My Roosters are Inflating! Help! Sour crop but not sure what to do

billygoat162

Songster
6 Years
Apr 19, 2016
86
33
121
American Southwest
I have two cochin/ameracauna roosters that I raised from eggs that started crowing a few weeks ago, and crowing is not tolerated here unfortunately. I put collars on them that I made out of velcro, and everything seemed to be fine until a few days ago when I noticed that they had inflated crops. I also noticed that one had thrown up, so I did some googling and realized that the collars were too narrow.

I isolated them, took off their collars, and tried massaging their crops. They burped a lot, but nothing except foul stench came out. I left their collars off for a few hours, and let them eat and drink all they wanted. I then doubled up the velcro (it's about 1.5-2" wide now) and loosened it. I also have 2" wide industrial velcro coming in the mail tomorrow that I will try. I slept with my window open and heard them trying to crow this morning, and while it was tolerable, it definitely wouldn't be if the collars were any looser.

I'm guessing that they were eating too much long grass initially because it was easier to swallow with the narrow collars on than pellets (and I saw them eating grass), but I'm not positive. It gets windy here, and it's not uncommon for garbage (plastic bags, string, etc) to blow into the yard. Currently they are in an enclosure with no grass, just pellets, and I have not seen any vomit in 24 hours. However, their crops were still inflated this afternoon, so I massaged them again. One felt mostly empty except for air, and the other was mushy like it was full of chicken feed. They seem fine except for the fact that their crops are still inflating.

Do I just need to wait it out? Is there anything else I should do? Is it possible for the collars to directly cause this even if I can fit my pinky under them? I would hate to get rid of them, and am not sure if anyone would even take them as there is a local rescue that is inundated with roosters, but I can try if I have to. They are extremely docile, nearly mute, absolutely gorgeous roosters with tiny pea combs and short cochin tail feathers that would make them perfect covert city roosters if it wasn't for the early morning crowing.
 
Pull out their feed at night when you lock them up. Before you put it back in the morning, Feel to see if their crops have emptied. If they haven't then there probably is something wrong; if they have, then they are just eating alot - typical roosters
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