Gravel Not Emptying From Crop - Normal?

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

This morning when doing random crop checks, I noticed my Barred Rock's crop seemed quite full for first thing in the a.m. Upon massaging it to get a better feel, it broke apart into a bunch of pebbly or gravelly feeling bits. I wouldn't say it's full--at least not in the classic impaction way--because it's not big or hard. It's just not what I'd call emptied, either. It feels like there's a very small handful of pebbles in there or something. Is it normal for grit to stay in the crop overnight? And if not, any thing I can do to help her pass it? She's acting fine, and last I checked her poops are big and solid, so I assume stuff is getting through (I'll keep an eye out on that today) .

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do you feed scratch in the evening?
I would re-check her crop again in the morning before she's had anything to eat/drink, see if it still feels like it has something in there.
For me, I want to feel an empty crop with nothing there.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Do you feed scratch in the evening?
I would re-check her crop again in the morning before she's had anything to eat/drink, see if it still feels like it has something in there.
For me, I want to feel an empty crop with nothing there.

They get just a little bit of scratch in the late afternoon--it's the only thing that effectively lures them back in from supervised free-ranging. I'll check her crop first thing tomorrow, before she's able to access feed/water and post an update.

Thank you!

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

@Wyorp Rock just to follow up, I checked her crop first thing yesterday and it was significantly flatter (though I could still feel some small pebbles or gravel in there). This morning it was the same--very flat, with remnants of grit or something.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@Wyorp Rock just to follow up, I checked her crop first thing yesterday and it was significantly flatter (though I could still feel some small pebbles or gravel in there). This morning it was the same--very flat, with remnants of grit or something.

I would monitor it for several days. If you are giving scratch late in the day, then you may be feeling a few pieces of that left over from the previous day.