long pieces of grass and probably some of those roots that were all rolled up in there and causing the problem.
Now I only throw in grass that has been mowed and nicely chopped into managable pieces. No long fiberous grass for them, as I know first hand what it can do.

i have always thrown weeds from the garden into chicken pens and so far no issues but I guess maybe just lucky.

I have never before had this happen either, Miry. I've dumped everything in the chicken pen for the last 20 years and I had never seen a distended crop. I suppose it isn't a very common thing, just the right (or I should say Wrong) set of conditions made it happen.

Cynthina, I understand how you feel! It does sound gross when you think of it. But the crop was so enlarged, and the feathers had actually already fallen out of that area on their own. So the skin was thin and stretched and it was easy to see where the main blood vessles run, so I could avoid cutting them. There was not much blood at all.
I have worked in a Community Health office for 14 years, and several Home Care nurses are very good friends of mine. They often discuss the most awful human wounds and conditions, so I think I have heard it all and have become immune to being grossed out about anything.
I found this surgery a hundred times easier than culling a chick. That is by far the hardest poultry-related duty for me to tackle.

Uno and Kathy, may I draw strength from you as I ponder having to do this myself to a 10 week old Wyandotte that has a crop the size of a small water balloon hanging from her chest.

The crop no longer fits inside my hand with my fingers spread out and I have big hands. It has been like this for at least 4 days. She appears healthy in every other way.........

I would prefer not to lose her to this if I can do the surgery. Just wish I had something to adhere the incision back together as the cut seems so big. Do you think I should still do 1 inch on a 10 week old bird?

How long should I give it before I act on this?

Chicory, this spring I had to put down a young bird for a crop problem. At first I thought it was an impacted crop, but as time went on I realized this problem, whatever it was, was not an impacted crop, although it initially looked that way.

I assume you have done the overnight starvation test to see if the crop reduces in size. This is step one in trying to determine impacted crop.

The bird with the false impacted crop, her crop felt heavy, pendulous, watery, squishy, like air bubbles were moving around in there. When I tipped her upside down, guck came pouring out her mouth. She DID NOT have an impacted crop. She had some other problem that I could not identify. When starved, her crop went down in size. With food, it ballooned right back up. This, to me, is not classic impacted crop.

If your bird's crop is solid, heavy, thick and unyielding, you are likely dealing with the impacted crop that I think of when I think impacted crop. In that case, no amount of withholding food will affect its size. If this is your bird, it won't be long before the effects of starvation show up because ultimately it's starvation that kills the bird.

I have my fingers crossed for you. This will be somewhat more difficult because you are dealing with a smaller bird. But technique is the same. Sharp cutting instruments, sterilize everything including yourself and the bird, have a separation pen ready, honey and/or topical antibiotic cream. Deep breath...no fainting!

PS..yes, you will likely need to make a one inch cut since you need to get your finger in there to dig stuff out. If you don't make the cut large enough you might end up tearing the incision bigger by accident. Once I got past the infection with my bird, I was amazed how well she healed. Knowing what I know now, I would have put honey on/in the wound immediately. Instead we left it until after there was an infection....we learn as we go!

I should have mentioned Uno, I haven't starved her but plan to tonight. Thanks for the detailed info on how it should look/feel in morning. Right now it is soft and squishy and malleable and yes, pendulous (I like that word). I don't feel bubbles but a lot of chick grit. I will also try tipping her upside down.

She is so sweet for a young bird.....stands right beside me when I crouch down and let's me pet her like a dog.

If it is impacted crop (which now it doesn't sound like it), I actually don't feel near the apprehension and discomfort of performing the surgery as I do at the thought of having to kill. Interesting......

Thank you so much for your words and support.....as always.

Chicory, if it's any comfort...I do not kill any chickens. Nor do I clean them. Ick. I make long suffering husband do all that. But I was able to do this surgery, which surprised me. Of course, I was forced to when Dr. Husband fainted!

Keep in mind that you are not cutting into muscle tissue or vital internal organs. This is about the most superficial surgery you can do, it does not delve into body cavity tissues that are dense or full of blood vessels. Think of it like piercing a ear. A puncture wound but not surgery serious like removing tonsils or appendix.

I think when people dub their roosters, cut off the comb and wattles, that is WAY more invasive and painful involving way more tissue. This...pfft, piece of cake.