Crop Issues

[carrierose]

My 2 year old Australorp hen has developed an issue with her crop. It is extremely large, has sagged and flops side to side when she moves and she has lost the feathers from her chest. It does not fill up during the day and turn firm so she can digest her food at night. It just stays floppy. She runs all over her 1 acre pasture, eats & drinks and behaves like nothing is wrong. In fact, when I went out to take this picture this morning she came running up to me with her crop just a floppin'. Wondering what could have happened. Could her crop have ruptured? I would hate to loose her. She was my best mom this spring, hatching out 10 of her own chicks then adopting 8 of another hen's chicks when this hen abandoned her chicks.

 

[Eggcessive]

She has what is called a pendulous crop. Her crop has lost it’s elasticity due to her overeating. Crop bras may be helpful if you can get one in the right spot to prevent her from overindulging. The crop should gradually fill up during the day, and empty overnight. Here is some reading about how different people treat this:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/pendulous-crop-in-backyard-chickens/

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

https://bitchinchickens.com/2019/08/26/crop-issues-sour-impacted-pendulous/

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you feed a layer crumble or pellet feed? It might be good to confine her in a dog crate for a day or two with water and give her 2 ml per day of Poultry NutriDrench, to allow her crop to empty somewhat. Make sure she has granite poultry grit available, and probiotics can always help. @azygous has a good article about crop disorders.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[carrierose]

Donyou feed a layer crumble or pellet feed? It might be good to confine her in a dog crate for a day or two with water and give her 2 ml per day of Poultry NutriDrench, to allow her crop to empty somewhat. Make sure she has granite poultry grit available, and probiotics can always help. @azygous has a good article about crop disorders.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

My 70 chickens are out on our one acre pasture daily plus I feed layer pellets. The feed is Country Companion Hi-Pro Egg Layer that is 21% protein formulated especially for free range chickens.

 

[Eggcessive]

One link I read said that pendulous crops may happen more commonly with pelleted feed, but I have no idea if that is really true. I have feed both pellets and crumble without problems. Some chickens just seem to be big eaters.

 

[carrierose]

One link I read said that pendulous crops may happen more commonly with pelleted feed, but I have no idea if that is really true. I have feed both pellets and crumble without problems. Some chickens just seem to be big eaters.

I started raising chickens in 2013 & have always used pelleted feed. Never had any problems with pendulous crop until now. This did happen after I switched to a higher protein egg layer pelleted feed a couple months ago that has a bigger pellet than the 17% protein feed I was feeding. My hens (ducks & chickens) were not laying and have been in a molt pretty much all season because of our goofy weather which is why I switched feeds. Since my birds were loosing feathers they needed more protein & cat food was not doing the trick. Ducks started laying again, so did the chickens since switching feed. Since my girls are now going into their "normal" fall molt I will continue to feed the higher protein feed a few months longer. My Australorp will be fed chick starter for the time being.

There may be something to the pelleted feed causing pendulous crop since this happened after I switched to a feed that has a larger pellet. Thankfully, none of my other girls are showing any signs of pendulous crop. Evidently, my Australorp must be a little more susceptible.

Thank you, Eggcessive, for your help. It is very much appreciated.