Hi
I recently had a bantam pekin (cochin) with a pendulous crop, the size you describe and like your girl it was tipping her over. I got her in April and I think perhaps she had never seen grass before because she seemed to gorge on it the first few weeks and I started to get worried about the size of her crop and restricted her access. She went broody and reared chicks through the summer and seemed a lot better and then a few weeks ago it got significantly worse and I was alarmed one day to realise that it was like that first thing on a morning. I isolated her and gave her small sloppy feeds and massage 4x a day. I had to remove all bedding.... even a tiny scattering of sawdust was being eaten.....it seems she was physically starving because of the impaction and therefore ravenous. I tried to vomit her several times, the final occasion I was on for over an hour without success...I was pretty sure she was going to die anyway. The day after she was a little better and the following day better still, so although I didn't get anything to come up, the constant massaging during that time must have helped. It took nearly 2 weeks of sloppy food and massage but I got her back to normal....for now ....and I am monitoring closely. Once she finishes moulting I will be looking to fit a crop bra, but I would imagine it would be pretty uncomfortable with all those pin feathers coming through, so I'm hanging fire..
My thoughts are that once the crop stretches to that extent, it loses it's elasticity and sags so that the outlet into the digestive tract is no longer the lowest part. Fibre, sediment and probably grit build up in the sagged bit and then block the outlet. The chicken is not getting the nutrition she needs because of the blockage and eats more because she is starving, stretching it further until there is no room for movement. If surgery is done, in my opinion it should include removing the sagged/stretched part of the crop and not just the contents.
I don't think that a crop bra will help an impacted crop but I think that once it has been emptied, it may well prevent it reoccurring by keeping that stretched part of the crop supported in a higher position so that it cannot sag and block the outlet. This is just my opinion based on what I have observed with my bantam pekin Portia and the little knowledge I have of chicken anatomy. I think exercise is also very important and being broody probably aggravates the problem. My rooster gives her a good morning exercise routine now and much as I feel for her dashing around trying to avoid his advances, I also know that it is probably doing her good!
Like you I would stick with sloppy feeds for a week more and give her a daily massage. I would also monitor her weight or body condition. I was horrified to find that my girl was skin and bone behind that huge crop. Her keel bone was as sharp as a knife. I am giving her extra calories now to try to build her back up. Strangely, despite her crop being massive for weeks and feeling quite hot, she never suffered sour crop.
Anyway, that is my experience and I hope it is of some help to you.
Best wishes
Barbara
