Huge Crop!

[newchickmom]

I have a hen that always seems to have a very large crop. It hangs down quite a bit. The thing is, it always seems so be smaller by morning, but not like the other hens.
I've tried different things and nothing seems to make a difference. It's been like this for at least 3 months.
Could she just be abnormal that way?

 

[d.k]

* Have you try feeling the crop to try to find out what is in there?? You can also isolate her overnight, feed her a half-ration of dinner and check for an empty, flat crop the next morning. Then you can determine whether she needs no treatment, a try with olive oil and massage, or possibly, crop clean-out surgery.

 

[newchickmom]

I have done the massage and olive oil a few times. Her crop is soft and squishy so I don't think it's impacted.? It does go down, but never completly.

Is she just a little piggy? She seems to eat a lot more than the other hens, always the first one there for special treats. She is still laying also.

 

[d.k]

* Chook sometimes eats so much that her crop is HARD and a little smaller than a tennis ball-- That's one of the reasons I usually control her portions, rather than free- feeding her. Makes me think she's gonna bust her crop wide open!!! Depending on your hen's age, I'm thinking maybe she's just stretched it all out of shape. We'll see what the board thinks, 'kay??

 

[kinnip]

I'm experiencing a similar problem with one of my two week old chicks, see the "favourite new chickie has a tumor?" thread. I really thought she was going to die. Every night I pick her up and feel of the area and it's huge and firm. You can actually see it sticking out. Until I started posting, I hadn't handled her in the morning to feel it deflated. Now I'm pretty confident it'll go down every night. I can still see and feel a difference in the flesh of the area. It feels like an empty sack. I'm hoping she'll grow into it.

If you find any new info on the condition, please post it.

 

[d.k]

*

I think just about every first-time chicken owner freaks when they get a look and feel of a stuffed crop, kinnip. At least judging from how often the 'emergency' is posted!!!! It is a sight!! BTW-- Welcome to BYC!

 

[kinnip]

You ain't whistlin' dixie. At least I was expecting the dust bathing.