Empty Crop

[Ellie]

or so it seems. My blue orp, Hyacinth doesn't seem to have anything or at least I can't feel anything in her crop at night.

She is not losing weight but does eat differently. The girls scarf down their yogurt and she only takes a few bites. She free ranges, but is very low on the pecking order.

Do any of your chickens end up in the evening without anything seemingly in their crops?

Thanks,
Ellie

 

[keljonma]

In a chicken, food passes from mouth down the gullet to the crop. The food is partially softened in the crop and passes in small quantities to the gizzard where food is ground before moving to the proventriculus, gizzard, small and large intestines.

Hard feeds such as grains may remain may remain in the crop 12 hours or more; but within 24 hours, practically all food is passed out of the crop.

It depends on what they are eating...... commercial feed only versus forage, feed and grains.

If your hen is on the low end of the pecking order, she may wait until the others are settled for the night before eating. As long as she seems to be healthy and not losing weight, I would not worry about her.

 

[Momma_Cluck]

Our Turken and Showgirl were the same way--
seems the others keep them from getting their share-- we figured this out by separating them from the others (they were also getting badly bruised from the bullying) ...

they both were scarfing down feed by the next day!

Good Luck!

 

[Ellie]

Thanks for the anatomy lesson. I didn't realize how chicken's innards worked. I appreciate it.

Momma, thanks for sharing your experience. I will watch her more when I am home on the weekend.

I feed her yogurt out of the spoon so that I will be sure she gets some. What's funny, is that she is a HUGE chicken.... you'd think she could be more assertive, but she isn't.

Ellie

 

[keljonma]

Quote:
I know what you mean. Our Jersey Black Giant hen is the largest of our flock right now. She has the mildest temperment and is near the low end of the pecking order.

 

[Momma_Cluck]

Yup-- gentle giants!
Our Barred-Rock Roo is HUGE, but is the most timid of ALL our birds-- even our tiny bandam OE hen bullies him!