Crop issues

[gunslinger33]

I have looked and read some of the other related crop issue post but I am not seeing the same issues that I am experiencing.

I have both Bielefelders and Orpingtons that are around 10 months old. I recently lost a Bielefelder to an impacted crop. She was eating hay bedding which caused the impacted crop. We removed all hay from their coop and run.

I also have one other Bielefelder with an engorged crop. She acts normal , eats and drinks as if she doesn't have any problems. I have them on pine shavings which I see a lot of people using shavings. They are still on starter and they free range. I have both oyster shell and grit available at all times. He crop is loose and spongy. She doesn't have a distinct sour crop smell. She is moving her neck side to side at time , which looks like she is trying to push a blockage from her crop.

My question is , could this be shavings related? Is this a common issue with they breed? I don't have any crop issues with my Orps. The Biels seem to be gluttons.

Thank you

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have looked and read some of the other related crop issue post but I am not seeing the same issues that I am experiencing.

I have both Bielefelders and Orpingtons that are around 10 months old. I recently lost a Bielefelder to an impacted crop. She was eating hay bedding which caused the impacted crop. We removed all hay from their coop and run.

I also have one other Bielefelder with an engorged crop. She acts normal , eats and drinks as if she doesn't have any problems. I have them on pine shavings which I see a lot of people using shavings. They are still on starter and they free range. I have both oyster shell and grit available at all times. He crop is loose and spongy. She doesn't have a distinct sour crop smell. She is moving her neck side to side at time , which looks like she is trying to push a blockage from her crop.

My question is , could this be shavings related? Is this a common issue with they breed? I don't have any crop issues with my Orps. The Biels seem to be gluttons.

Thank you

Do you have photos of her?
A video of her actions would be helpful - upload to youtube, then provide us a link.

How old are your girls?
What type of food/treats do you feed?
Is the one with issues laying eggs?

I'm sorry that you lost one recently - did you have necropsy performed? How did you find out it was an impacted crop that caused her death?

I have no idea if the shavings is her problem. It would be good to check the crop first thing in the morning to see if it's empty.
Won't hurt to look inside her beak to make sure there is no obstruction, canker or lesions as well.

I don't think breed has anything to do with crop issues. Often crop problems are a symptom of an underlying condition. If she is eating a lot of bedding, then you need to find out why - is she being kept from the food/water by the other chickens?
Is food/water available during waking hours?

How are her eggs - are they normal, any problems with eggs? What does her poop look like?

You may want to cage her for the day so you can observe her. Place her on puppy pads, this will eliminate the eating of bedding and gives you a chance to get a good look at her poop too.
Since the crop is loose and spongy, I would offer only water for the day, give her 1teaspoon of coconut oil as well. Massage the crop several times today and see if the crop is empty in the morning.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

 

[Eggcessive]

Does she move her neck from side to side often? That is how they adjust their crops when there is food in there they are trying to move. Maybe she is not taking enough grit? Is it the right size for her age? You can check her crop early in the morning before she has had a chance to eat and drink, so you might want to remove food the night before and get out their early. Feel the crop to see if it is empty, slightly full, full and hard, doughy, or puffy like a balloon. Smell her breath. I have treated hens with reproductive disorders that have developed crop problems. At first the breath would be normal, then turn sour, then rotten. There are some good threads and links to read about crop problems which I will list.
http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/digestive-problems/index.aspx

https://www.tillysnest.com/2012/01/crop-issues-html/

 

[gunslinger33]

Thank you both for your responses.

My Biel girls will turn ten months on 3/15. My Orps turned 10 this week.

I will need to separate her to check stool and am crop. I am also not 100% sure which eggs are hers (with 5 other Biels) but she does and has been laying. I get 5-6 eggs per day with 6 pullets who are laying.

When they are let range , which is fairly often since their run got destroyed from a tornado a few weeks ago , she acts normal. She seems to eat , drink and have the same energy as the other girls. She also still allows breeding with no fuss.

I performed the necropsy on the pullet we lost. She had a large amount of timothy hay which was packed solidly in her crop. I was surprised at how much the crop holds. This crop issue feels completely different.

I have an open container of grit for all of them at all time. She has also packed her crop with grit in the past.

I will be traveling to OH for the next two days so it will be hard for me to get videos and pics.

Thank you again for you help

 

[Eggcessive]

Do they have access to chicken feed during their waking hours? Chickens can eat non-food material if they cannot get to food, or if they have some mineral or vitmain deficiency. I am just throwing out possible suggestions for eating straw or too much grit. Do you feed a balanced chicken feed? It is snowing today in OH, so bring some warm clothes.

 

[gunslinger33]

They have free food and water at all time. I still have them on 18% starter.

I'll be in Northern Ohio (Bryan). I can't pack enough clothes for the forecasted 18 degree high.