Anatomy question: crop and gizzard?

[PortageGirl]

It can get impacted just by her eating something odd, eating too much, eathing too much of something difficult to pass, just plain bad luck.

that 'breast looking' lump IS her full crop, you're right. It should be full or at least full-ish when she goes to roost, then it should be down almost to nothing by morning... when she starts to fill it up again.

If their crop gets impacted, they usually look droopy and unhappy, sort of uncomfortable, and it's full and hard in the morning when it should be empty, or nearly empty.... With any luck at all, you'll never see it happen, it's not really that common, but it is always possible.

If your hen is friendly at all, you can feel it gently... it sort of feels squishy/gravelly depending on what they're eating... if I give em some scratch, it feels very different than layer crumbles, which feel different than grass and veggies and bugs.

 

[briteday]

We have a silky hen who looks to have a continuously large crop. It feels gritty during the day when she is eating. And in the morning, when she has not had access to food in the coop, it feels empty but still appears large.

I asked the vet and he suggested that as long as she is doing fine to leave things alone. There are no symptoms of a sour or impacted crop. The vet feels that she probably has a diverticulitis (out pouching) of part of the "tubing" running between the crop and gizzard.

The hen is perfectly normal otherwise. However her cage-mate sstarted laying eggs 4 weeks ago and not one from the "bag lady" yet.

 

[rstampa]

To answer the original post. Yes all the post are correct in what the crop and gizzards functions are. If you look at a detailed anatomy chart it breaks it down even further. In side the Gizzard is a simple stomach. If I can fine the chart I was looking at earlier I will send you the link.
Just some feed for thought.

 

[rstampa]

OK, I found this page on the anatomy. It's not the one I saw before but it does break down the parts. Hope this helps you and anyone who would like to check it out.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/PSIT_Anatomy.pdf

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

Here is another illustration that I found helpful in at least locating the parts of the digestive system, if not in fully understanding them...

 

[rstampa]

Great illustration!!