Swollen Crop??

[Chick1043]

Hi! My hens crop is very gooshy and you kinda kinda feel what she ate...So is that normal? All my other chickens crops are usually a little harden. Oh! And she is the only chicken who's poop is watery...Is that normal also?

 

[Blue_Myst]

It's normal to be able to feel a bit of what she ate, the food isn't broken down by the time it reaches the crop. The watery droppings could indicate a problem--what you might want to try is feeling her crop when she's on the roost at night, then check it again in the morning to see if it's empty, or at least shrunken considerably. That should give you a good indicator if there's a problem.

Does she smell much? One type of crop impaction, sour crop, causes a bad smell from the chicken's mouth and makes the crop very large and full of liquid. Many BYC'ers have had luck putting Apple Cider Vinegar in the water to cure sour crop, but in severe cases anti-fungal drugs may be needed.

If she has a real impaction, crop massaging (gently moving the crop in an upward and slightly inward motion) can help.

Hope this helps!

Please keep us informed on how she's doing!

 

[Chick1043]

It helps!! She doesn't stink at all! So if her crop shrinks during the night there's a problem?

 

[mljohnson05]

First of please only post one...(you posted this Three (3) times )
if her poop is watery she may be drinking a lot due to the hotter weather.
The crop...she might be getting "sour crop" with impacted crop or sour crop : Chickens may exhibit a large bulge in the crop area, diminishing weight, isolating themselves from the flock, hunching down or protecting their injury. The bird may also jerk their neck around trying to dislodge the blockage. Additionally, the stuck items in the crop may begin to rot, resulting in a sour smell coming from the chicken’s beak.

Carefully open the chicken’s beak and have a sniff to see if there is a sour smell. Although the odor is difficult to describe and may vary depending on what the bird has ingested, it should be obvious that there is an unusual and unpleasant smell coming from the chicken’s beak.

If you suspect the chicken may have a blocked or impacted crop, it is best to isolate the chicken and only provide water or organic vegetable broth (I have used kale and broccoli broth) to confirm that the hen is not able to pass waste.

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If she does not have any of the symptoms, I would wait until the morning BEFORE the chicken eats, an check to see if the crop has gown down or gone....It is normal for them to be extended if they have just ate or are storing it for the sleep hours

Best Wishes,
Laura

 

[Blue_Myst]

Quote:
It should go down during the night. If it doesn't, it probably means there's a blockage.

Good advice from mljohnson05, too! Hopefully you'll be able to diagnose the problem quickly.

 

[Chick1043]

Thanks!!