Help. Breast blister or bulging crop?

[samsrib]

I am hoping someone has some wisdom to pass along to me. I have cornish cross in a tractor that gets moved once or twice a day to fresh grass. They are only a week or two from being processed. Today i noticed that most of them have huge bulging crops. I looked closer and noticed what looks like wind puffs under the skin around the area of the crop. I thought the crops were much bigger and redder than usual. So I looked up what to do and decided to pierce with a sterile scalpal blade. On the first one a clear liquid mixed with a bit of blood drizzled slowly out. The second one had clear liquid with what looked like food. So i thought it must be the crop and tried to poke where the air pockets were noticable. Right at the base of the wing around to under the neck. but no are escaped, no fluid came out. So lost as to what to do. I dont want to loose them so close to butchering time. Any wisdom for me?

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

Stop poking them!

They're probably just full.

 

[realsis]

oh my goodness! please stop! put some dressing or spray on the wounds you created. you cut into there crops! that's why the food came out. its where they store food. I think they should be fine since your processing them anyway. but in the future I would not be so quick to do surgery it could be very dangerous. I wish you the very best of luck.

 

[dawg53]

I am hoping someone has some wisdom to pass along to me. I have cornish cross in a tractor that gets moved once or twice a day to fresh grass. They are only a week or two from being processed. Today i noticed that most of them have huge bulging crops. I looked closer and noticed what looks like wind puffs under the skin around the area of the crop. I thought the crops were much bigger and redder than usual. So I looked up what to do and decided to pierce with a sterile scalpal blade. On the first one a clear liquid mixed with a bit of blood drizzled slowly out. The second one had clear liquid with what looked like food. So i thought it must be the crop and tried to poke where the air pockets were noticable. Right at the base of the wing around to under the neck. but no are escaped, no fluid came out. So lost as to what to do. I dont want to loose them so close to butchering time. Any wisdom for me?

If I were you, I'd go ahead and process them.

 

[samsrib]

thanks for your help. this is definetly a learn by experience kind of thing. There arent any wounds from where I poked them. it was a small little pin type hole. After leaving them alone for the afternoon i realized that it was only the crop full of water. I have had meat chix before but never have seen a craw bulging like this. I do appreciate your responses. Paige