Chickens crop is literally rotting off

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I have lost 9 chickens in 4 years. From my experience I can tell everybody how much chickens suffer to lay eggs. How feed store chicks are over bred and unhealthy. And chickens hybridized to lay a lot of eggs are unhealthy. I have loved them like a cat or dog. They are no longer something I consider food. I have loved every minute of having them but I don't think they've been worth the emotional torture for me.

I’m sorry you’ve had this experience. It seems to be common for people with high-production hens. They’re bred for egg laying, not longevity. Unfortunately, most common hatchery breeds and birds bred from those hatchery birds are bred for production.
If you are ever thinking about getting more chickens, you could look into bantam or ornamental breeds. Having a bachelor pad (a flock of only roosters) is another option.

 

[AngelicaRoss]

I’m sorry you’ve had this experience. It seems to be common for people with high-production hens. They’re bred for egg laying, not longevity. Unfortunately, most common hatchery breeds and birds bred from those hatchery birds are bred for production.
If you are ever thinking about getting more chickens, you could look into bantam or ornamental breeds. Having a bachelor pad (a flock of only roosters) is another option.

I have 4 roosters. I assume they'll outlive the hens. I do love roos.

 

[ILoveDaffy]

I'm sorry. This happened fast with mine. She was perfectly healthy that I know of. I fixed it and she was fine for a day then it happened again amd got much worse.

Same. In a box for nearly 2 weeks, acting fine, then it got to the point of no return.

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

I still have 16 chickens. By the time I have to go through losing them I'll be to traumatized to get more.

I do hope you have better luck with the sixteen and they help to get over this unfortunate bad experiences :/.

 

[AngelicaRoss]

UPDATE!
After a long 10 days of caring for Millie the chicken she had surgery Wednesday. I contacted all the vets I could find that would actually do surgery on a chicken and they were all booked till next month except the one that did it.
This is a common occurence with birds like parrots. It either came from an injury or just because of her humungous pendulous crop.
The vet said her crop skin had fused with the outside skin. She cut the edges away (the dead part of her crop just came off), sewed her crop back together and then sewed the outside skin up. Because her skin and crop were so stretched out there was plenty to work with. She now has a fairly small crop but it will probably stretch out again. She has to have tiny meals throughout the day but everything is once again functional! I'm so happy I found this vet, although it's a bit of a drive.
A happy ending for once!

 

[HeatherKellyB]

UPDATE!
After a long 10 days of caring for Millie the chicken she had surgery Wednesday. I contacted all the vets I could find that would actually do surgery on a chicken and they were all booked till next month except the one that did it.
This is a common occurence with birds like parrots. It either came from an injury or just because of her humungous pendulous crop.
The vet said her crop skin had fused with the outside skin. She cut the edges away (the dead part of her crop just came off), sewed her crop back together and then sewed the outside skin up. Because her skin and crop were so stretched out there was plenty to work with. She now has a fairly small crop but it will probably stretch out again. She has to have tiny meals throughout the day but everything is once again functional! I'm so happy I found this vet, although it's a bit of a drive.
A happy ending for once!

Wonderful update! So happy you found a vet that could treat her. How's she doing now?

 

[AngelicaRoss]

Wonderful update! So happy you found a vet that could treat her. How's she doing now?

She's definitely got some more healing to do still but she feels good! She's put on a bit of weight. She has to eat small meals and if she drinks too much too fast she'll regurgitate it. That's improving though. Her pendulous crop saved her. She had a lot of extra skin and crop to work with. She's running around the house begging for food. Can't let her go outside until she is fully healed. The vet is a no nonsense farm vet and I'm so glad I found her!

 

[Vickischics]

She's definitely got some more healing to do still but she feels good! She's put on a bit of weight. She has to eat small meals and if she drinks too much too fast she'll regurgitate it. That's improving though. Her pendulous crop saved her. She had a lot of extra skin and crop to work with. She's running around the house begging for food. Can't let her go outside until she is fully healed. The vet is a no nonsense farm vet and I'm so glad I found her!

Yes, you are VERY lucky to have found her. As I have no poultry vet anywhere in my area. I hope it wasn't terribly expensive. Either way, I'm truly happy for you and your hen.

 

[Taylermartin]

She's definitely got some more healing to do still but she feels good! She's put on a bit of weight. She has to eat small meals and if she drinks too much too fast she'll regurgitate it. That's improving though. Her pendulous crop saved her. She had a lot of extra skin and crop to work with. She's running around the house begging for food. Can't let her go outside until she is fully healed. The vet is a no nonsense farm vet and I'm so glad I found her!

I'm glad I found your thread.
I found my chicken a few days ago just like the pictures you showed of your chicken. I've been trying to make it with the things I have.
How did the surgery go?
I have an appointment in two days for my chicken to see what can be done.

 

[Hopeful homesteader]

I'm curious, since sour crop was likely caused by the pendulous crop, now that its smaller and feed is moderated for now, if sour crop won't be an issue anymore as long as she doesn't get pendulous crop again? Considering its already been stretched thin, I'd assume it doesn't have much stretch left without rupturing again so wouldn't permanently portioning food be better for her in the long run? That'd be worth asking the vet, I hate for her to have a repeat of this. I'm really surprised she made it to surgery, I'd have thought dehydration or infection would have taken her first, she's definitely a fighter.