Broody with sour crop?

As I was staring impatiently at my broody bantam silkie this afternoon, (she is on day 20.) I noticed her neck/chest was spasming out every now and then. I though that maybe a chick was hatching, but it became apparent something was wrong with the hen. I felt her chest and noticed she had a very hard crop. (About the size of a golf ball.) She has been a very die hard broody and barely gets off the nest, so I put a little dish of water in the nesting box with her, which she started drinking right away. That was at 4:30ish. I juay went to check on her again, and she has drank quite a bit of water, and her crop is now squishy. Do you think it's sour or impacted crop? I wouldn't think so because she has barely been eating regular food, let alone something that could cause blockage. But something is wrong....any ideas? She is acting normally otherwise, e.g. Not hesitating to look at me indiginantly and peck and growl at me. Really hoping and praying she and the eggs will make it!

When she was moving her neck she was adjusting her crop which is normal.How does her breath smell?

I attempted to smell her breath last night, (quite nerve wracking to stick your face by a very protective broody hen) and couldn't really tell - which I assume means it is normal. I'll be going out to do chores in a minute so we will see how she is.

No, your hen doesn't have sour crop. Sour crop is when the crop is full and squishy feeling. It's more likely she has compacted crop, especially since she's been sitting a nest for three weeks and probably has not been eating and drinking as much.

First, try gently massaging her crop in a circular and downward motion. This often can help to break up the mass so it goes down. You will be able to feel it do this, and it should give quick relief.

If the hard mass won't budge, try offering your broody a small piece of bread soaked liberally in olive oil. Then after she eats it, repeat the massage. That should dissolve the mass and make it go on out of the crop.

If she refuses to eat the oil soaked bread, try syringing a small amount of olive oil into the right side of her beak (her right side, not yours), carefully so she doesn't aspirate any of the oil. Try to get at least a tablespoon of oil into her crop. Impacted crop is uncomfortable as well as making the chicken have no appetite, so this can be a serious condition left untreated.

Her crop is back to being hard, but it is definitely smaller. I will try massaging it, and giving her olive oil. Thank you!

Her crop now appears to be back to normal. *phew*!