Help! My chicken…
Chicken crop problems: what to check at dawn (and when it’s urgent)
The crop is a storage pouch. It should be full at night and empty in the morning. If it isn’t, something is off — often because of diet and grit, sometimes more serious.
Brutal truth: Most crop issues start with ‘they eat whatever’ thinking. Chickens will absolutely eat the wrong thing.
Normal crop
Impact
Sour
Prevention
First: when it’s urgent
If you see any of the below, stop Googling and get proper help (urgent vet / poultry expert):
- Crop is still full and hard first thing in the morning (before breakfast).
- No droppings, or the bird is very lethargic and not eating/drinking.
- Foul smell from beak or regurgitation/vomiting.
- Rapid weight loss or obvious decline.
- You suspect an impaction or infection.
Safety note: This is not veterinary advice. If your gut says “this bird is really unwell”, trust that and escalate.
Quick checks (60 seconds)
- Check the crop at dawn before food: it should feel empty/flat.
- If full: does it feel hard (packed) or squishy/gassy (possible fermentation)?
- Review grit: is insoluble grit available (especially if free-ranging on grass)?
- Check what they’ve been eating: long grass, bread, stringy veg, bedding?
- Check water access (dehydration makes digestion worse).
- Observe droppings and appetite for 24 hours.
Likely causes (the usual suspects)
- Not enough insoluble grit for digestion.
- Overeating long grass or stringy plant material.
- Dehydration or reduced drinking.
- Diet heavy in treats/bread/greens without balance.
- Underlying illness affecting gut motility.
- Stress reducing normal eating/drinking behaviour.
What to do today
- Isolate the bird so you can monitor food, water and droppings.
- Do the dawn crop check properly the next morning (before she eats).
- Provide fresh water and ensure grit is available (do not guess; check).
- Remove access to long grass/stringy material until you know what’s going on.
- If the crop remains full/hard in the morning or the bird declines: contact a poultry/avian vet.
Prevent it next time
- Keep the diet simple and balanced using the Nutrition guide (layers feed first, treats second).
- Make grit and clean water non-negotiable — every day.
- Reduce “stringy” free-range hazards (long grass) and manage run areas: mud control guide.
- Use weekly checks so you spot changes early.
- Budget for basics (grit, bedding, worming, vet buffer) with the UK cost calculator.