Possible impacted crop but seemed to go down - Should i worry?

[Spetznaaz]

Hello,

I'm quite new to chicken keeping and this morning as i was taking our Silkies to their run i noticed one of their crops hadn't gone down overnight. Felt very solid about the size of a golf ball. She kept just drinking water (like non-stop) until the afternoon when i took her out and the crop felt much smaller but still a little bit full - I gave it a gentle quick massage and it felt like the food was pushed down out the crop. She seemed to eat after that.

What's the best course of action now? I've taken their food away overnight so i will see how it is in the morning, if it's emptied can i stop worrying?

It's odd because there's no grass left in their run, they have grit and didn't go out the run for two days before so i don't understand what could have impacted it.

Cheers!

 

[Tookie]

Here's a good article on sour and impacted crop.->
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[Spetznaaz]

Thank you, read the article and lot's of good info. I certainly hope it's not chronic. Definitely sounds like impacted and not sour.

Seems like the best thing to do is wait until the morning and go from there.

 

[Tookie]

Thank you, read the article and lot's of good info. I certainly hope it's not chronic. Definitely sounds like impacted and not sour.

Seems like the best thing to do is wait until the morning and go from there.

Let me know how her crop is in the morning.

 

[Spetznaaz]

Let me know how her crop is in the morning.

So last night i took their food away but didn't take the grit away (not sure if i should have or not).

This morning, one of them crop felt completely empty as usual. The one with the impacted crop yesterday - Well it's really strange. The crop wasn't empty but it wasn't full, about half the size of a golf ball and completely solid. She did a big normal looking poo and she started trying to eat grass.

I gave it a small massage and it seemed to go down to almost normal but as i say i'm pretty new to this so what i think is normal might not be. Really not sure what to do now.

 

[Tookie]

So last night i took their food away but didn't take the grit away (not sure if i should have or not).

This morning, one of them crop felt completely empty as usual. The one with the impacted crop yesterday - Well it's really strange. The crop wasn't empty but it wasn't full, about half the size of a golf ball and completely solid. She did a big normal looking poo and she started trying to eat grass.

I gave it a small massage and it seemed to go down to almost normal but as i say i'm pretty new to this so what i think is normal might not be. Really not sure what to do now.

So it was not fully empty?
Is there any foul odor coming from her mouth?

 

[Spetznaaz]

So it was not fully empty?
Is there any foul odor coming from her mouth?

Yeah not fully empty. Haven't noticed any smell.

Checked again this morning, same situation - Crop has partially emptied but there is still a small hard mass. It's odd though, i massage it a little bit then can't seem to find it for a while, then can feel it again...

She seemed to have pooped as usual during the night. I'm thinking perhaps a partially blocked crop?

 

[Tookie]

Yeah not fully empty. Haven't noticed any smell.

Checked again this morning, same situation - Crop has partially emptied but there is still a small hard mass. It's odd though, i massage it a little bit then can't seem to find it for a while, then can feel it again...

She seemed to have pooped as usual during the night. I'm thinking perhaps a partially blocked crop?

I would treat for impacted crop.