Chick with a sour crop

[ManILoveBirds]

I was holding my chick to clean out it's brooder when I realized the chick's crop is extremely soft, I accidentally pressed a little too hard on it and he vomitted out a white-ish clear liquid. I searched online and the websites say my chick most likely has a sour crop. My mom doesn't allow me to buy grits from pet stores and I tried to crush up some gravel and gave it to the chick but he doesn't want to eat it. What should I do?

 

[azygous]

Grit is something chickens need or they cannot digest their food. They can eventually starve because of this.

It's important for us to know the age of your chick. Are you in the US? If not, which country?

What have you been feeding this chick? Is it the only chick you have? Any other older chickens?

 

[ManILoveBirds]

Grit is something chickens need or they cannot digest their food. They can eventually starve because of this.

It's important for us to know the age of your chick. Are you in the US? If not, which country?

What have you been feeding this chick? Is it the only chick you have? Any other older chickens?

The chick is about 5 weeks old already, and to be honest I didn’t know that chickens needed grit, really irresponsible of me but at least I know what not to do in the future. I live in B.C, Canada with only one chick which I feed a mixture of a pack of wild bird food, some chicken pallets, rice, peas, and corn.

 

[azygous]

At age five weeks, the chick would need small gravel such as you would find in construction sand. Find some of that, or if you are near a creek or river, you might find something suitable. It must not be rounded. It must have edges.

Below is a photo of the grit I use. The stuff on the left is adult grit from a feed store. The stuff on the right is construction sand, and suitable for chicks.

Since you have been feeding your chick foods that require grit to digest, your chick is likely constipated. This can kill a chick unless treated. Give the chick one teaspoon coconut oil divided into pea size pieces and chilled to harden it. Gently massage the crop to disperse the oil. If the chick doesn't poop within an hour, give it more coconut oil.

Why coconut oil? Because liquid oil is difficult to give without risking going into the airway and killing your chick.

 

[ManILoveBirds]

At age five weeks, the chick would need small gravel such as you would find in construction sand. Find some of that, or if you are near a creek or river, you might find something suitable. It must not be rounded. It must have edges.

Below is a photo of the grit I use. The stuff on the left is adult grit from a feed store. The stuff on the right is construction sand, and suitable for chicks.

Since you have been feeding your chick foods that require grit to digest, your chick is likely constipated. This can kill a chick unless treated. Give the chick one teaspoon coconut oil divided into pea size pieces and chilled to harden it. Gently massage the crop to disperse the oil. If the chick doesn't poop within an hour, give it more coconut oil.

Why coconut oil? Because liquid oil is difficult to give without risking going into the airway and killing your chick.
View attachment 3057003

Thank you so so much, but sorry to bother again, is there any alternatives to coconut oil?

 

[azygous]

Crisco. I've never used it, but it should work. Or bacon grease.

You can try olive oil, but it's extremely difficult to get liquid oil safely into a small chick.

Next time you shop, pick up coconut oil for your first aid kit.

 

[ManILoveBirds]

Thank you! I might have to use olive oil for now but I’ll definitely get coconut oil as fast as possible!