I keep 3 or 4 hens (currently 4) and have come across sour crop before, but I currently have a 'spent' hen (4 year old hybrid that has not laid in almost a year) that has developed a crop problem and I simply don't know what to do about it. She repeatedly gets a swollen crop. It has not turned into 'sour crop', ie its not full of foul fluid, but neither is it a 'blockage' as such, it's soft when I massage it. Massaging eases the problem for a while but it comes back. She's been eating and drinking voraciously, but she feels thin. She does very liquid poops, it's as if her digestive system is not working properly and this has been going on for some time. There's no sign of infection, all the other hens are fine. She's bright and active, but this morning, though she was eager to escape when I opened the coop, she's not eating, so I'm going to have to chase her around in the mud and massage her crop again. They live in a coop, not free range. My neighbour disposes of her hens as soon as they stop laying and she thinks I'm mad even thinking about treating and keeping a spent hen. I can't help feeling (based on my previous experience with hybrid hens) that this is the beginning of a drawn out end, but I don't feel confident about 'disposing' of hens like my neighbour does, I'm frightened I'd do it badly and cause them more suffering. Thinking of calling the vet to ask if they put down hens, is that mad?