What does an impacted crop look like?

[newchick13]

Figures I notice something weird just as we are waiting for Irene! I moved my 13 chicks (7 weeks) into my garage in anticipation of the windy weather. I put them in a small pen with food, water and in order to ease the transition I gave them their favorite treats: dried meal worms and an ear of corn. I sat with them for about 20 minutes just to make sure they were ok, but I noticed on ALL of them in the area where I imagine the crop to be is pretty full, firm and almost protruding. Is that normal? Did they just pig out?

 

[Southernbelle]

I had a chick once that gorged herself on scratch grains - you could actually see the individual grains through her skin. I thought she was going to rupture herself! She was fine. Chickens will pig out on their favorite foods.

As long as your girls are acting normal and content, then they're fine. I've never dealt with impacted crop, but I think you'd notice them getting lethargic and a bad smell from the crop, if that was it.