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Crops..should I be worried if my hen's is large and squishy?

Discussion in 'Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures' started by Ivy061, Dec 10, 2010.

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  1. Dec 10, 2010 #1
    Ivy061

    Ivy061 Out Of The Brooder

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    Aug 11, 2010
    Sulphur, LA
    I was picking up my hen this morning and noticed her crop was pretty squishy. So,I decided to google it and
    see what came up. I was horrified with all of the stories of sour crop and
    impacted crop. Could my hen have one of these? Her crop has always bulged out, even when
    she hasn't been fed. (Overnight, of course [​IMG] ) I was wondering if this is normal. Her breath doesn't smell
    but her crop is at least the size of a golf ball and on further inspection another one of my hens has
    it as well. She isn't lethargic and both chickens are acting the same as usual. Their droppings are very
    watery however, with no matter in them almost completely liquid in fact. Should I be worried?
     
  3. Dec 10, 2010 #2
    Clay Valley Farmer

    Clay Valley Farmer Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Sep 7, 2010
    No, don't worry, golf ball sized crops are very normal, some are bigger than that and they may feel squishy depending on what food and liquid they have in them.

    Just as long as they are acting healthy, have a healthy weight and the crops are for the most part emptying out overnight.

    If you think she is not emptying her crop, try isolating her so you can monitor, hold off food, make sure she has bedding that can't be eaten and see if it is going down. If not then investigate closer to see what might be going on. I have had chickens with worms and it really showed up as a crop problem first.
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2010
  5. Dec 10, 2010 #3
    gallusdomesticus

    gallusdomesticus Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Nov 14, 2008
    Lynn Haven, FL
    If she doesn't have an empty crop in the morning and is not passing solids in her droppings indicates she has an obstruction in her digestive system and she isn't processing her food. Generally, an impacted crop feels relatively solid but not necessarily. I would massage the lump in her crop to see if you can determine if there are any hard objects in it. I am currently treating a hen who had an impacted crop and after crop surgery, I put her back on a normal diet too soon so now she has a lump of material in her crop. I give her olive oil in a eyedropper twice a day and massage her crop and it's slowly decreasing in size.
     

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