# Worried about adjusting crop



## crackofdawnxxx (Oct 22, 2011)

Hi there,

I have a fledgling / juvenile wood pigeon I rescued just over 2 weeks ago. Over the last 2 days she seems to be adjusting her crop a lot when she eats. Generally she has corn and peas and she also has the option to peck at some cress and squeaker mix when she wants it. I never noticed the adjusting before but was thinking as she can eat seeds in her box before I take her out to give her peas and corn that maybe she was just making some room to be able to eat more??? Is this normal? She really moves her head and crop around when she is making these adjustments. I checked to see if she had any obstructions but you can only see so far but there definitely isn't any canker in her mouth that I can see.

She has a thread about her ::here:: if you would like to see it. [Thanks everyone for help so far] 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Dawn


----------



## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi Dawn, sorry I missed your new post, dealing with an emergency.

Maybe she's over gorged on seeds and is a bit full at the point you feed her the peas.
Glad you checked her throat for signs of canker and at least that's clear them.
I doesn't mean she's not got it further down but I'd not worry too much.
I could send you some Spartrix tablets for canker if you like. It wouldn't hurt to give her a couple as I generally do with new rescues as a precaution.
I don't really feel that's the problem but it might be an idea anyway before she's released.
They should build up some immunity to things like that when young but some get it when the parents have it as they pass it on through feeding.

I'm not sure if there's a problem with what he's doing but I'd monitor his crop before you feed and if it feels quite full from seeds I'd not feed him the peas, just maybe leave some out for him to take if he choses so he's not so full.

Post back if you think he's getting worse and we can ask if anyone has any other ideas.

Janet


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Canker can be gotten at any age. Illness can cause it, and stress will often cause it. Most pigeons have trichomonads, and during times of illness or stress, they can multiply and cause canker. 

I saw a pigeon in my feral flock doing that with his crop, but I couldn't catch him. He kept coming with the flock each day for maybe a week. Eventually, he was too weak to leave with them when they went to roost at night. He roosted on the top of our aviary, and in our gutters on the roof. Finally I was able to catch him. He was doing that because he had a blockage in his crop. You couldn't see it, but in palpating the crop, I was able to feel it. He couldn't eat because he couldn't pass anything. He was slowly starving. When they do that, something in the crop is usually bothering them. I would have it checked out ASAP.


----------



## horseart4u (Jun 16, 2011)

well it could just be normal actions, when a pigeon fills its crop to the gill they will adjust the seeds around, mine do it all the time they lift their heads as high as they can stretching the neck and move their crop, neck and head in little circle motions. may just be he she is eating more then usual and you just noticed..


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Well, it depends on how often she is doing this. I'd want to make sure. Not seeing the bird do it makes it hard to tell, but could be something wrong in the crop. I would feel better making sure it was okay.


----------



## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

I've seen Woodies in the garden that I can tell for sure have got canker just by their appearance such as the the discolouration in their beaks, swelling to the neck, and stretching their necks out when swallowing, and generally looking very unwell.
I have also seen my own birds stretching out their necks after eating and also opening their beaks as if adjusting what's just gone down, as horseart4u described, and they've been fine.
So as I said, can't say for certain if it is or isn't canker but can send you some tablets to give as a precaution while you monitor him and see if it worsens or settles down when you stop feeding him peas for a day
Failing that you'd have to try and get Flagyl from a vet which is the prescription med for canker if you felt he's really sick.
I'd try monitor his crop intake for a day and see if he keeps doing it.

Let us know

Janet


----------



## crackofdawnxxx (Oct 22, 2011)

Thanks for your reply Janet. I have seen that you have your hands full at the moment. I really hope you can sort the little guy out.

I have been offering the peas but no forcing at all and when she acts like she's full I leave it. I just don't know if she is trying to manipulate the contents in her crop to make room so she can fit more in. I have a little feel of her crop before I feed her and she seems to be picking a little before we get her out in the morning but she seems to really like being hand fed. I don't know if that is going to hinder her release or not.

