Eglu cube or go up with 2m run

[The_eggwards_family]

My neighbour mentioned that one of our girls has a really big bulge on her front - I told her it was probably her crop and its fine. But whilst watching them last night I did notice that it was massive and towards one side.

 

Is this normal? They have had a lot of homemade bread recently courtesy of my 3 yr old who threw in a load the other day when I wasnt in charge and I did read somewhere that you are supposed to soak bread first (not sure if this is true???) so I am a bit worried that something could be wrong. She is absolutely fine in herself and still laying perfect eggs.

 

Any advice?

[Mercedes55]

Our 4 ex batts have huge crops by the end of the day and they are lopsided too. By the next day they are back to normal. I don't really know if the bread could have caused any problems, I'm sure someone else on here will be able to know about that.

[lillybettybabs]

If it's still bulging in the morning then they could be blocked, Mine have fat bulging crops by tea time but

but flat the next morning.

[Lavenders_Blue]

Wait til one of them finds a mouse and downs it in one

Their crops are enooooooorrrmous when they do this!

 

It's normal for the crop to be bulging in the evening. My girls crops always seem to be on the right, not sure if this is the same for all birds? But it should have gone down by the morning. If not, then she could be crop bound. But if she is fine in herself and still laying, it doesn't sound as though there is a problem.

[thelurch]

Not sure that giving lots of bread to chickens is a great idea, seem to remember reading it somewhere, might be wrong though

[Egluntyne]

Lurch is right, masses of bread s not good for them. Many recommend that no bread is given at all, because the muscular contractions involved in moving the food along the digestive tract, cause the moisture to be squeezed out of the bread, and the hen is left with a plug of dry matter which causes trouble. I no longer feed it to my hens because they pigged out on it to an alarming extent, and I could forsee it causing problems.

 

If you must give it, give it in tiny pieces, and preferably moistened.

[The_eggwards_family]

Thanks folks - as always, you are great!

 

Yes, the crop is also on the girl's right, so maybe that's where it should be lol!

 

I had heard re the bread thing, but my 3 yr old just marched up the garden and threw it at them, and of course they all went bonkers about it and scoffed it in about 2 seconds flat! Will defo avoid in future.

 

The crops did seem smaller this morning, so I reckon its all normal - just that my lovely chicken friendly neighbour was worried when she was watching them earlier in the evening. So glad we have a lovely neighbour - she has even got the chicken bug herself and reckons when she is even more retired and at home more and not travelling so much (they are in their mid 70's lol) they will get some too!

 

Thanks again lovely ppl!