Pendulous crop, poopy butt, and no longer laying eggs

[GabePryor]

Hey all. I need some help here. I have a chicken that has had a poopy butt for a while. I didn't think too much of it because we had a lot of rain and mud for a while. But the poopy butt has gotten worse, and despite the fact that she was my only chicken to lay through the winter, she stopped laying 2 weeks ago. And now she has a pendulous crop. No bad odor, no other symptoms that I can see. She is very alert, has a good appetite, and seems fine. I have tried massaging her crop gently and tilting her a couple of times, but nothing comes up. Her crop did not empty overnight and seems to be getting bigger. Feels like a water balloon, like a lot of posts describe. Her poops are either watery or grainy and loose. Normal color.

Another one of my chickens has also started having a poopy butt. So, I am thinking it's not isolated to the first chicken. But I can't figure out what's going on. This second chicken is laying eggs. Just started back after the winter and after molting.

Help! I don't want to lose these ladies.

 

[coach723]

Crop issues can have many causes, and it can take a bit of time to narrow it down. I will link to a couple of articles that have a lot of information which should help. A pendulous crop is stretched out, and often will not go back to normal. The crop bra helps support it so it can empty normally. It can happen if a bird is a big eater sometimes, but often is caused by a slow crop that stays full, and the underlying cause may persist. A crop bra may help, the only way to know is to try. Some causes can be from reproductive problems or internal parasites. I've had birds wear crop bras for long periods of time and do well, and others did not as the underlying condition was ultimately not fixable. Poopy butts can also be a symptom of both internal parasites and of reproductive disorders.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[texsuze]

RE: crop bra (I like to call them "bibs"), I had an EE hen who routinely developed crop stasis for a few weeks each spring when she would eat new grass sprouts. The crop bib (I tried several different designs) was the saviour for her. The minute I noticed her pendulous crop developing, I'd put the bib on and monitor her carefully, paying attention to when her poops would return to a more solid (normal) state. She'd wear the bib for several days at a time. I think there are seamstresses on etsy and probably here on BYC. Buy a few different designs and test. I did not care for the style that had 'ace bandage'-type ties across the back; it created pressure points on her delicate skin. Best of luck.