They should all come running for their first meal. When you first go out to the coop in the morning, watch for chickens that appear listless or are hiding in a corner. This way it is much easier to tell if they have an impacted crop or sour crop. Allow them free choice feed during the day, but remove any excess food at night. How to Recognize Sour Crop & Impacted CropĬhickens will normally have an empty crop first thing in the morning. Check their droppings regularly for parasites and de-worm them promptly when problems are detected. Give your flock pumpkin seeds, fresh herbs, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper to help prevent worm infestations. Make sure your flock always has access to grit to help them break down their food as it passes through the gizzard. In addition, chickens will try to obtain the nutrition they need from somewhere and underfeeding may encourage them to eat strands of straw or other items that cause impacted crops.Ĭhange their water often and check food for mold or a rancid scent. (You can try a ‘crop bra,’ which is a fitted vest that prevents food from settling in the crop and fermenting.) Over-eating can lead to problems with a pendulous crop. When your birds are underfed or fed infrequently or irregularly they will consume as much food as possible when it’s available. Keep feed available during the day or feed your flock often so that they are not gorging at mealtime. ![]() Probiotics, Grit, Clean Water, & Free Choice FeedĪdd probiotics, plain (unsweetened) yogurt, or real apple cider vinegar (with ‘mother’) to their food or water on a regular basis to keep their digestive system healthy. A slowed or blocked digestive system can lead to the fermentation of food and the growth of this yeast, causing sour crop. This yeast is usually present in a chicken’s body but it becomes problematic when beneficial bacteria are eliminated or the digestive process slows. Sour crop is a fungal infection caused by candida yeast (Candidiasis, also known as Thrush) of the crop. Prevent injury from sharp objects by picking up garbage, sweeping the coop and pen with a metal detector for nails, etc.Īn impacted crop is caused when chickens eat long strands of grass or hay or other materials that will not pass readily through their gizzard. Several problems can affect this organ including injury from ingesting a sharp object, impacted crop, or sour crop. ![]() This organ is called the crop and it allows chickens to consume and store more food than they can digest right away. Birds have a sack-like organ at the base of the esophagus that stores food and grit until it moves through the gizzard. First, we need to understand what the crop is and how it functions.
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