TREATING CROP-BOUND FOWLS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1748, 6 September 1905, Page 61

TREATING CROP-BOUND FOWLS.

This is a swelling of the crop from accumulated food, easily distinguished by the touch from the soft swollen crop, such as in chicken cholera. It has been common to attribute' it to an obstruction in the passage leading from the crop to the gizzard, but this is a mistake. The obstruction is almost invariably at the outlet from the gizzard, and is in nine cases out of ten due to defective digestion, and. not to mechanical obstruction at all. If taken in time it will generally yield to a dose of three {for an adult fowl) ordinary anti-bilious p'ills, followed by a tablespoonful of tepid water. If, however, the contents of the crop have become matted' together, a tablespoonful of tepid water should be poured down the bird’s throat, and the crop gently kneaded with the 'fingers till the contents are softened. It may become necessary to open the crop and remove the contents with the handle of a spoon. This may be done with a sharp penknife, cutting in the same direction as the neck. After emptying the crop, it should be rinsed out with a weak solution of permanganate of potash, just warm, and strong enough to be just a faint pink colour. There are two membranes to be cut, and if the cut be not more than three-quart-ers of an inch, it should heal without stitching, but the outer membrane must be kept open by the insertion of a bit of iodoform gauze until the inner is healed. When the obstruction is mechanical, it will frequently be found to be caused by a short bit of hemp or twine, such as might be found in the pollard or bran used in feeding. Hence a lookout should be kept for these things in the food.