Crop bra newbie needs best practice advice

[flappergirlsmom]

I just put a crop bra on my girl Peaches to help hold up her pendulous crop. It’s elastic around the neck, elastic under the crop, and a Velcro strap over the back/under wings. This is my first time ever using a crop bra on a chicken, so I have some questions, such as:

1. How long/often does she need to wear it? 24/7? Only at night? For the rest of her life?

2. What if it gets wet, such as rained on? Is that okay or should it immediately come off, etc?

3. How to keep it clean and pest-free?

Any other tips or things I should look out for, I welcome! I’m a total newbie at this crop bra thing. Thank you kindly!

-Lindsay and The Flapper Girls

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

1. How long/often does she need to wear it? 24/7? Only at night? For the rest of her life?

You should keep it on for 24\7. As far as for how long, you might want to keep it on forever unless you're doing some other treatments on her, like coconut oil. I had a hen that I removed her bra thinking she was fine (she was getting treatments for sour crop, but wasn't getting the coconut oil), and her crop impacted so bad that I had to fast her.

2. What if it gets wet, such as rained on? Is that okay or should it immediately come off, etc?

It's fine if it gets wet or dirty. The bigger concern would be ensuring she doesn't have mites or anything because that would become a "safe habitat" for them.

3. How to keep it clean and pest-free?

Pest free, definitely. On cleaning, it's not too big of a deal, but if you do have a second one to rotate with this one while you wash it will be good. That'd also give you a chance to check how it's fitting as sometimes it can become too loose and stop working, or it can become too tight and she'll have other issues.

 

[flappergirlsmom]

You should keep it on for 24\7. As far as for how long, you might want to keep it on forever unless you're doing some other treatments on her, like coconut oil. I had a hen that I removed her bra thinking she was fine (she was getting treatments for sour crop, but wasn't getting the coconut oil), and her crop impacted so bad that I had to fast her.

It's fine if it gets wet or dirty. The bigger concern would be ensuring she doesn't have mites or anything because that would become a "safe habitat" for them.

Pest free, definitely. On cleaning, it's not too big of a deal, but if you do have a second one to rotate with this one while you wash it will be good. That'd also give you a chance to check how it's fitting as sometimes it can become too loose and stop working, or it can become too tight and she'll have other issues.

Awesome info! Thank you so much. I will definitely get a back-up bra for her.

 

[fldiver97]

When one of my hens had pendulous crop issues after surgery for a badly impacted crop she needed a crop bra. I had 2, one to wash and one to wear. With gentle crop massages/coconut oil she had periods of time where I could keep it off for a bit but she wore it quite a bit. But I took it off daily to check her over.