Breast is very enlarged on hen

[sparkleeyes]

My husband thinks there's something wrong, I just thought it was normal! She's not even a year old. I had two baby chickies. One already died a month or two ago. Now my last baby chick is very large around the front, I thought it was just her getting her eggs, but it is very soft, like a big bloat around the breast section...

could it be something wrong??? a disease or just something wrong internally??

I heard someone say something about internal laying before, never heard of it. How would you know??

I don't want to lose my 'baby' chickie. It's the last one that I'm really attached to because we raised them from a few weeks old.

What should we do?? very concerned.

 

[realsis]

are you feeling her crop? the crop is where the food goes after eating.its like a holding area before and while digesting food. its above the breast. if this might help take a look at chicken anatomy and see if its the crop your talking about. i know after eating my chickens crop gets full and feels like a little balloon sometimes you can even feel the grain they have eaten there. is this what your talking about? if yes its normal . hope this is helpful Best wishes.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Internal laying does not cause swelling in the breast area, neither does normal laying, not sure if that's what you mean by "getting her eggs". What is this hen acting like? Is she getting around normally, eating and drinking? How old is this bird and is she laying regularly? What is she being fed? Sorry for all the questions but we need more info.

Agree it may just be her crop that you are noticing. They fill their crop slowly during the day and it empties during the night. Check her first thing in the a.m. and see if you still notice it. My hens often come in from foraging in the pasture looking and feeling like they've swallowed a baseball!

 

[sparkleeyes]

Well we only got her as a little chick last year, this would be her first year laying. I've never heard of this crop so this is good info and something that I will look into. She is acting normal as far as I can tell. She seems to be happy. (I just love her so much) I will have to check out the situation in the morning and see if there is any difference.

She is eating and drinking normally as far as I can tell. We are just feeding "layer" that comes in sacks that we buy locally. Its like little pellets.


this is her... see the grey in the middle? it's like fuzz coming out in a line because of the enlargement. I've noticed that it almost waddles when she walks.


Here she is again, same day, yesterday or the day before. This one looks really bad. Ohhh I'm so scared for her now. It does feel like a water balloon, I felt it today. She just has to be ok.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Well in the first pic it almost looks like a normal, full crop. But that second picture....that looks huge and seems to extend farther down. Her comb is also very pale. Hmmm, I have to say I don't have a clue. Does it change from day to day or is it consistent? Hopefully someone else here may have some idea what's going on there.

 

[sparkleeyes]

I've read a bit more online. One article was fairly interesting. Another on here was about someone who did surgury on their hen. Scary.
What about a warm bath or messaging the area? does a warm bath help them with digestion?

 

[animallover505]

Withhold food overnight and check it in the morning.

 

[sparkleeyes]

I didn't get to see her first thing this morning being that it is Easter Sunday, but I did spend an hour or more with her this afternoon. Just the two of us. My poor little chickie. She still seems fine except with almost every step she pushes up on her hanging crop with her leg. Soooo soo sad. I think I have diagnosed it after reading some more this afternoon as pendulous crop.

There are some articles or opinions on other forums about what you should and shouldn't do. It's caused by the I guess it being heavy and not digesting at some point and then the muscles gradually are damaged and let loose, therefore the hanging and pendulum movement. And with the muscles damaged it is harder for the crop to work as intended to push the food from the holding area to one of the two stomachs for digestion.

There are some things about using olive oil, with holding food for 24 hours, giving plenty of water, some even using a suringe to get more water and some oil in. Messaging the crop and holding the bird upside down as you 'massage' the crop out.

NOW I DON'T WHAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, JUST SUMMARIZING WHAT I HAVE READ!! THIS IS NOT ADVICE, I HAVEN'T TRIED IT YET.

I would try messaging but one I read keeping the birds head down at a 60 degree angle, the other said upside down, so should I turn her belly up, or just tip her tail up and head down??

Sounds like some birds could live months like this, but I am doubtful of a full recovery. Still love my little chickie though.

 

[sparkleeyes]

Anyone else out there that have had this issue?? Pendulous crop?????

 

[TheeMrWright]

I believe I am having this problem as well! With a 5 week old ISA Brown! She's become lethargic and extremely calm, which is rare for her!