How to identify a crop issue?

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

There may be nothing that you should do! She may not need any help at all!

Check her crop first thing in the morning before she's had anything to eat or drink. If it's empty/flat, then the crop is functioning properly.

It's not uncommon for a crop to look full during the day after the bird has been eating/drinking. They should be going to roost with a full crop.

Ok, got outside at 6:20, still dark. Her crop looks SOoo much better. I will have a crop bra sewed just in case and add to my chicken first aid

 

[Ascholten]

Take care of the girls but you don't need to be a helicopter mom, THOSE get annoying !

Pendulous crop can happen fairly often and it is not always a 'dire situation', many chickens go through life with it and rarely if ever have a problem because of it. It just means you need to look at her a little more carefully each morning to make sure she's emptying out properly and nothing is setting up to cause a problem. Fortunately for this problem, it's one of those that most the times if / when there are problems cropping up, (see what i did there), you have enough time to catch it before it gets too bad.

Aaron

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Take care of the girls but you don't need to be a helicopter mom, THOSE get annoying !

Pendulous crop can happen fairly often and it is not always a 'dire situation', many chickens go through life with it and rarely if ever have a problem because of it. It just means you need to look at her a little more carefully each morning to make sure she's emptying out properly and nothing is setting up to cause a problem. Fortunately for this problem, it's one of those that most the times if / when there are problems cropping up, (see what i did there), you have enough time to catch it before it gets too bad.

Aaron

Thanks Aaron, I appreciate the reality check! Its my first flock, so, im kinda a nervous nelly. Everything they experience is new to me too! Like right now for example, my ‘crop’ issue gal is in the box laying while all others are free ranging, and i wonder if she’s been in there too long!? How long does it take for a chicken to lay an egg?? Thank you

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Ok, got outside at 6:20, still dark. Her crop looks SOoo much better. I will have a crop bra sewed just in case and add to my chicken first aid

Looks better, but what did it feel like? You need to feel the crop to make sure it's emptying.

 

[Ascholten]

How long to lay an egg? Depends on the bird.
I have had some get in there and 10 minutes later they are singing the egg song. I have had others get in there and 2 hours later they are still grunting in the box. Sometimes I think they like to get a little extra rest and use the 'im laying' as an excuse ! Id not worry about the time to lay. The only issues you may encounter is broody, they want to sit in there all the time hatching, or egg bound, which generally happens only to newer layers and you'll KNOW because they walk like penguins if they are bound up. Again, watch for it but don't lose sleep over it.

Aaron

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

The crouch with the wings out is just her squating. otherwise I dont know about the crop.

Why do they squat? I have one gal that does it almost a lot i guess. Sometimes if i go near her she’ll freeze-wings out, and squat. Strange.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

How long to lay an egg? Depends on the bird.
I have had some get in there and 10 minutes later they are singing the egg song. I have had others get in there and 2 hours later they are still grunting in the box. Sometimes I think they like to get a little extra rest and use the 'im laying' as an excuse ! Id not worry about the time to lay. The only issues you may encounter is broody, they want to sit in there all the time hatching, or egg bound, which generally happens only to newer layers and you'll KNOW because they walk like penguins if they are bound up. Again, watch for it but don't lose sleep over it.

Aaron

Thanks Aaron. I get nervous about them a lot i guess because i’m new to raising chickens and everything they do is so new to me. When i witnessed my first dust bath i thought it was a seizure . Jeesh, lol.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Take care of the girls but you don't need to be a helicopter mom, THOSE get annoying !

Pendulous crop can happen fairly often and it is not always a 'dire situation', many chickens go through life with it and rarely if ever have a problem because of it. It just means you need to look at her a little more carefully each morning to make sure she's emptying out properly and nothing is setting up to cause a problem. Fortunately for this problem, it's one of those that most the times if / when there are problems cropping up, (see what i did there), you have enough time to catch it before it gets too bad.

Aaron

Ya, i see what you did there, lol. I cant seem to get outside B4 they do! Im watching them dust bathe now. How precious. Seems like one of them is making a noise that sounds Like a purr. Thats new, lol. Whats it mean when a chicken purrs? She seems content enough.

 

[Ascholten]

It means they are happy.

The squat is a submission thing. They'd do it for a rooster to mount them, but when he's not there, they'll jump in front of you and squat. It means they want you to bend down and ruffle them up.

I usually reach down and pet their back a few seconds and pull the tail gently or if I really want to make her happy

I take both hands and will grab her softly on the sides, slide my fingers up under her wings and give her a little tickle scritch working my way back, when I get to her tail, ill grab the base of her tail between the balls of my hands and kind of knead them gently like im rolling dough as Im pulling up / working my hands up her tail and kind of waggling back and forth with my hands too, when I get to the end of her tail ill grab it and give her a little tug and then let go. They will immediately puff all up and do a big happy fluff ball shake like they just got done with a dust bath. They love it.

Aaron