Treatment of Gropbound Fowls.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 224, 15 October 1887, Page 3

Treatment of Gropbound Fowls.

Br Stephen Beale.

This is perhaps the commonest form of crop tzouble, and is generally caused by careless feeding. If green food be withheld for some time and then given in unlimited quantities, the fowl will eat to repletion, and as the crop cannot get rid of this mass of undigested food all at once, it becomes hard, and not only cannot icself pass into the stomach, but effectively bars the passage thereto. The same may be caused by the giving of new grain, which, swelling in the crop, becomes a solid mass. Or on the other hand bound crop is often caused byan obstruction of the outlet suchas a twig or some undigestible substance that has been swallowed by the fowl. The proof of acropboundis purely external, but is fortunately very easily discernible, Instead of the crop having a firm close appearance, in fact, not being noticeable, it is seen to hang down like a bag, and on being felt there is found to be inside a lump or ball of food. This does not hurt, or in any way, until it has grown very large, incommode the bird, who often seems to eat more than usual, for the reason that the food it is eating is not feeding it, but going to increase the mass in the crop. If the trouble is discovered early t cure is very easy. The first step is to pour some salad oil or melted lard down the throat, and then to work gently with the hand the mass in the crop. ThiB, if properly and effectively done, will soon cause "the food and the fluid to mix, and when the mass has been well broken up, it will in the course of a few hours pass away. The length of time necessary to break up' the mass will depend upon the nature of it, and I have known an hour required to do it. Warm water may be used instead of the oil or lard, but it is not so rapid or so effective in its action. When the mass ha 9 been got rid of, great care is requited in order to prevent a recurrence of the same thing, which would almost certainly result if food was immediately given without stjnt. After distention like this, the crop is naturally in a somewhat inflamed condition, and very susceptible to any strain upon it. The food, therefore, should for a few clays be very limited in quantity, and be of the very lightest kind, such as sopped bread or Spratt's food. Often a per*manent disteution of the crop results from a neglect of this simple precaution. In , about a week the fowl may safely bo put on ; to ordinary diet. When the kneading process is ineffectual, than an operation" becomes requisite, but no one need fear the i performing of this operation, as it ie a very simple one and needs no great akilL Nor is there any danger involved in it. The objecb is to remove from the crop the mass of impermeable stuff gathered there, for without that is removed the recovery of the bird is impossible, and it must soon die from absolute starvation . The process is to make an incision lengthwise in the upper part of the crop, about an inch or an inch and half in length, This should be very cleanly made with a sharp lancet or penknife. Through this incision the contents of the crop may be removed, using for that purpose a small eggspoon. Sometimes .the mass is so hard that it cannot pass

..through the.aperture, and in that case it | must be broken up, which can be done with care and patience. This maßs is usually very offensive indeed, and to remove any eontamipating matter from this organ should be washed out with Condy's fluid or a similar non-poisonous disinfectant. It is also desirable to pass the finger, well pared and oiled, into the orifice so aa to be certain that there is no obstruction there, for if so the whole prpcess may have to be gone over again. This done, the incpion must be sown up, aid for this a small bent needle is best, as by it the skin can be most easily gathered together, And horsehair not thread. I prefer to sow the inner skin first 1 , and then the outer one Three stitches will be needed in each skin, and it is preferable to tie each stitch separate in this instance also. The food must be limited in quantity, and be composed either of sopped bread or Spratt's food. No water must be supplied until the suture has completely healed up. For a time ib is advisable to keep a strict watch on a fowl that has been cropbound, as there will be a tendency to a recurrence of it.— Live Stock Journal.