3 day old chick with swollen crop. Sour crop ?

I have five 3 day old chicks form the local farm store. This morning I noticed one of the black sex links had a swollen crop. I changed the water to have ACV. Did 1 tbsp per gallon. I did decide to shave a tiny tiny piece of Vagisil suppository off and give it to her as well. She was acting fine, eating and drinking.
Tonight both black sex link chicks have swollen crops and watching a third chick whose crop seemed bigger that the other 2 chicks with no problems. After reading an forum on a 3-4 weeks old chick with swolllen crop I decided to remove all shavings and they are on paper tonight. Not sure if they were eating the shavings or not. I did give the 2 black sex links tiny tiny slivers of Vagisil tonight, making that the second dose for the one chick. Poop looks great for all chicks, but one of the black sex links is moving her head with a neck jolting movement with the crop bothering her. Hoping for good signs in the morning.

Any advice? They are so so young I fear I may lose them. I have had raised chick twice before and never had this with a chick. I did have a hen that I treated twice for sour crop successfully with Vagisil.

Thanks!

Morning update- The original chick still has a very swollen crop, I pulled food up for the night wanting to see how appetites would be this morning. Since her crop was bigger this morning I did express her crop first thing, figuring I had to at this point or I may really lose her. I then started with feeding her yogurt. I did a second feeding 2 hours later, she didn't like like being on my lap separated from the others so I pulled out another chick to share my lap. The second chick wanted to peck the yogurt drops off the towel, the sex link decided she needed to do that too and peck from the others chicks mouth. This was a good sign. After the second feeding of some yogurt she even ate a little chick food when put back in the brooder. Moving in a good direction for right now

Little chicks can have very large crops, and there is nothing wrong, unless they become hard from perhaps eating pine shavings. A 3 day old won't have sour crop--that takes time, and usually affects older chickens who have crop paralysis or previous impacted crop. Stop the Vagisil and the ACV. If the chick could be eating bedding, just put down some paper towels in the brooder for a few days. As long as the chick's crop is soft and full, she's eating and drinking, and active, it is probably normal. She may just be a little piggy.

Please explain how you express the crop. I have a 2 year old hen that I'm pretty sure has sour crop. Also, how much vagisil and why does that help?

I sure look forward to hearing from you. It just kills me to see my chicken suffer.

Thanks

Her crop was like a big balloon and fluid air filled feeling, not food. She has not felt well today at all. If she had a blockage from eating bedding would she be pooping? She is still pooping, it looks normal just not sure of the frequency, she has pooped on me so that is how I know she is pooping.

Oldclucker, I am not a pro at all. Look here on Backyard Chickens compare her symptoms to that of sour crop, you want to be sure that is what it lookslike.Also serach for instructions and for videos on how to. The feed are informative and help you rule out various conditions. There is risk to emptying their crop with sour crop. They can aspirate the fluid into the lungs. Sour crop is a yeast infection hence the Vagisil. I must say the first time I used it on my Hen I was nervous, it just sounded weird giving a vaginal suppository orally to a chicken lol.
You can also add 1 tbsp per gallon of Apple Cider Vinegar (with mother is better) to the water.

This is how I did it: I held the chicken wrapped tight in a towel to decrease her movement. Held her somewhat upside down and pressed the crop from the bottom up toward her head. I had a rag to wipe her mouth, gave her a 30 sec break and did it again. It is nerve wracking knowing there is a risk of aspiration. With the adult I treated, I would just cut off a piece of the vagisil suppository about 1/3 of it and halve it lengthwise, giving it to her in two bites essentially. I dosed her with 1/3 twice a day. I also offered her yogurt.

oldclucker said:

Please explain how you express the crop. I have a 2 year old hen that I'm pretty sure has sour crop. Also, how much vagisil and why does that help?

I sure look forward to hearing from you. It just kills me to see my chicken suffer.

Thanks

Click to expand...

Her crop was like a big balloon and fluid air filled feeling, not food. She has not felt well today at all. If she had a blockage from eating bedding would she be pooping? She is still pooping, it looks normal just not sure of the frequency, she has pooped on me so that is how I know she is pooping.

oldclucker said:

Please explain how you express the crop. I have a 2 year old hen that I'm pretty sure has sour crop. Also, how much vagisil and why does that help?

I sure look forward to hearing from you. It just kills me to see my chicken suffer.

Thanks

Click to expand...