1 month old sick chick.

[Asia]

A couple of days ago one of my 1 month old chicks started acting lethargic. He will eat and drink a little but his craw is swollen or full and he doesn't seem to be able to empty it. Is there anything that I can do?

 

[JennsPeeps]

Asia,

It sounds like your chick could have a sour or impacted crop. It's important that you treat this ASAP b/c the chick isn't getting any nutrition and is starving.

Do a search on BYC for "sour crop" and for "impacted crop" and see which one fits your chick's ailment.

I hope you're able to save the little one. Keep us posted.

 

[threehorses]

Agree with Jenn.

Once you treat, you'r egoing to need to do three things.
a) do supportive measures to bring the bird's digestive tract back into balance,
b) figure out WHY the crop backed up, and
c) fix (b).

(A) (After treating for the backed up crop) you'll want to give the bird only very easily dissolved foods like pellets for example. Don't feed grains, grasses, oatmeal, etc for a while. Try not to change the main bulk of the diet if your bird is on crumbles/pellets. Changes only bring more stress to the digestive tract.

You'll want to replace the good bacteria that are killed off by the soured contents that are dribbling through that crop into the digestive system. You'll want to use organic apple cider vinegar in the water (non-metal waterer please, only organic, 1-2 teaspoons per gallon). This helps get the gut pH back to a healthier pH rather than that of the slush from the bad crop. It also provides some living bacteria to help fight off the bad bacteria. Also it helps the bird digest their food better, break things down better. Bacteria in the gut are what are responsible for breaking down fibers that the gizzard doesn't get.

Further help the good bacteria by giving the bird a PRObiotic (living bacteria beneficial to the bird). Yogurt (1 teaspoon per four cups of feed per adult bird), acidophilus capsules from the grocer/pharmacy/healthfood store, Probios or fastrack or another equine/livestock probiotic from the feedstore (check the label for living bacteria), or tubes of probiotics from Petsmart or Petco. (Again make sure it has living bacteria, unlike Ornabac for birds which does not.)

Rebuild the bacteria, make sure that the food going in is easily broken down because the gut's not working correctly yet, etc.

By the way, egg yolk mixed into the above mixture is a good way of getting more nutrition into this bird.

B) Determining "why". What is your bird currently eating exactly? What are the droppings like? (Brownish green solid with white bits, dark green, mostly clear with white, yellowed, frothy green with some bubbles, yellowing green with no bubbles, rusty/orangey with or without blood, like chocolate pudding more than occassionally?) What is his living environment (pen with run, caged, free range, etc). Did he recently have access to grass for the first time? Any grit available? Any greens that he's not used to, or grains? Do you have well water or city? Does he have access to puddles or a pond?

Then we'll get to C).

Please answer all the questions as they were custom chosen to help you, specifically chosen to rule out or point out problems. Thanks! Hope we can help.