CROP PROBLEMS, PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

 

CROP PROBLEMS, PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

What is the crop?

The chicken crop is a muscular pouch located on the right side of a bird's lower neck or upper breast area. The crop is purely a storage organ and no actual digestion takes place although it does moisten and mix food.

Why do chicken crops stop working properly?

Below are the reasons for crop issues or crop binding in chickens and some things that cause them to stop functioning properly:

ü  The chickens' feed has changed.

ü  The Crop has become pendulous and slow.

ü  The Crop is Sour, possibly from Candidiasis, Yeast, or other infection.

ü  The Crop is impacted with indigestible foodstuffs like long grass, feathers, or too much whole grains.

ü  The Crop has Thread Worms.

ü  The Crop has been injured as sometimes happens when chickens fight.

ü  There is an impaction in the Gizzard or intestines.

ü  The Intestines are blocked by Worms.

ü  You have rescued ex-battery or farm hens and the crops can not cope with solid feed.

ü  The bird is egg-bound.

ü  Tumours have grown around the Intestinal tract blocking the passage of feed and the exit of waste.

ü  The bird has Water-belly (Ascites) .

ü  The bird is lying internally. An internally laid or stuck egg will block off the Intestinal tract.

ü  The bird has some sort of internal infection.

ü  The chicken is dying.

ü  Young birds stuff all sorts down their necks if they've not been raised properly.

What are the symptoms of crop problems in chickens?

ü  The chicken will look unwell and may be lethargic and even immobile.

ü  Birds fall forward with impacted crops and can't stand up properly.

ü  There may be as smell on the breath.

ü  The Crop could be a hard solid lump like a golf ball.

ü  The Crop could be loose, floppy and hanging down like a shopping bag.

ü  The crop could be filled with liquid.

There are 3 common and 1 not so-common problem with chickens’ crops so we will start with those.

Diagnosis of Crop issues and problems:

ü  Sour Crop.

ü  Impacted Crop.

ü  Pendulous Crop.

ü  Infected Crop.

1. Sour crop:

What is a sour crop?

The Slow or Sour Crop is caused when the crop does not fully empty overnight. The contents can ferment or become infected or fungus can grow which might produce toxins. It can be caused by too many treats like bread or other soft feeds, worm infestations, infections or the consumption of long or fibrous grasses or even feathers.

Indigestible items like plastics and rubber bands can cause partial blockages and easily fermentable foodstuffs like pasta and sugar-rich feed-stuffs can compound the issue.

How can you tell if the chicken is sour crop?

I've had to deal with sour crop and it feels soft and squishy like a water balloon but with bits in it. It will not be empty in the mornings and there will be a smell from the beak.

Is Sour crop in chickens contagious?

In a word - NO. Sour crop in chickens is not contagious.

Can sour crop kill a chicken?

Yes. Chickens can die from sour crops. It may be the symptom of a deeper problem.

Sometimes a Slow or Sour Crop stems from something more serious like Ascites, some internal infection, organ failure or the bird is simply dying. Generally, when a bird is near death, the Intestinal Tract has shut down and liquid fills these cavities.

How do you treat sour crops in chickens?

So you're in the coop one morning only to find a chicken with a full squishy Crop. Now what do you do? If it is day one and there are no other symptoms then it is considered slow at this point. Sour comes later after too many bad bacteria and yeast have been growing in the Crop from it emptying too slowly after a few days.

 

In most cases, antibiotics are completely useless for sour Crops. They may be needed if there is and underlying problem. Also you may need to treat for worms.

First thing you need to do is get this gunk out of her crop. This stuff is going to become toxic very quick like and since chickens can't vomit, you will need to do it for them.

If left untreated, this gunk can poison her. So take her outside for this next procedure. Hold her like a football in one arm, beak facing out. With your other hand support her at the Crop.

Turn them upside down and gently massage from bottom to top for a few seconds at a time. Eventually, the hen will regurgitate the contents.

Stand yourself with feet apart and lean yourself and the bird forward. You are going to want to lean her far down, beak facing the ground, tail up. Gently squeeze and massage the Crop.

 

2. The Impacted crop:

If you go to the coop in the morning and you do a Crop check only to find what feels like a hard ball in one of your hen's Crops. An impacted crop feels like a golf ball. If it's not too bad then it will feel a little soft and doughy.

What is crop impaction?

The impacted or blocked Crop is when it becomes completely bunged and forms a solid lump that just won't shift naturally.

A full Crop will stop a chicken from eating as well and needs to be treated quickly. Impaction is another issue that is best diagnosed in the mornings when the crops should be empty.

What causes impacted crops?

Complete blockages from things like long grass, twine or plastic. Also, complete intestinal blockages are caused by worms or infections. It can also be caused by the overconsumption of dry pelleted chicken feed that then swells and sets solid with the addition of a little water.

I have also seen and impacted crops blocked by feathers.

Can chickens die from impacted crops?

Yes they can, and quickly as well. Impacted Crop means the chicken is not getting any food and if there is an underlying infection or worm infestation then the bird is likely to be suffering from malnutrition already.

This can be a very dangerous situation if left untreated. The food in the crop is going to start to turn toxic and could potentially kill your bird. This impaction could also be lower in the gizzard or even in the Intestinal Tract as well.

How do you treat crop impaction?

Mild cases can be treated with massage and putting the bird in water for 1 to 2 days and monitoring. Some say a few drops of olive oil can help get things moving but warm water is just as likely to help get things mobile in the crop.

3. Pendulous crop.

What is a pendulous crop?

The Crop, being a muscle, can stretch over time if the bird has a full Crop for months on end. It becomes what is called Pendulous.(Baggy crop)

When this happens, the Crop will get so large and distended that it will be unable to empty out completely which can lead to chronic slow and sour Crops for the rest of the bird's life.

 

A Crop Bra will help birds with Pendulous Crops empty their Crops and remain healthy if they continuously wear these.

 

There is no real treatment other than the bra and no cure as such. Once the muscle has been damaged the Crop will hang down for the rest of the chicken's life.

A pendulous Crop can upset the balance of a head and cause them to flop forwards.

4. Infected crop:

Infected crops are not common but do happen occasionally. If the skin feels unusually warm over the Crop area this may be a problem.