Need to check 8 week olds Crop...what is that?

[KirstenColorado]

This is new chicken language to me...I'm supposed to check Pip's crop. She's 8 weeks old, and has been not well (I have long posts on previous days).
What is a crop and how do I check it?
Thanks!

 

[forgetful]

The crop holds any food ingested by the chicken, and grinds it up. The chicken swallows small peebles and stones for grinding. that's why you need grit for chickens. It is located on near the base of the neck, or breast, and after eating is rather enlarged. Chickens can get an impacted crop, meaning that it can't empty and becomes too enlarged. Impacted crops feel very hard, and don't become smaller hours after a chicken has eaten.