Funny chest

[Debora Howe]

One of my hens always has feathers sort of messed up on the front of her on her chest, I saw a graph that shows areas of concern and it was saying some thing about a hard crop, does anyone have pictures of this. What should i do for this if in fact that is what is going on with her and how do I know for sure.

 

[Chloe+chickens=LOVE]

How old is she?
Could you send me some pictures?

 

[rebrascora]

A photo of your girl might help us see what you are seeing and have more idea of the problem. Basically, there is a pouch on the right hand side of the neck/chest area where the bird stores food. It is called the crop. They fill it up through the day and then when they are roosting at night the food in it slowly works it's way through their digestive system whilst they sleep. It should be empty and flat in the morning before they come down off the roost and start eating again. Some hens eat more than others and can have a very pronounced crop by bedtime. Sometimes the outlet into the digestive tract gets a bit clogged up and the food is not able to pass on down the chute as easily as it should. Some birds react to this my eating more because they are hungry as the food is not going through their system and the crop gets stretched and becomes large and pendulous and hangs lower and will sometimes swing when they walk or run.
At any particular point in the day, the crop can feel hard or soft and squishy, it depends on how recently they are and drank, but in the morning before they have access to food, it should be empty, so that is the first thing to check..... Feel it when she is on the roost at night, remove the feeder and then check her again in the morning. If it is not empty, she most likely has an impaction which will need regular massaging to break it up and you will need to isolate her in a cage and give her just liquid feeds and a bit of oil (coconut works well) until you can get it broken down and fully emptying.
If she has a pendulous crop, you can buy or make a crop bra to support it. This is not just a cosmetic issue. The portion of the crop that hangs low, dams up with old stale food because it is below the outlet into the digestive tract and the bird's crop will be prone to further stretching and more food sediment which can then start to break down and harbour infection and lead to sour crop.

Hopefully that explains it a bit, but the place to start is a crop function check by removing food overnight and checking her crop first thing in the morning to see if it is empty.

 

[Debora Howe]

A photo of your girl might help us see what you are seeing and have more idea of the problem. Basically, there is a pouch on the right hand side of the neck/chest area where the bird stores food. It is called the crop. They fill it up through the day and then when they are roosting at night the food in it slowly works it's way through their digestive system whilst they sleep. It should be empty and flat in the morning before they come down off the roost and start eating again. Some hens eat more than others and can have a very pronounced crop by bedtime. Sometimes the outlet into the digestive tract gets a bit clogged up and the food is not able to pass on down the chute as easily as it should. Some birds react to this my eating more because they are hungry as the food is not going through their system and the crop gets stretched and becomes large and pendulous and hangs lower and will sometimes swing when they walk or run.
At any particular point in the day, the crop can feel hard or soft and squishy, it depends on how recently they are and drank, but in the morning before they have access to food, it should be empty, so that is the first thing to check..... Feel it when she is on the roost at night, remove the feeder and then check her again in the morning. If it is not empty, she most likely has an impaction which will need regular massaging to break it up and you will need to isolate her in a cage and give her just liquid feeds and a bit of oil (coconut works well) until you can get it broken down and fully emptying.
If she has a pendulous crop, you can buy or make a crop bra to support it. This is not just a cosmetic issue. The portion of the crop that hangs low, dams up with old stale food because it is below the outlet into the digestive tract and the bird's crop will be prone to further stretching and more food sediment which can then start to break down and harbour infection and lead to sour crop.

Hopefully that explains it a bit, but the place to start is a crop function check by removing food overnight and checking her crop first thing in the morning to see if it is empty.

WOW i thought I was fully educated on everything about chickens but i did not know this, yes thank you that explains a lot because when i feel it is at night just before she goes to roost so i will check in the morning thanks so much for all this.

 

[rebrascora]

i thought I was fully educated on everything about chickens but i did not know this, yes thank you that explains a lot because when i feel it is at night just before she goes to roost so i will check in the morning thanks so much for all this

I would be surprised if any of us are ever fully educated on everything about chickens or any ither subject for that matter, even veterinary experts. There are always new things to learn.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

One of my hens always has feathers sort of messed up on the front of her on her chest, I saw a graph that shows areas of concern and it was saying some thing about a hard crop, does anyone have pictures of this. What should i do for this if in fact that is what is going on with her and how do I know for sure.

Was the photos/graph you saw in this Article

 

[Debora Howe]

I would be surprised if any of us are ever fully educated on everything about chickens or any ither subject for that matter, even veterinary experts. There are always new things to learn.

So I am finding out. Thanks