Ate way too much yesterday...woke up with squishy crop

[My Three Chicks]

I have a 10 month old Bielefelder with a HUGE appetite. I could tell she had over-eaten yesterday and was doing a lot of crop adjustment before bedtime. Her crop had never looked so big and I've never seen her have to do crop adjustments. That said, she's never had any crop issues in the past (I only have 6 chickens so I check their crops every morning). But sure enough she woke up with a pretty full squishy crop this morning. I have in the house with no water and no food. I've massaged it once and will do that throughout the day. She's pooping normal and completely normal otherwise.

Any other suggestions? Can I give her water? I don't think it's a 'sour crop' at this point.

 

[Eggcessive]

It is not good to massage a puffy crop, only a hard or doughy crop, or you can cause them to vomit and choke. I would give all the water she wants. Check her crop early in the morning again before she eats or drinks. What did she eat so much of yesterday? I would make sure that she doesn’t eat any whole grains or seeds, just her usual chicken feed. If it is still full tomorrow morning, let us know.

 

[My Three Chicks]

It is not good to massage a puffy crop, only a hard or doughy crop, or you can cause them to vomit and choke. I would give all the water she wants. Check her crop early in the morning again before she eats or drinks. What did she eat so much of yesterday? I would make sure that she doesn’t eat any whole grains or seeds, just her usual chicken feed. If it is still full tomorrow morning, let us know.

Ok, thanks. I just put down water for her.
Yesterday she just ate her normal layer feed, Grubbly Farms pellet and Scratch & Peck pellet. Both feeds have whole grains in the mix. They have access the their feed all day. Then they free range in my backyard. No grass there. But lots of earth worms, wet fallen leaves, and moss. She mostly just eats her normal feed. I feel like she just ate way too much.

 

[Eggcessive]

Scratch and peck feed is mostly seeds and whole grains. Many birds will gorge on their favorite parts of those feeds. I have found in my own experience that a homogenous chicken feed pellet or crumble is better so they don’t have any deficiencies or just eats the grains they like best. If she tends to gorge on her food, that can lead to a pendulous crop or fatty liver disease.

 

[My Three Chicks]

Scratch and peck feed is mostly seeds and whole grains. Many birds will gorge on their favorite parts of those feeds. I have found in my own experience that a homogenous chicken feed pellet or crumble is better so they don’t have any deficiencies or just eats the grains they like best. If she tends to gorge on her food, that can lead to a pendulous crop or fatty liver disease.

I think you're absolutely right. They love to peck the grains and leave the powdery stuff in the Scratch and Peck. Next bag I'll just get the homogeneous ones like you said.

 

[Eggcessive]

I tried the brand name Scratch and Peck layer once, and mine left about half of it, and that is probably where most of the good things (minerals, vitamins, protein) are.