1 week old easter egger chic with impacted crop?

She had poop issues the week we've had her. Her vent is consistently clear but she keeps getting poop stuck on her feathers around her vent. Today i soaked her butt in warm water for the first time, she actually enjoyed it. Then I noticed her trying to poop, chirping a lot, and nothing coming out. Her vent although slightly protruding, doesnt feel impacted. Upon watching her closely, I noticed she was swollen on one side. Her crop was very full. It was late afternoon so i thought maybe she was just full. But she just doesn't seem right. She's only eating medicated starter, chic grit, and finely ground up oatmeal a few times. She is still eating and drinking. Just doesnt seem to be passing much poop at all when she goes and her crop feels very hard. Ive added acv (organic) and probiotic to their water. What else can I do for her? Ive watch a video on flushing an adult hen's crop, just dont think a chick could handle that.

newchic2013 said:

She had poop issues the week we've had her. Her vent is consistently clear but she keeps getting poop stuck on her feathers around her vent. Today i soaked her butt in warm water for the first time, she actually enjoyed it. Then I noticed her trying to poop, chirping a lot, and nothing coming out. Her vent although slightly protruding, doesnt feel impacted. Upon watching her closely, I noticed she was swollen on one side. Her crop was very full. It was late afternoon so i thought maybe she was just full. But she just doesn't seem right. She's only eating medicated starter, chic grit, and finely ground up oatmeal a few times. She is still eating and drinking. Just doesnt seem to be passing much poop at all when she goes and her crop feels very hard. Ive added acv (organic) and probiotic to their water. What else can I do for her? Ive watch a video on flushing an adult hen's crop, just dont think a chick could handle that.

Click to expand...

Sounds like she is dehydrated. Make sure not to crowd the chicks in as there will be too much competition for food and or water. I would add another waterer and another feeder to your set up.

How is she this morning? Dip her beak in the water a few times this morning, and a few times during the day if the crop is still hard. It should soften up. If not, if you have an eye dropper, you might drop one drop at a time onto her lower beak in the front. A couple of drops every couple hours and or dipping her beak in the water should hydrate her.

Keep us posted!

This morning it is smaller bit still abnormally large. I held her and massaged it for a fair amount of time and she LOVED it. She is drinking and eating normally though.

newchic2013 said:

This morning it is smaller bit still abnormally large. I held her and massaged it for a fair amount of time and she LOVED it. She is drinking and eating normally though.

Click to expand...

Keep pushing the water by holding her and giving her beak a quick dip in the water. Set her in front of the water and see if she will drink on her own. Put some marbles in the water base as this can attract them to want to drink more water. She is probably just dehydrated.

Keep us posted!

She is drinking as much as the other chicks. I cant really withhold food as I only have one brooder/heat lamp. How do I know if it's a true impaction? It is 3x the size of the other chicks.

newchic2013 said:

She is drinking as much as the other chicks. I cant really withhold food as I only have one brooder/heat lamp. How do I know if it's a true impaction? It is 3x the size of the other chicks.

Click to expand...

Does she act completely normal in every other way? Some chicks are just very piggish and eat far more than they should have had chicks like this and usually this sort of things works out of them as they grow. I HAVE withheld food from tiny chicks that over eat. I will make a divider in the brooder and split the heat lamp with both sides and keep the chick on it's own side for 20 mins or so with only water on and off during the day to slow the eating down. Its not the amount of food in the crop, it is the movement of that food through the system. So even a small amount in the crop fuels them the same as a full crop. Maybe even better as full crops need so much extra water.

Is she actually sick?

She is definitely sick. Her crop today is completely empty and now she wont walk. Even when the other chicks step on her.

newchic2013 said:

She is definitely sick. Her crop today is completely empty and now she wont walk. Even when the other chicks step on her.

Click to expand...

You are going to need to separate her into her own area as she will get trampled and die. If you don't have separate quarters, divide off part of your brooder and share the light between the two sides. You will need to get food and water into her. I would start with hardboiled eggs. They are great emergency food for all birds and they can live on them for extended periods of time. Let her eat all the egg she will eat, but don't leave any in the brooder heat, clean up what she doesn't eat in 10 mins. Eggs can grow bacteria under high heat. Next, go to the store and get some Poli Vi Sol. It is liquid baby vitamins that will help her. You can get these even at Walmart in the vitamin section. Give her 1 or 2 drops 3 times day. Dip her beak in the water occasionally so she stays hydrated. You can put a stuff animal in there with her or a small mirror so she doesn't feel alone. Even an over turned feather duster so she can snuggle. You might put one other bird in with her so she is not completely alone, but get her out of the main section with all the birds so she can heal, eat and drink alone. Keeping another with her will stimulate her to eat and drink.

Ive already given her the polyvisol twice. 1 drop each time. I tried to give them all eggs yesterday, they wouldnt touch it. I did mash some water, starter, and oatmeal up to get into a syringe and managed to get her to eat 1 ml full. Not much but something. Also got a syringe full of water down her. She will not move in the brooder. Lays wherever i put her. Also extends her wings a bit, unless it's just because she's too warm. I do have her seperated now. But she doesnt even lift her head. Ill try another egg in a bit.

newchic2013 said:

Ive already given her the polyvisol twice. 1 drop each time. I tried to give them all eggs yesterday, they wouldnt touch it. I did mash some water, starter, and oatmeal up to get into a syringe and managed to get her to eat 1 ml full. Not much but something. Also got a syringe full of water down her. She will not move in the brooder. Lays wherever i put her. Also extends her wings a bit, unless it's just because she's too warm. I do have her seperated now. But she doesnt even lift her head. Ill try another egg in a bit.

Click to expand...

I've had chicks that lay down when ever you out them down, unfortualty ive never had any survive after they get to that point