I think my chicken has sour crop

[NatureGirl74]

When I went out to feed my chickens this morning I noticed that one had a really dirty butt. I caught her and looked her over. Her crop is full and squishy. Sometimes her crop doesn't fully empty overnight and she still has a little food in it in the morning, but it's never been full. If we can get her crop to empty I might try to make a crop bra for her and see if that helps. She also hasn't been laying very many eggs lately. She is a 2 year old RSL. What should I do for her? Thank you in advance.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Re-check her crop first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks, if it's not empty, then begin treating according to the article linked below.

If she's not been laying well lately, then she may be having some reproductive issues like cancer, EYP, etc. which can be common in laying hens. Often the crop problem is a symptom. Have you dewormed her?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[NatureGirl74]

Re-check her crop first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks, if it's not empty, then begin treating according to the article linked below.

If she's not been laying well lately, then she may be having some reproductive issues like cancer, EYP, etc. which can be common in laying hens. Often the crop problem is a symptom. Have you dewormed her?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

She has not been dewormed. I have safeguard for goats. Her poop looks fine. She's still acting the same too. I was outside first thing in the morning. There's no way she ate enough to fill her crop before I got out there. That's a helpful article.

 

[NatureGirl74]

Re-check her crop first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks, if it's not empty, then begin treating according to the article linked below.

If she's not been laying well lately, then she may be having some reproductive issues like cancer, EYP, etc. which can be common in laying hens. Often the crop problem is a symptom. Have you dewormed her?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Her crop has emptied quite a bit since this morning. I let her out with the others and she went straight for the food.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'd check it first thing in the morning before she's had anything to eat/drink.

 

[NatureGirl74]

I'd check it first thing in the morning before she's had anything to eat/drink.

Her crop emptied completely yesterday. I checked her again at 6:30 this morning and her crop was half full. I agree with you, I think she's starting to go downhill, and probably has a reproductive problem.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Her crop emptied completely yesterday. I checked her again at 6:30 this morning and her crop was half full. I agree with you, I think she's starting to go downhill, and probably has a reproductive problem.

Did she have access to food/water this morning before you checked her?

Emptying during the day really doesn't say much, a crop goes up and down as they drink/eat, this is why you feel of it when they go to roost at dark, then again first thing before they eat or drink anything. Sometimes a pain, but I've done it many times getting up very early so I can go check on birds.

 

[NatureGirl74]

Did she have access to food/water this morning before you checked her?

Emptying during the day really doesn't say much, a crop goes up and down as they drink/eat, this is why you feel of it when they go to roost at dark, then again first thing before they eat or drink anything. Sometimes a pain, but I've done it many times getting up very early so I can go check on birds.

She did have access to food and water this morning. I'll make sure she can't get food and water tonight and check again in the morning. But, there's been several times when she hasn't had food or water available and still has a full crop in the morning.

 

[NatureGirl74]

Sorry, I keep forgetting to update. In the morning her crop only had a little bit of food in it.

 

[Shadrach]

One needs to be a bit carefull when crop checking and making assumptions from it.
Crops do not always empty overnight. There can be a very large variation depending on the time of year. Mid winter with say 14 hours or more of roost time it is likely that the crop is empty when the chicken stops roosting. In the summer they may only have 6 hours between their last feed and sunup when they stop roosting and their crops may still have food in them.