Crop question- impacted, sour crop or something else entirely?

[BackItUp.PlayItSlow]

Hi everyone-
I have a hen (barred rock, almost a year old) who constantly has a puffy crop. I don’t know if it is just her anatomy, but it’s much larger than my other barred rocks who are from the same hatch.

I noticed it first last fall, checked to see if it was firm (nope, felt soft and palpable), then watched to make sure she was eating and pooping (yep. Constantly).

I added probiotics to the water to make sure bacteria and yeast levels were happy, checked her in the morning and her crop had not deflated.

It’s been like that since last fall. She is active, happy, no respiratory issues, eats/drinks/forages/poops just like everyone else. Could it just be her anatomy that her crop hangs low? It’s like softball sized. I’m trying to attach a photo.

I don’t want to distress her by a vet visit because she doesn’t seem to have any trouble with it. I massage it when she jumps in my lap, but want to make sure there isn’t anything else I should try?

Thanks!

 

[nchls school]

The crop should completely empty during the night and when it doesn't sour crop starts.
Check her early in the morning before she has a chance to eat. You can get directions online. In a search box type, "crop problems in chickens".

 

[BackItUp.PlayItSlow]

The crop should completely empty during the night and when it doesn't sour crop starts.
Check her early in the morning before she has a chance to eat. You can get directions online. In a search box type, "crop problems in chickens".

Thanks. It does seem to go down overnight, but never completely empty. If I withhold feed for the morning so she doesn’t keep eating as soon as she is up it shouldn’t be a problem, right?

 

[nchls school]

It may help. I'd withhold feed until the crop feels completely empty. It won't hurt the hen and may help. Any food that is not digested will decay and cause sour crop; may even lead to the hen's death.

Sour crop was a serious problem when I raised cockatiels and conure chicks.

 

[BackItUp.PlayItSlow]

It may help. I'd withhold feed until the crop feels completely empty. It won't hurt the hen and may help. Any food that is not digested will decay and cause sour crop; may even lead to the hen's death.

Sour crop was a serious problem when I raised cockatiels and conure chicks.

Thanks. I'll withhold feed for the day. She'll still be able to forage in the run, but not free-feed on pellets. She's been like this for several months (crop does go down, but not completely deflate over night) with no ill side effects, but I know that things can lurk.

 

[micstrachan]

Let us know if her crop completely empties overnight. If it does, she’s fine!

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

There is also the possibility of a pendulous crop.

Whatever the issue her crop needs to empty. If it continues to be an issue she may need a bra.

 

[Cragg Klefor]

There is also the possibility of a pendulous crop.

Whatever the issue her crop needs to empty. If it continues to be an issue she may need a bra.

I agree with FlyingNunFarm, this sounds like pendulous crop. Crop bra's are said to be a great help with pendulous crop and are readily available on the internet or to make yourself! The likelihood of pendulous crop causing another crop issue is way too high to leave it as it is. It simply will turn sour in time.

 

[BackItUp.PlayItSlow]

Good morning! I checked her this am, and while her crop felt more empty it was still puffy. About 1/4 the size of how it looks after a day of grazing and having pellets available.

I’m sorry to ask but what is pendulous crop? I’ve not come across that while researching.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

The skin and muscles that hold and empty the crop become stretched. This makes it harder if not impossible for the crop to empty leading to other issues.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/eleanors-story-living-with-a-pendulous-crop.66318/