Info On Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, & Other Poultry.
Helping the world raise chickens successfully since 1995!

I checked my chickens this morning and I noticed that my rooster had an enlarged crop. I really don't think this is just food. I grabbed him and he struggled, so I got him by the legs and he flipped upside down and the nastiest mucousy stuff came pouring out his mouth--tons of it. What is going on? There was some food in it but mostly mucous.

Thanks

Could this be an impacted or sour crop?? If so... how do I treat this?? Thanks

Hi Kari-

(I am Kari too. Are you Scandinavian? My father was Norwegian.)

Anyway I found the following in a the November 1996 newsletter from the Palm Beach County
Poultry Fanciers Association. Hope it helps.
Kari S.

http://www.afn.org/~poultry/

"Symptoms of Crop Impaction
Crop Impaction is where the crop of a chicken fills with material that will not pass through the birds digestive system. Most of the time it is caused from eating certain weeds that bulk up when swallowed. A chicken with an impacted crop will stand around, maybe sit on its roost, and look depressed. When you pick it up, the crop may be hard and distended, or liquid and distended. The real clue is that if you hold the mouth open and smell, there's a nasty, sour smell, not the usual chicken breath smell at all.

Chickens often have full crops, but will be active and always ready to eat `one more thing', with no foul odor on their breath. With a lightly impacted crop, sometimes a little mineral oil will lubricate things enough for the mass to pass through. In more severe cases, surgery is required to open the crop and remove its contents."

I had heard "Kari" was a Scandinavian name... but nope my family has been in the US for at least 5 generations on all sides My mom was just creative.

Thanks for the info.... I haven't smelled his breath (definately on my list of "Things I NEVER Thought I'd Do")

but I will

--Kari