Crop stuffed with grit

[Emrosenagel]

Hello!

My hen (Cochin bantam, 11 months) has had crop issues since at least the end of march. I’m not exactly sure what’s wrong with her; sometimes her crop is almost empty, sometimes it’s full. Sometimes it's all liquid, sometimes it’s doughy. But it’s never empty. It’s very odd since, out of all my chickens, her poops are the most normal. Brown, solid, perfectly white caps. She also poops regularly, as if nothing is wrong.
But I know something is wrong, because her crop is never empty, and lately it’s been very stuffed with what feels like rocks.

It’s been like this for the past three days now, and the rocks don’t seem to be moving along. They sit on the bottom of her crop, sagging it. She’s been wearing a crop bra for a couple weeks now, but it doesn’t seem to be helping with the rocks.

People have said to try yogurt, but let me tell you my girl eats nothing everyone says she will. She hates yogurt, hates molasses. The only things I’m confident she will eat are meal worms, bread, fruit and dirt lol

Is there anything that might help move the rocks through? Im just at my wits end with her! I love her, but boy is she a problem.

Thanks!

 

[junipercloud113420]

you could try giving her olive oil in a syringe that's what you do for impacted crop so it might help with that. or you can see if she'll drink it from a bowl

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I’m not exactly sure what’s wrong with her; sometimes her crop is almost empty, sometimes it’s full. Sometimes it's all liquid, sometimes it’s doughy. But it’s never empty.

her poops are the most normal. Brown, solid, perfectly white caps. She also poops regularly, as if nothing is wrong.
But I know something is wrong, because her crop is never empty, and lately it’s been very stuffed with what feels like rocks.

Photos of her and her poop? One with the crop bra, one without.

When are you checking her crop? At all hours or first thing in the morning before she's had anything to eat or drink?

During the day, when a hen has been eating/drinking, the crop can have a lot of different characteristics if you feel of it - sometimes watery, firm, doughy, full...a lot depends on when she's been eating/drinking, what she's been eating and how much.

Is the crop lifting the crop to help the contents empty? See the image below. Do you see how the crop is shaped? While the crop is like a sac that holds feed, it is muscular as well, the muscles flex and push the contents up and into the Proventriculus. If the bra is not positioned correctly, it will not push the crop up so it can empty.

IF the crop is not emptying overnight, then treat according to the article linked below.
I would not give Liquid Oil to help get things moving, you risk aspiration with liquid oils, if you feel oil is necessary, then give small chunks of coconut oil.

Treating and addressing crop problems. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Crop Bra, fit and adjustments. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/making-a-crop-bra-for-a-hen-with-pendulous-crop.1464848/