Captain Andrews
Songster
My flock is 10 barred rocks hens. Allroughly 8 months old. They stay in a large run most days and have access to gravity fed feed tubes and a 5-gal waterer when not in coop to sleep. I have never noticed a large crop before for any of them, their crops/chest area has always seemd even on both sides through the day. I may have placed too much trust in my chickens to self-regulate their eating.
Saturday morning, I offered them an entire medium sized pumpkin, cut into quartered wedges, seeds and all. They have never had pumpkin before. The family was sick so we didn't go outside much or see the hens.
Sunday, at dusk, I noticed most of the hens had a large protrusion on their right upper breast (later realized they were enlarged crops. I don't normally notice their crops protruding as if a plum sized mass was inside. I felt one of the hens before they retreated to the cop and the crop felt soft and playable, not firm or hard. Most of the pumpkin had been eaten (85%). I researched the Sickness/Injury sticky threads for varieties of crop issues and impactions and had a plan ready for the morning assuming is was something like doughy crop since there was no evident sour smell when I held/felt the crop of the one hen. I even went out with a flash light and confirmed there were orange speckles in all the fresh poop so I know they were pooping the pumpkin out.
To my surprise, the following morning (Monday) all the hens had empty crops. Being honest, I didn't expect this. I chalked it up to too much of a new food that they didn't bother with moderation and it caused a good bacteria imbalance which slowed crop breakdown and disgestion. Since their crops were empty, I gave them a bowl of plain greek yogurt to aid in restoring potentially lost good gut bacteria. Plus they love it so I got no complaints.
This evening after work I went outside and noticed the same issue of enlarged crops has happened again. Protruding as if a plum were inside, same as before. This was very surprising as I assumed it was a one time event due to the over abundance of pumpkin. Food and water intake are normal. Also lots of fresh poop from today.
Could this be from something as simple as a change in the weather? Longer nights mean more time in the coop and the hens are just storing more between food/water accesss? I am starting to also notice a corresponding drop in eggs. Summer was 8-9 daily, currently they have been at 7. I'm sure to some that's nothing but I can tell because I've observed their laying since egg 1. lol.
Opinions and educated guesses welcomed and appreciated.
I will update tomorrow morning after I hopefully find their crops have emptied again.
Thanks in advanced.
Saturday morning, I offered them an entire medium sized pumpkin, cut into quartered wedges, seeds and all. They have never had pumpkin before. The family was sick so we didn't go outside much or see the hens.
Sunday, at dusk, I noticed most of the hens had a large protrusion on their right upper breast (later realized they were enlarged crops. I don't normally notice their crops protruding as if a plum sized mass was inside. I felt one of the hens before they retreated to the cop and the crop felt soft and playable, not firm or hard. Most of the pumpkin had been eaten (85%). I researched the Sickness/Injury sticky threads for varieties of crop issues and impactions and had a plan ready for the morning assuming is was something like doughy crop since there was no evident sour smell when I held/felt the crop of the one hen. I even went out with a flash light and confirmed there were orange speckles in all the fresh poop so I know they were pooping the pumpkin out.
To my surprise, the following morning (Monday) all the hens had empty crops. Being honest, I didn't expect this. I chalked it up to too much of a new food that they didn't bother with moderation and it caused a good bacteria imbalance which slowed crop breakdown and disgestion. Since their crops were empty, I gave them a bowl of plain greek yogurt to aid in restoring potentially lost good gut bacteria. Plus they love it so I got no complaints.
This evening after work I went outside and noticed the same issue of enlarged crops has happened again. Protruding as if a plum were inside, same as before. This was very surprising as I assumed it was a one time event due to the over abundance of pumpkin. Food and water intake are normal. Also lots of fresh poop from today.
Could this be from something as simple as a change in the weather? Longer nights mean more time in the coop and the hens are just storing more between food/water accesss? I am starting to also notice a corresponding drop in eggs. Summer was 8-9 daily, currently they have been at 7. I'm sure to some that's nothing but I can tell because I've observed their laying since egg 1. lol.
Opinions and educated guesses welcomed and appreciated.
I will update tomorrow morning after I hopefully find their crops have emptied again.
Thanks in advanced.
