URGENT! Bulging chest?!

Hello,
I have a 5 week old silver laced Wyandotte who I've had for a week with 4 other chicks..all has been well except tonight when I put them to bed I noticed the Wyandotte was really sleepy compared to the others, pooing liquid (they usually have big normal poos) and when I patted her and stroked her neck she didn't even wake up. Went back to check half hour later and she was drinking non stop, then I picked her up and her right side of chest is bulging and pink, the left side is still feathered. It feels like it's full of fluid?

Have read about the crop disorders but they only eat crumble..could she have been bitten by a bee?!
Please help!!
Thanks

Welcome to BYC.

Can you post some photos?

Sometimes chicks can overeat and the crop will seem huge. If she is drinking a lot of water, the crop could feel a little squishy.
A crop should be full at night, so check her first thing in the morning before she has had anything to eat/drink - the crop should be "flat".

I have a SLW that really has a full crop/bulge at night. She sometimes looks like she may fall sideways off the roost she is so big. Every morning her crop is flat and fine. I think her feather pattern makes it look even bigger(?) She's a good eater.

Even if you are only feeding crumbles, IMHO it doesn't hurt to offer some poultry grit (crushed granite) free choice.

This article is on crop issues, but has some good photos of what a normal crop should look and feel like as well.
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2014/06/chicken-anatomy-crop-impacted-crop-sour.html

Well, isn't it normal for a chick to be sleepy at bedtime? And the crop is on the right side, so your chick has not been stung by a bee, which could be fatal, by the way.

Granted, watery poop isn't normal, but what you want to look for is behavior during the day. If this chick isn't active, stands around mostly with tail held low, then you know you probably have a sick chick. Watch it and see if it is displaying signs of crop discomfort. It would be extending its neck and gaping its beak on and off.

If you see that, try massaging the crop very, very gently in a circular and downward motion. That will help the crop to empty, giving relief.

Watery poop all by itself isn't cause for concern. In fact, watery poop can be the default "style" for some chickens. I have one of those. She is a six-year old Speckled Sussex and she's had watery "splorts" ever since I brought her home when she was two days old. For her, solid poops are a novelty. Other than that, she's never had a sick day in six years.

From what I have read in your post......She drank lots of water......Crop got large......Watery poop........I think she will be fine.....What goes in must come out......If they run out of water during the day or if the other hens boss her from the water station they will over drink.....Chickens most important thing other than proper diet is water.........



Cheers!

Thanks for the advice!! Think I may have over reacted..first time chicken mum and want the best for them!! She was acting her usual self today, crop has halved in size but will continue to monitor it just in case. At what age do you guys recommend taking the feed out of their night time box? Man from the stock feed shop said to leave them food 24/7 but could they be over eating?

Wyorp Rock said:

Welcome to BYC.

Can you post some photos?

Sometimes chicks can overeat and the crop will seem huge.  If she is drinking a lot of water, the crop could feel a little squishy.
A crop should be full at night, so check her first thing in the morning before she has had anything to eat/drink - the crop should be "flat".

I have a SLW that really has a full crop/bulge at night.  She sometimes looks like she may fall sideways off the roost she is so big.  Every morning her crop is flat and fine.  I think her feather pattern makes it look even bigger(?)  She's a good eater.

Even if you are only feeding crumbles, IMHO it doesn't hurt to offer some poultry grit (crushed granite) free choice. 

This article is on crop issues, but has some good photos of what a normal crop should look and feel like as well.
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2014/06/chicken-anatomy-crop-impacted-crop-sour.html

Click to expand...

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susierw said:

Thanks for the advice!! Think I may have over reacted..first time chicken mum and want the best for them!! She was acting her usual self today, crop has halved in size but will continue to monitor it just in case. At what age do you guys recommend taking the feed out of their night time box? Man from the stock feed shop said to leave them food 24/7 but could they be over eating?

Click to expand...

I'll admit it, the first time I saw one of mine with a huge crop, I did a bit of worrying myself

Everybody has their own way of keeping chickens.

Photos will be helpful - would love to see your sweet tweets and how you are keeping them. If they are still in a "brooder" with light/heat. Then at least leave water in there 24/7. Some prefer to leave food as well. I fall in that camp. If they are up and walking around with light in the middle of the night, they will be wanting to eat.

At 5 weeks, they should be feathered fairly well and not need additional heat and a light. They should be able to sleep all night at this point, but of course this depends on how they are being kept now. If you have cold temps and they are used to a heat source, then you would want to gradually take away heat. Giving us your general location in the world would be helpful as well.

Chickens are generally very good at regulating the amount of food they need.

She's declined again today the crop is enlarged and hot to touch..massage gives her relief but she's just standing there asleep all day no interest in food. Still drinking a bit but looking very weak compared to the other chicks. I'm in Western Australia so it's starting to get pretty warm during the day. I was told to give her 2 drops of nystatin?  

Another pic!

It can't hurt to treat her with an anti-yeast med. But a yeast infection in any poultry, no matter the age, is more a symptom of otherwise declining health than a condition unto itself.

I'm afraid you little chick is a "failure-to-thrive". It has more going wrong than just a yeast infection in its crop. You would best prepare yourself for this chick to die. I'm so sorry.