Making a crop bra for a hen with pendulous crop

[azygous]

I have an article on crop issues, how to know them and treat them. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/ There is a rudimentary pattern for a crop bra in the article, but I decided to make a proper crop bra today for my twelve-year old Wyandotte hen Lilith who has been having trouble with impacted crop lately due to her aging chest muscles no longer being able to support her crop so it empties after she eats.

Photos are not in exact order of assembly. But you can get the general idea. The most difficult part is sewing a piece of elastic to the bottom of the bra cup and taking tucks in the top so the bra forms a pouch for a better fit. Then the velcro on the straps need to be placed where they will need to be for your own hen's custom fit.

The straps on top go behind the head and the bottom straps criss-cross under the wings and over the back, joining the top straps. I allowed ample velcro to be able to adjust the tightness of the bra, readjusting it as needed to achieve crop emptying. In Lilith's case, she signals with a most queasy look in her eyes and neck gyrations when her crop is not emptying.

 

[Sapphire Sebright]

I have an article on crop issues, how to know them and treat them. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/ There is a rudimentary pattern for a crop bra in the article, but I decided to make a proper crop bra today for my twelve-year old Wyandotte hen Lilith who has been having trouble with impacted crop lately due to her aging chest muscles no longer being able to support her crop so it empties after she eats.

View attachment 2651099View attachment 2651100View attachment 2651101View attachment 2651102View attachment 2651103View attachment 2651104Photos are not in exact order of assembly. But you can get the general idea. The most difficult part is sewing a piece of elastic to the bottom of the bra cup and taking tucks in the top so the bra forms a pouch for a better fit. Then the velcro on the straps need to be placed where they will need to be for your own hen's custom fit.

The straps on top go behind the head and the bottom straps criss-cross under the wings and over the back, joining the top straps. I allowed ample velcro to be able to adjust the tightness of the bra, readjusting it as needed to achieve crop emptying. In Lilith's case, she signals with a most queasy look in her eyes and neck gyrations when her crop is not emptying. View attachment 2651122

Interesting! I like the white leopard print -- it blends in with her feathers.
Also, wow, twelve years! That's amazing!

 

[ravensnow]

Writing the measurements on the fabric itself is really helpful for the photos. I bought a crop bra from Etsy and planned on cloning it to make more, but your alternate design will be helpful, too.

 

[Chicken Chat]

Thank you! This is exactly what I need for my hen right now.

 

[azygous]

Lilith is tolerating the bra very well. Actually, she's twelve and used to hate me when she was younger, and now she doesn't give a ****.

One problem, though, the bra doesn't push up her heavy crop to the proper level where it will empty. The operative word is "push" so I modified the bra with a push-up insert. But of course!

I made a pouch, tacked it by machine to the bra so it won't slip out of position, and filled it with a piece of foam. Now, to try it out on Lilith to see if it actually works and isn't just a nifty idea in my head.

 

[Chicken Chat]

Excellent idea! Let us know how the adjustment works, it has to be more comfortable than an underwire...

 

[21hens-incharge]

This is awesome!

Having had to handle a hen with this issue your article helped me a ton. This design looks to be pretty good.

I had wondered if there needed to be more "lift".

I am interested in seeing how this goes.

I have an aging orpington that may end up needing this.

 

[azygous]

Lilith was very cooperative. The push-up pad supports the crop right where it needs to be. I'll see how it works to empty the crop overnight.

 

[HollyWoozle]

Really handy, thank you! One of our hens, Speckles, has a pendulous crop and has done for quite a long time, although she is only something like 4 years old I think. I haven't done anything about it because it doesn't seem to cause her any major issues yet, although I do see her moving her neck sometimes to try and clear it, and I worry it will eventually be the end of her. I was thinking she might need a crop bra in time so this will really help me!

Can I ask when Lilith started to have issues with her crop and if she wears the bra all the time?

 

[azygous]

Lilith is twelve and just began wearing the bra a few days ago. She's been tending toward this pendulous crop for about a year, and it's just now become a problem.

I'm happy to report that the push-up insert did the trick. Her crop was much less full this morning, and Lilith was in much better spirits.

She's been wearing it all the time and doesn't mind it, so I'll keep it on her for this time being and see how it goes.