AngieC Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Hello all, I am concerned about my Chickens - I have had them nearly two months now, so still very new and anxious! I noticed that Dolly had a huge crop, protruding out, making a ridge down her front - when I picked her up it felt firm but alright - but I am not sure what I should be looking for. It did make me notice her breast bone - and now I am wondering if she is underweight which is why the crop looks so large. When I went out this morning is looks better - but she is still not smooth in the front. When I feel the girls front I feel a load of feathers - I did notice the breast bone though which then got me worried about them being underweight. They stubbonly refuse to eat pellets and crane their necks out of the pen for vegetation rather than eat the pellets. So to summerise ( and to cure my sleepless nights!) I am concerned that they may have an impacted crop - is it obvious? How do you locate the crop? How do you feel it? Smoothing the breast with your hand - or using the end of your findgers and 'pinching' around? I am concerned they are underweight. How do I get them to eat their pellets. In fact what should the feeding routine be! Gosh - so much to ask of you all but I am so worried - I want to make sure they are well and that I am not causing them any stress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 All sounds perfectly normal. Hybrid hens tend to be very lean and the breast bone will seem alarmingly prominent when you handle the hen. They have been bred to churn out eggs rather than out on weight so won't have much in the way of breast meat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 How old are your hens? Are they laying yet? You will find that they eat a lot more once they start. As for feeding routine, they should have pellets and water available all the time, and I give mine a small handful each of mixed corn or some spring greens/ other green veg in the late afternoon/early evening as a treat. If you are still worried about their eating, you could try them on layers mash - in my experience chickens much prefer mash to pellets, but it does tend to become very messy and I would only try it as a last resort. As Egluntyne says, hybrids are skinny birds - I can feel the breastbone on all my hybrids, and they eat like horses and all are a good age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieC Posted May 15, 2012 Author Share Posted May 15, 2012 Thank you so much for getting back to me - I feel assured that they are not underweight! I have had them from point of lay for the past 2 months so I guess they are 5 month old. Two have started to lay and are laying quite regularly - I have just picked up two eggs. They are bright and inquisitive so their behaviour says they are happy. The pellets are an issue - but I find that if I take a bit of mashed potato and mash up the pellets in it they will eat it - do you think this is wise? One of the girls looks like her crop gets enourmous and she looks unbalanced when you look at her, I left her overnight to see if it would go down - and to an extent it did. When keeping an eye out for impacted crop is it very obvious - I moved my hand down the right hand side but i'm not sure what I am looking for! She laid an egg today and still has an appetite so I assume all is OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 If you have a look in the FAQs about chicken health, there is a very good post about impacted crop together with a helpful photo. You would be able to feel a hard mass in the crop if it was impacted. I wouldn't continue with the mashed potato routine - if they know that you will give them their pellets that way ( and they love mashed potato! ), they will wait until you give it to them and ignore the plain boring pellets! They really don't need anything in addition to their layers food. Tough love is required - they won't starve themselves and your girls sound fine to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieC Posted May 16, 2012 Author Share Posted May 16, 2012 Thank you all so much for your help - I feel very assured now and have just given the girls their morning mashed potato pellets! looks like i'll be boiling up alot of potatoes! As long as they are happy I am happy. I've been monitoring crops as well and they do go down overnight and I now think I have grasped where they are and what they should look like - phew! I will get the hang of this! Many, many thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
