The bulging crops do sound weird and not normal. However, on the tan livers, I've found that once hens start laying, their livers turn from red to tan. In fact, I've never processed a layer that hasn't had a tan liver. It worried me the first time I saw it. I remember doing some...
I've crossed a Naked Neck rooster with red ranger and SWB hens. The offspring were good-sized, dressing out between 4 and 5 lbs @ around 13 weeks. I tried to keep one of the rooster crosses to breed going forward, but he was too big, clumsy and hard on the hens. I
I now have a Blue Maran...