If you think a couple of tablets for canker couldn't hurt it might be an idea to just ere on the side of caution. 

I will see how she is tomorrow and let you know. 

Thanks again and good luck with your new rescue.
Dawn


----------



## crackofdawnxxx (Oct 22, 2011)

Apologies, I didn't see the other replies as I had started mine ages ago and then was intercepted before getting back to finish it. 

She stretches and then does little circles and the squishes her neck right the way down. The crop always seems to be empty after her adjustments. She is definitely getting food down and her poops look all right. I think I will leave her to pick her own food tomorrow and keep an eye out for any weird movements.

Can they force the food down from their crops or does it happen naturally?


----------



## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi Dawn,

If you send me your address in a PM I'll get the tablets off to you asap.
I'd certainly give them as it's best to try and stop canker in it's tracks if that's what it is.

Janet


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If there is a blockage, it doesn't have to be canker. The bird I had caught with the blockage, turned out the poor thing had eaten pieces of glass. That's what was blocking. Good luck with the bird.


----------



## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Jay3 said:


> If there is a blockage, it doesn't have to be canker. The bird I had caught with the blockage, turned out the poor thing had eaten pieces of glass. That's what was blocking. Good luck with the bird.


good grief, was it ok? Did you have to get it out somehow or did it pass?

Janet


----------



## crackofdawnxxx (Oct 22, 2011)

That's awful Jay, I hope you were able to help the little fella.

There has been no odd crop adjustments today. I think she may have just ate a bit too much the other day. Hopefully that was all it was. I will still carefully monitor her over the next few days.

Thanks again to you all for your help.


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

amyable said:


> good grief, was it ok? Did you have to get it out somehow or did it pass?
> 
> Janet


I brought him to the vet, who took samples of the crop. She found canker and bacteria so the bird was treated for those. I told her I had a feeling that he had a blockage. Just felt that he did, but in palpating the crop, she couldn't feel anything. Neither could I. So I took him home and tube fed him and treated him for the bacteria and the canker. Just the way things were going, I still felt there was a blockage. I flushed the crop and got stuff out that he had eaten before I had caught him. I tried again to feel something that would be blocking, and found it. It felt like a good sized piece of wood. I brought him back to the vet, and she tried again, and finally felt it. So she opened up the crop and found the glass. Lots of it. By then, the poor bird had just weakened to much and gone down to much. He didn't make it. The vet felt awful that she didn't listen to my feelings that there was indeed something in there. It was so sad. Had she checked sooner he may have lived, but may not have. Would depend on if it had gone though his system, and how much damage it had done. I felt awful about the whole thing. It's very upsetting when we lose them. Don't know where he had picked it up or why. Maybe he ate it for grit. Don't know.


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Here is the glass taken from his crop


----------



## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Oh my goodness, that is sad. He must have taken it as being grit, why would they eat glass otherwise.
So sorry you lost him, it just goes to show, gut feelings tell you a lot more sometimes than just what's obvious on the surface.
Thanks for posting that though.

Janet


----------



## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi Dawn, so glad the adjustments seem to have stopped but will let you have a couple of Spartrix just in case.

Janet


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If you are going to treat for canker, Spartrix should be given for 3 days anyway. Nice of you to send her the pills.


----------



## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Jay3 said:


> If you are going to treat for canker, Spartrix should be given for 3 days anyway. Nice of you to send her the pills.


That's no problem, I'll send three! Thanks

Janet


----------



## crackofdawnxxx (Oct 22, 2011)

Hi Janet

The pills arrived today. Thank you very much, I will start the treatment straight away.
I have ordered a pack of rings off of ebay. I don't need 100 of them but I will have them now. 

Thanks again for your help. I really appreciate it and I'm sure Squables does too.

Dawn


----------

