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Barnyard Buddies:  Chicken with enlarged crop  |
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Calico Hen
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Meg
Middle Tennessee
USA
146 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 10 2012 : 09:09:37 AM
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| Greetings all! I have an Ancona cockerel, 9 weeks old, who has suddenly developed an overly enlarged crop! I noticed this yesterday and today the crop is still enlarged but may have gone down a bit. I worried he had eaten some straw but when I felt the crop, it was very squishy and fluid filled. The heat wave and drought here finally broke this weekend, I don't know if that served as a "stresser" causing him to drink too much water? He acts fine but I did observe him gulping as if he were trying to swallow. He is still with the flock and all others appear just fine. Any ideas? |
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batznthebelfry
True Blue Farmgirl
1257 Posts
Michele
Athol
Ma
USA
1257 Posts |
Posted - Jul 10 2012 : 2:10:53 PM
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Since you are in Tenn & I know right now its pretty hot I would say an enlarged crop would be normal as they do drink alot more water when hot but if he is gulping when he tries to swallow thats another problem...yes he may have gotten into something that has caused him to become gizzard bound which means food & water can't get thur the crop, stomach & gizzard like they should so in a sense he is backed up all the way to the crop.......his gulping is actually his crop coming back up into his throat epecially when he has his head down for an length of time...at this point it may be too late to help him but what I do to try is get some play ground sand & mix about 1/4 cup in with their feed so if he is not getting enough grit this might help break up what is in the gizzard...it will not hurt the others who are not gizzard bound...also I make sure I do the morning feed wet for them if any are showing signs of gizzard bound as this way they don't need as much water to break it up & get it thur their systems...with it been hot there it will be hard to know by looking at his poo if you could ever catch him pooing...since it will be watery but if its really watery with green bits in it thats one of the signs of gizzard bound where as if just hot & drinking alot of water it will also have colors of white, green & yellows in it...anyway hopefully this will help you...good luck & let us know how he is doing....Michele'
Chickens RULE!
hen #2622
theoldbatzfarm.blogspot.com |
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Calico Hen
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Meg
Middle Tennessee
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2012 : 6:31:06 PM
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| Thank you Michele! This is the strangest thing. The crop on the Ancona cockerel is still enlarged but goes up and down with how much he eats. He is no longer gulping and is still active, eating, running around. I did add more grit to the food of the entire flock. He has had this enlarged crop for 5 days now, must not be life threatening! I have not been able to identify his poo to make those observations. I'll keep you posted. |
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batznthebelfry
True Blue Farmgirl
1257 Posts
Michele
Athol
Ma
USA
1257 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2012 : 06:34:47 AM
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Meg go check the 'sick chick' section, I wrote how to care for a crop bound/impacted chicken...would re write it here but too long...lol....Michele'
Chickens RULE!
hen #2622
theoldbatzfarm.blogspot.com |
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Barnyard Buddies: Chicken with enlarged crop |
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Chicken with enlarged crop
