overeating?

[chickens again]

Can chickens overeat? One of my Reds had a HUGE crop late today. They started out with cooked oatmeal to warm them up after freezing temps overnight, plus their usual morning treat of greens. They have layer pellets available at all times plus in the afternoon I let them out to forage. Could she have eaten too much?

 

[elmo]

I worried about that the day I gave my flock half a pumpkin; their crops were so bulging when I came to tuck them in for the night they could scarcely walk. Yet, in the morning, their crops were back down to normal size (although there was lots of poo on the droppings board).

You can check that bird's crop tomorrow morning to see whether it's gone down.

 

[teach1rusl]

Chickens are opportunistic eaters, so they will fill up (bulging crop) on what's available at the time. But they won't really "overeat" like some dogs or other animals will...

 

[chickens again]

Thank you for your answers - i have kept chickens before, just never saw such a hge crop!