Impacted Crop?

[sierra123]

Hey All!

One of my laying hens has had this red squishy mass for a few months. Initially I thought impacted crop, but after doing research when I first noticed it, I decided it looked normal and havent given it much thought. It didn't look overly large compared to the other hens. It doesn't feel firm, it's squishy, she doesn't have bad breath, no change in behavior (aside from not laying, which I suspected but didn't confirm until I isolated her last night & today). In good spirits and great appetite. No abnormal poop in the coop. She's also been molting for a while so I figured this would be why she stopped laying. Overall I thought maybe that's just how a crop looks but because hers had less feathers it looked weird, but I wasn't concerned.

She developed a limp yesterday so I isolated her to let it rest. After looking her all over I felt her crop still looked suspect yesterday, so I fasted her all day today. I did do some olive oil/yogurt/garlic and crop massage. I'm not sure what this lump is or if it's normal.

Attached are photos of the lump this evening, which is after her 12+ hour fast aside from that one small meal of yogurt. Is this her crop? Does it look bad? Please help!

 

[Tookie]

That should be her crop. Check it early in the morning before she eats or drinks anything and see if the crop is emptied. Here's an article.->
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[sierra123]

That should be her crop. Check it early in the morning before she eats or drinks anything and see if the crop is emptied. Here's an article.->
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Thank you! It kind of looks the same in the mornings. Should it get smaller than this? I'll check tomorrow morning and look closer now that it's on my radar.

 

[Tookie]

Thank you! It kind of looks the same in the mornings. Should it get smaller than this? I'll check tomorrow morning and look closer now that it's on my radar.

In the morning it should look like its gone. Completely empty.

 

[sierra123]

It looked exactly the same this morning. The lump itself is squishy, feels like it's filled with liquid/air. I don't smell any odor that would indicate it's sour crop. Behind it the lump, it feels like it's empty. I just feel a bone (?) or something hard. Should I follow the sour crop or impacted crop protocol?

 

[Eggcessive]

Feel some other chickens crops in the morning and again once they are on the roost in the evening to familiarize yourself. Crops are normally empty and flat in morning, and full of feed in the evening. Some crops may become impacted or even pendulous over time if they gorge themselves, and the crop loses it’s elasticity. Occasionally, one may find a cyst or tumor near the crop. A leaking air sac is another possibility. Here is a good picture of the crop.

 

[sierra123]

Feel some other chickens crops in the morning and again once they are on the roost in the evening to familiarize yourself. Crops are normally empty and flat in morning, and full of feed in the evening. Some crops may become impacted or even pendulous over time if they gorge themselves, and the crop loses it’s elasticity. Occasionally, one may find a cyst or tumor near the crop. A leaking air sac is another possibility. Here is a good picture of the crop.

View attachment 3292940

I did feel a few others for comparison. Everyone had nice, flat crops but this one still had a swollen lump. I think it's her crop but it's weird to me that it doesn't feel impacted and it doesn't have the features of sour crop. Her appetite & energy are normal. I also noticed her legs turning pink/red. None of the other hens have pink on their legs. With her limp, legs, and that lump, I'm starting to think it's not her crop and maybe it's something more systemic?

 

[Eggcessive]

Legs may turn very pink when hens are fertile and mature. So that could be normal. Does it feel like her crop, something inside the crop, or something outside of the crop. In the pictures it looks like it could be the crop. There could be a growth inside the crop though. Is she limping and putting weight on the leg, or holding it up?

 

[sierra123]

Legs may turn very pink when hens are fertile and mature. So that could be normal. Does it feel like her crop, something inside the crop, or something outside of the crop. In the pictures it looks like it could be the crop. There could be a growth inside the crop though. Is she limping and putting weight on the leg, or holding it up?

It's hard to tell whether it's in or out of her crop because it feels so different from the other crops that I'm really not sure what I'm feeling. I've felt a full crop on my other hens and can tell it's the crop, larger, a little harder from all the feed, but I can still move stuff around. This is a small isolated bump. It kind of moves in a way that seems like it's beside her crop. And she has been fasting for 24+ hours so the rest of her crop area is flat, but this thing is still there. It's really squishy and fatty feeling. And I don't feel much else around it, just that little bubble.

She's limping but still able to put a bit of weight on it to move around. I gave her an Epsom salt bath yesterday and she enjoyed it. I could tell immediately after the bath she was in less pain because her walking improved and she could put more weight on it. But it only lasted 5-10 mins before she was back to limping. I plan to repeat the bath again today.

I've attached older photos from when I first noticed (August) if that's any help. When I look back at those, it looks like it's her crop.

Sorry! I'm trying my best with this but have a hard time explaining. Appreciate all the help.

 

[Tookie]

So you think the lump in not her crop?