Someone has got to know why my chick smells sour

[amanda1]

I have read a lot of posts on here where someone complains that their chick smells like sour milk, grain, or something else. We have a brood of 4 and one smells awful, enough to make you gag. They are 3 weeks old and she has smelled for a couple of weeks, but otherwise behaves normally. I just got some Braggs apple cider vinegar yesterday and am putting some in their water. But I cannot find anything online about 3 week old chicks with sour crop. There doesn't seem to be any definitive answers here about what the cause is, or a cure. I also started giving them grit, even though they are on purina medicated feed and supposedly don't need it. It's possible they all ingested some small pieces of wood chips before we switched their bedding. Their crops all feel the same. Otherwise I am at a loss as to this seemingly somewhat common problem. None of the local chicken experts I know have experienced this either. Could someone who maybe had this issue in the past help me?

 

[aart]

Not sure what to tell you, but I wouldn't use anything unless you know what the problem is definitively.
If the chick is eating, drinking, pooping, and active..... the smell could just be an anomaly.

 

[casportpony]

I have t been able to find a local vet that sees chickens. I have been using the raw ACV in their water for 8 days now. She still has a mild yeasty smell coming from her beak, but the smell has definitely lessened within the last week. I have been trying unsuccessfully to get probiotics into her. All I could find locally was a gel form, which I have tried putting on crumbles, or administering directly without any luck.

If you really think it's yeast you could try some Nystatin.
http://www.allbirdproducts.com/newproductpages/AB10232.html





-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Here is a picture of a small finch that I suspect had a yeast infection:


-Kathy

 

[aart]

Maybe you just have an extra sensitive sniffer?
Honestly, I never get close enough to my birds mouth to smell their breath to know how one smells compared to another.
It might just mean she has a different bioload than the others, if she's not sick I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[amanda1]

I never found out what caused it, but I can only guess something in her crop? I used raw ACV in their water, one TB to a quart of water while she smelled. It went away, but came back again, then went away for good. Don’t give up on your chick! Mine is now a very healthy, great egg layer and going on three years old!

 

[Snow chickens]

Thank you. She is still fine. I used acv but have stopped. She still smells somewhat but is much better. No idea what her deal is/was. Good to hear your girl is well!

 

[casportpony]

Can you take it to a vet and have the vet check it for yeast?

-Kathy

 

[amanda1]

I have t been able to find a local vet that sees chickens. I have been using the raw ACV in their water for 8 days now. She still has a mild yeasty smell coming from her beak, but the smell has definitely lessened within the last week. I have been trying unsuccessfully to get probiotics into her. All I could find locally was a gel form, which I have tried putting on crumbles, or administering directly without any luck.

 

[amanda1]

How do you typically administer this to a 4 week old that is in with other chicks? I am afraid separating her would cause her undue stress. She freaks out if she is away from the rest even for a minute. Thank you for this post, I didn't realize there was something made specifically for birds with yeast infections.