Enlarged Crops on all 4 of my layers...???

[WasabiChicki]

The 4 layers I have all seem to be "over eating" according to the local feed store...
Their crops get extremely enlarged these days but are empty by morning... feel squishy... Should I worry? The Barred Rock (leader of the flock) seems to get it the worst: Her chest puffs up so much that it looks bald at times & red, instead of skin toned. I noticed it on her first & called the feed store... Now I see that the others crops appear larger than they usually are, but like I said, they are all normal by morning.
*Could there be an illness or at all related to my RIR's floppy comb/ unthrifty-ness?? (See previous post regarding RIR's floppy comb)
Thank you so much for any advise/comments! I love this website & am sure I'll be here lot more often since I'm expecting my first batch of mail order chicks in a month!

 

[Lollipop]

Long as it's back to normal by morning, there's no cause for alarm........Pop

 

[speckledhen]

Ditto what Pop said.

 

[WasabiChicki]

Yeay! Thanks!
(Just worrying cuz my RIR is showing signs of sickness as of yeaterday.)
I thought the crop thing wasn't too big a deal after the feed store owner said it's probably just over eating...
What about the redness on the breast of the Barred Rock tho? It looks like it's rubbed raw now..?

 

[speckledhen]

If she is missing some feathers, as in molting, the skin may rub when she has a full crop and is roosting, causing it to appear red.

Some hens just have floppy combs-it's not always a sign of anything wrong.


Unless your feed store staff is highly unusual, that isn't the place I'd consult about anything to do with my chickens. I have six in my local area and have heard really bad misinformation coming out of all six. BYC is the place to come-many of our folks know more than most vets about poultry.

 

[WasabiChicki]

If she is missing some feathers, as in molting, the skin may rub when she has a full crop and is roosting, causing it to appear red.

Some hens just have floppy combs-it's not always a sign of anything wrong.


Unless your feed store staff is highly unusual, that isn't the place I'd consult about anything to do with my chickens. I have six in my local area and have heard really bad misinformation coming out of all six. BYC is the place to come-many of our folks know more than most vets about poultry.

Thanks a bunch!
The feed store owner is a good friend who's been raising chickens her whole life... she'll be teaching me to butcher my own birds this summer... I'm super excited! (Yes, a highly unusual small town where we all know each other & help is given without anything expected in return.)
Just want to say I was so glad to find this site two years ago when I had roo trouble... I don't know how I lost touch! (A growing family maybe?) But I tell ya what: Ya'll are gonna get sick of me soon with the new chicks arriving in May... I'll be bugging for info daily lol! THANKS AGAIN!!