Crop not filling up

[Love My Chickies]

This is my bantam pullet, approximately 3 months old. She's a barnyard mix. I'm getting worried because the last couple of days her crop doesn't seem to be filling up. It's not swollen, or squishy, just not "full". My 3 roosters, and 4 younger pullets who come out to visit in a dog crate, don't seem to be having this issue. She seems fine and I do see her eat some when I'm watching. No other symptoms I've noticed. I'm not sure what to do and I'm very concerned.

 

[Eggcessive]

What do her poops look like? Have you tried separating her once or twice a day to see if she will eat some food. Try some wet chicken feed, scrambled egg or a little tuna. Watch her with the others to see if they are keeping her from food and water, or if she is low in the pecking order.

 

[Love My Chickies]

What do her poops look like? Have you tried separating her once or twice a day to see if she will eat some food. Try some wet chicken feed, scrambled egg or a little tuna. Watch her with the others to see if they are keeping her from food and water, or if she is low in the pecking order.

She's not lowest in the pecking order for sure. She likes to peck the head roo and he just takes it. I've brought out food like blueberries, scrambled eggs, greens, watermelon, etc and she does get some. Not as much (in front of me) as the other guys, but I just assumed it's because she's so small.

 

[Love My Chickies]

I've also smelled her and no sour breath, pink spots, or obvious missing feathers.

 

[NatJ]

approximately 3 months old.... I'm getting worried because the last couple of days her crop doesn't seem to be filling up. It's not swollen, or squishy, just not "full"

Did she regularly fill her crop before this?
Is her crop full right at bedtime?
Is it empty in the morning?

Depending on how fast she is growing, she might not need as much food now as what she used to need. At first chicks grow really fast (so they eat a lot), and later hens lay eggs (so they eat a lot), but there is a stage in the middle when they do not need to eat as much, so they do not stuff their crops as full.

She seems fine and I do see her eat some when I'm watching. No other symptoms I've noticed.

When a chicken acts completely fine, they usually are fine. I would probably keep an eye on her, but not worry too much unless she starts acting like something is wrong.

I agree with @Eggcessive that it might be good to offer wet chicken food (just add water), and see if she eats that. Chicken usually like it, and because it's got the same balance of nutrients as the dry chicken food, it's safe to let her eat as much as she wants.

 

[Love My Chickies]

Did she regularly fill her crop before this?
Is her crop full right at bedtime?
Is it empty in the morning?

Depending on how fast she is growing, she might not need as much food now as what she used to need. At first chicks grow really fast (so they eat a lot), and later hens lay eggs (so they eat a lot), but there is a stage in the middle when they do not need to eat as much, so they do not stuff their crops as full.


When a chicken acts completely fine, they usually are fine. I would probably keep an eye on her, but not worry too much unless she starts acting like something is wrong.

I agree with @Eggcessive that it might be good to offer wet chicken food (just add water), and see if she eats that. Chicken usually like it, and because it's got the same balance of nutrients as the dry chicken food, it's safe to let her eat as much as she wants.

Thank you! Yes, until just a couple of days ago her crop was always full when they went in the coop and flat in the morning.

Thank you for your words, they make me feel a little better!

 

[Eggcessive]

If you have a kitchen gram scale to use for food, those can easily weigh a chicken to get a baseline weight, to see if she is gaining or losing.

 

[NatJ]

Yes, until just a couple of days ago her crop was always full when they went in the coop and flat in the morning.

That shows that her crop was working properly at the time, which is good.

Thank you for your words, they make me feel a little better!

It's easy to worry about changes, and harder to tell which ones are actually normal and which ones do indicate problems.