Advice Please: Brahma with Enlarged Crop (?)

[tiffany+stephen]

Hi...thanks in advance for any solid advice anyone might be able to offer. This is our 7 month old, some sort of Brahma. She seems entirely healthy...she eats well, she's laying eggs, she happily runs around, forages, plays with others, etc, but this big lumpy thing on her chest has us a bit concerned. It did not develop spontaneously or recently...it just has sort of been a part of her. It was there but smaller when she was smaller. Now it seems much more pronounced. When you palpate it, she does not register any discomfort. It feels semi-firm...somewhat squishy...like firm jello. Is this a normal fatty crop for this breed? This is our first year with chickens so we're still learning what is normal and what is not so normal. Thank you for anyone who can speak generally to this. Not looking for an online diagnosis, just looking for an opinion if this, generally, may be something to be concerned about.

 

[DobieLover]

This looks like pendulous crop.
Have you checked her crop first thing in the morning before feeding her to see if it is empty?

 

[MissChick@dee]

Could be a pendulous crop. Although my chickens have huge crops at night before bedtime. Does her breath stink or smell like vomit?
Pull up all your feed before you go to bed tonight. Then before you put any food down. Feel her crop and smell her breath. Is she low on the pecking order? Have you ever noticed her binge eating??

 

[dunnmom]

If she doesn’t get sick from a blockage she should be ok. Just keep an eye on it. I’ve seen enlarged crops like that on my girls before, and they didn’t act sick either. I usually just give them some probiotic to help break down any blockages they might have when I see a big crop like that. I’ve seen pictures of more severe cases that resulted in the hen wearing a crop bra. I’m not a vet, and not an expert, but I would not worry unless hen took ill.

 

[tiffany+stephen]

This looks like pendulous crop.
Have you checked her crop first thing in the morning before feeding her to see if it is empty?

Not really, but we will try that. It seems to look fairly large and like this most of the time. Will have to read up on pendulous crop, thank you...

 

[tiffany+stephen]

Could be a pendulous crop. Although my chickens have huge crops at night before bedtime. Does her breath stink or smell like vomit?
Pull up all your feed before you go to bed tonight. Then before you put any food down. Feel her crop and smell her breath. Is she low on the pecking order? Have you ever noticed her binge eating??

Interesting, thank you for your thoughts. Have not smelled her breath. That's yet another concept that hasn't even occurred to us here this first year...but will try that. She does not seem to eat any differently than the other 5 we have. She's a bit independent but ultimately mostly hangs out with everyone else. No one picks on her or anything like that...

 

[tiffany+stephen]

If she doesn’t get sick from a blockage she should be ok. Just keep an eye on it. I’ve seen enlarged crops like that on my girls before, and they didn’t act sick either. I usually just give them some probiotic to help break down any blockages they might have when I see a big crop like that. I’ve seen pictures of more severe cases that resulted in the hen wearing a crop bra. I’m not a vet, and not an expert, but I would not worry unless hen took ill.

Thank you very much for your thoughts and this information...really appreciated.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Try and give her some olive oil as that will help everything slip through. Also, separate her for the night to see if her crop fully empties.