Crop not empyting in the morning

[wendychicklawyr]

My 4 month old light brahma has a full crop in the am .. What can I do for a slow moving crop?

 

[Eggcessive]

If the crop is hard in the morning, I would think it was impacted perhaps with grass or something else. If it is full but squishy, it may be a fungal infection causing sour crop. There are different treatments. For sour crop nystatin available by prescription vy the vet is a good treatment. Here is a link to a good page: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/answers-from-chicken-vet-on-impacted.html

 

[wendychicklawyr]

It's just very full in the am ..we gave her olive oil bread yesterday and it went down abs she was herself again. This am she was first to come out too but wasn't looking to eat so more bread oo. I got her from a breeder who only threw food on the ground for them and I free feed, maybe she is just gorging? They were never allowed to free range either and she's eating all kinds of stuff incl worms lol

 

[Eggcessive]

Plain yogurt twice a week and apple cider vinegar (Bragg's) in the water really help crop problems. If you read that link, it talks about pendulous crop resulting from previous bout of sour or impacted crop. It's kind of like it loses the elasticity from being stretched.

 

[wendychicklawyr]

Yes i did read that, thank you sooo much, i will try that! I love this site chicken lovers are so helpful to each other

 

[wendychicklawyr]

 

[wendychicklawyr]

I wanted to share this ..this is how I get my hen with crop issues to eat a bunch of yogurt and oil ..by the end she was drinking the yogurt and oil

 

[purpletree23]

Do your chickens have free access to crushed oyster shell and granite grit? They need both but especially the grit to help the gizzard grind up the food they eat. If your (coop/;run area is large enough) separate her from the others but make sure the others can see her so there will not be a problem reintroducing her to the flock. That's another problem but let's get the first fixed. Feed the chicken with the crop issue only soft foods. Applesauce, scrambled egg that's been mushed and if you have the patience, skin some grapes and cut into quarters and give all of this to her free choice. Finely chopped up pasta was a favorite of one of my hens when she was crop bound. You can mix some of her crumbles with the apple sauce with a little water added. Add plain yogurt no fruit or sugar along the way. MAKE SURE she has grit free choice and plenty of fresh water. I'm not a big fan of vineger.

Hopefully this will give her crop a chance to empty. Don't try to force the mass up or down.

Give her a few days and see how she is doing. Has her diet changed? Added anything more fibrous? She doesn't have access to a mowed lawn or long pieces of grass that can cause a blockage does she?

 

[wendychicklawyr]

Thank you so much ...yes her diet changed, she came from a breeder who only threw food on the ground for them no free feeding. I guess her little crop isn't used to it and she never stepped foot outside the one until last Thursday. I watched her swallow a worm whole and the look on her face was priceless. I will follow your advice ..I love this little bird

 

[wendychicklawyr]

Also no cut grass she has to pluck what she eats but yes they do occasionally pluck greens.