Is this normal?

new2chickes

In the Brooder
5 Years
Mar 21, 2014
33
1
26
Hiram, Maine
So my Cornish X's are 5 weeks old and I noticed that some of them look like they have an enlarged right breast at the top almost on their neck? its only some of them though not all.
 
What you're seeing is a full crop. CX are gluttons and when they are given the opportunity they will eat until their crop looks like a golf ball, the bigger the chicken, the bigger the crop. Do you take their food away at night? If you do, you should notice that the bulging crop has gone away by morning. If that is the case, don't worry, it is perfectly normal. However, there is a condition called "sour crop" where the crop becomes impacted and swells up like a water balloon and the chicken can't digest its food and slowly dies of malnurishment. If your CX are only eating commercial feed, I think this is unlikely, but I did have one Freedom Ranger pullet that I think developed Sour Crop. Her crop was always huge and bulging and at butchering date, she was only about half the weight of my other pullets.

Here are two images that may be helpful:
 
Thank you!!! Very helpful! I do take their food away at night and I just looked at them again this morning and it was gone. Thank you again!
 

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