36 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



Enlarged Crop. 



''The crop sometimes becomes very much enlarged and promi- 

 nent, but hanging loosely, not bulging and hard, as in impaction 

 of the crop. This form of permanent enlargement and displace- 

 ment is called enlarged crop, slack crop, or pendulous crop. It 

 may exist with little inconvenience and detriment to the fowl." 

 (Robinson.) 



According to Sanborn the cause of this is irregular feeding 

 resulting in overloading. Robinson, however, says that while 

 "this may be the cause in a great many cases, yet it can hardly 

 be the sole cause, for cases of slack crop are not infrequently 

 found in fowls that have been well and regularly fed. If a 

 fowl is fed heavily, and from any cause (as indigestion) the 

 crop remains full and distended too long, though this condition 

 may in time be relieved in the natural way without interference 

 of the keeper, the effect on the crop is the same as if the over- 

 loading had occurred because of irregular feeding. If this con- 

 dition is repeated several times the walls of the crop become in 

 some degree permanently distended." 



An enlarged crop and an enlarged or "baggy" abdomen are 

 frequently associated in the same bird. These are probably due 

 to too heavy feeding without sufficient intervals between meals 

 and without sufficient exercise. 



Treatment. — As stated above, a ''baggy" crop often gives little 

 or no apparent inconvenience to the fowl. In the case of a very 

 valuable bird it might be worth while to operate. Sanborn states 

 that this defect can be remedied by cutting out of the enlarged 

 portion of the crop a diamond or oval shaped piece of tissue 

 about 2 inches long and i inch wide. The edges should be 

 sewed together and treated as directed for impacted crop. (Cf. 

 p. 34). The general surgical methods described in the chapter 

 on Poultry Surgery (Chapter XX) should be followed. 



DISEASES OE THE STOMACH (PROVENTRICUEUS) . 



Inflammation of the Stomach — Gastritis. 



The stomach or proventriculus in fowls is a rather small or- 

 gan. It is a thick, glandular walled section of the alimentary 

 canal lying between the crop and the gizzard. Inflammation of 

 this organ is usually associated with a similar disturbance of the 



