How to identify a crop issue?

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Hello, how would one identify a chicken with a crop that seems maybe too full? If i notice that, what things should i be looking for? Shes over 20 weeks and has just started laying. Her behavior seems normal, other than doing the crouch low with wings out a bit if i put my hand over her. Just curious…..i know i have read a little bit about tips and tricks. Thank you again in advance!

 

[Emily_loveschickens]

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

 

[Lizzy733]

The crop should be empty in the morning and full in the evening. It can be various sizes during the day and can be so full that it displaces feathers, looking like a giant bulge and when felt, it can be absolutely full of food, feeling hard.

She may be a bit hungrier coming into lay, so likely nothing to worry about. If you are concerned, do check in the morning before she's had the chance to eat - if it is thick, swollen, mushy or rock hard before eating in the morning, that would indicate a problem.

Sour crop is a yeast infection of the crop and just like a sourdough starter, it will bubble and you'll be able to hear air squishing in the crop when checking. There will also be a doughy sour smell to her breath and you may see signs if the infection at the back of her mouth (will appear white). - the crop may still be emptying, but will likely have slowed down.

With impaction, you'll feel a hard lump or very full crop. This would be a physical blockage, Keeping the crop from emptying.

Also, there's pendulous crop, where the crop sits a bit low and causes the crop to empty slowly.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

The crop should be empty in the morning and full in the evening. It can be various sizes during the day and can be so full that it displaces feathers, looking like a giant bulge and when felt, it can be absolutely full of food, feeling hard.

She may be a bit hungrier coming into lay, so likely nothing to worry about. If you are concerned, do check in the morning before she's had the chance to eat - if it is thick, swollen, mushy or rock hard before eating in the morning, that would indicate a problem.

Sour crop is a yeast infection of the crop and just like a sourdough starter, it will bubble and you'll be able to hear air squishing in the crop when checking. There will also be a doughy sour smell to her breath and you may see signs if the infection at the back of her mouth (will appear white). - the crop may still be emptying, but will likely have slowed down.

With impaction, you'll feel a hard lump or very full crop. This would be a physical blockage, Keeping the crop from emptying.

Also, there's pendulous crop, where the crop sits a bit low and causes the crop to empty slowly.

Why thank you lizzy. I appreciate your sharing of this knowledge. Would crop issues effect her behavior? thank you

 

[Lizzy733]

Why thank you lizzy. I appreciate your sharing of this knowledge. Would crop issues effect her behavior? thank you

Typically, yes. Sour crop and impaction tend to put them off their food and they'll likely be mopey. I've never had a case of pendulous crop, but as it's more a physical defect than a disease, I would assume behavior would not be impacted... slow draining crops do make them more susceptible to sour crop, though, so a bird with pendulous crop may be prone to developing it if the crop is not supported to facilitate better food passage.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

What do you mean by Crop supported? Also, any supplements I can offer her? Thank you!

 

[Ascholten]

What do you mean by Crop supported? Also, any supplements I can offer her? Thank you!

Think of the crop as a bag to hold the food in, with a hole in the bottom to let the food out into the stomach as it is called for. If the crop is tight up high against her, gravity will tend to help it drain the food out as it's called for.

Pendulous crop, as the name implies, hangs very low, can swing like a pendulum when they walk etc, Since it's hanging lower down, the food does not have as much of a gravity assist to pass thru to the stomach and can stall in there, and sit around far longer than it normally would / should be. it can start to ferment and the crop goes sour.

If the crop is hanging down, it's not being supported properly.

Aaron

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Think of the crop as a bag to hold the food in, with a hole in the bottom to let the food out into the stomach as it is called for. If the crop is tight up high against her, gravity will tend to help it drain the food out as it's called for.

Pendulous crop, as the name implies, hangs very low, can swing like a pendulum when they walk etc, Since it's hanging lower down, the food does not have as much of a gravity assist to pass thru to the stomach and can stall in there, and sit around far longer than it normally would / should be. it can start to ferment and the crop goes sour.

If the crop is hanging down, it's not being supported properly.

Aaron

Thanks Aaron, thanks a lot. I was curious is there anything I can do to help her?? Should i be concerned? I only compare her to the other 5 chickens and hers hangs much lower.

 

[Ascholten]

I am not an expert in treatment of this but one thing that might come to mind is, chickens are greedy little pigs and will gorge if the chance arises. I find they also partake in gorging when there are others around eating with them, like they are afraid the others will eat all the food and they will starve. Perhaps ration their food, feed a bit in the morning, a bit later on, that way it's not one huge pile in of food all at once and has time to process a bit of it down before they cram more in?

Aaron

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello, how would one identify a chicken with a crop that seems maybe too full? If i notice that, what things should i be looking for? Shes over 20 weeks and has just started laying. Her behavior seems normal, other than doing the crouch low with wings out a bit if i put my hand over her. Just curious…..i know i have read a little bit about tips and tricks. Thank you again in advance!

I was curious is there anything I can do to help her??

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.