Two questions. 1st is enlarged crop; 2nd loss of feathers near comb

[Annabella]

Last night, Lotty (Red Star) had a huge crop. It didnt feel any different to the other girls, neither was she unhappy or acting poorly.
This morning it was down somewhat, tonight it is about the same. She is still acting okay.
Should I add ACV into the water, maybe offer more grit??

Both Lotty and Edna are showing what it looks like feather loss next to the combs. I didn't think Red Stars moulted?
Do lice do that to them. They aren't scratching or anything.

Your thoughts appreciated.

 

[lauralou]

I'm not sure that anything is wrong with Lotty's crop. If it doesn't seem to be emptying overnight, try to get her to eat some olive oil. The easiest way to do that is to soak a treat in it. That might help any encumbrance in her crop to slide on through.

Red Stars do molt, just like any other chicken. If you are concerned about lice or mites, lift the wings up and look very closely at the skin underneath. Do you see any creepy crawlies? Examine the vent area as well. Truthfully, I have no experience with lice or mites, and I'm very glad of it, so I'm not much of a help there.

Do you have a rooster? Roosters can really damage the feathers on a hen's head.