I noticed the chest of one of my birds was protruding a lot and thought it was strange but since they were free ranging, I knew I couldn't catch him. I noticed it just about every time I saw him for a month (okay so part of me wondered if it was just the way he stands.)
Last night when I picked him up to move him to the roosts (because the younger birds keep sleeping in the nest boxes) my fingers pushed on that big swollen spot. It's huge like a grapefruit and soft, like a balloon. I did some internet research when I came in and learned about swollen crop, but from what I read it sounds like when it's impacted it is hard because it's the stuff inside. His is definitely not hard.
This morning I grabbed him before I let everyone out (he was so calm!) and I have him in a box with water in my mud room right now. He's acting normally, walks normally. Really, if I hadn't felt it last night, I would have gone on thinking he was just shaped funny.
So what do I do now? I've had chickens for about a year but haven't had any real big health issues besides one one girl that's possibly egg bound or something.
And in more bad news - this morning when I went to grab him, I noticed two others (out of 9) that were somewhat bigger in the same area, but I'm hoping that they just ate and that's all it is... :/
Last night when I picked him up to move him to the roosts (because the younger birds keep sleeping in the nest boxes) my fingers pushed on that big swollen spot. It's huge like a grapefruit and soft, like a balloon. I did some internet research when I came in and learned about swollen crop, but from what I read it sounds like when it's impacted it is hard because it's the stuff inside. His is definitely not hard.
This morning I grabbed him before I let everyone out (he was so calm!) and I have him in a box with water in my mud room right now. He's acting normally, walks normally. Really, if I hadn't felt it last night, I would have gone on thinking he was just shaped funny.
So what do I do now? I've had chickens for about a year but haven't had any real big health issues besides one one girl that's possibly egg bound or something.
And in more bad news - this morning when I went to grab him, I noticed two others (out of 9) that were somewhat bigger in the same area, but I'm hoping that they just ate and that's all it is... :/
