Is it normal for my bird's crop to get big and then get small again?

What you are likely seeing is your bird's crop (an outpouching of the esophagus that acts as a food storage area as food slowly makes its way through the GI tract) filling with food then emptying. This is normal!

Thanks for reaching out about Rick and including a photo. An over-sized crop can be due to over-eating or a disease. Crop infections (bacteria, fungal), ingested foreign bodies and obstructions, systemic illness are all possibilities. Check and correct husbandry, as baby birds need to be kept warm. If the crop appears firm, offering small amounts of water and massaging the crop might help. If Rick appears ill, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

A bulging crop may indicate a full crop and that you may be giving too much food at a time. If it doesn't return to normal after a few hours, reducing the amount of food, or making sure that Sailor doesn't have an impacted/obstructed crop is best. Feeding smaller meals more often may also help reduce the crop being overfull.

It is normal for birds to store some food, seeds or whatever they are eating, in their crop. As long as the food does not become impacted and your bird is still eating regularly should have nothing to worry about. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Odo is gorgeous!! I am not overly concerned about this as there is a bit of spare tissue to allow the crop to distend so I think all this is is the extra tissue lying when the crop is empty. As long as it is not getting impacted with fluid or food and Odo s in good form I wouldn't worry about it.

A full crop will feel like a giant, fat balloon just under the chin/neck, and in birds that don't have their feathers in yet may be visible. An empty crop will just be a flat, normal looking neck. Keeping a full crop in a baby bird is best as it means they always have something for nutrients and to keep them full and happy. If they constantly have empty crops they need to have their feeding throughout the day increased to keep them full. Following the guidelines on your baby bird formula can help you make sure you're feeding enough and often enough.

It's possible there could be an infection brewing in the crop (sour crop) or even an impaction depending on what Simba has been eating. If the crop is very swollen, or bothersome to the point that he is attempting to pick at it, it would be best to bring SImba into a local vet for care. They can take a look, remove any impacted debris and may recommend an antibiotic or fungal medication to get him feeling better.