2-3 week old chick, hard croup, seems to be gasping

[canesisters]

I have 8 chicks that I brought home from a swap on Saturday - 2-3 weeks old, various breeds.
This morning they were all fine. Active, eating, drinking - looked great.
This afternoon I took a quick peek before heading out to a meeting, I didn't notice anything wrong.
Tonight when I came home one of them was making a coo-koo noise. I though it was cute at first - for about 10 seconds. Then I realized something was WRONG. A closer look - there is a small, hard lump just in front of her brestbone (croup?) and she's wheezing/gasping. She's willing to move - I had to 'chase' her just a little bit to pick her up. But once she's caught, she's not trying to go anywhere. I've got her sitting on the desk wrapped in the hood of my jacket right now.
I thought impacted croup? Tried to give her a few drops of water - to soften up the lump and help it move (?) but she didn't seem to get any of it down.
She stretches out her neck with each wheeze - Stretch neck, high pitched sound, open beak and pull head back, lower sound.
"Coo-koo, coo-koo"
Every few 'coos' she shakes her head and peeps - or squeeks loud.
No unusual poo that I've seen - she hasn't poo-d since I got home.
I don't see any discharge from her nose - her color looks good (in her mouth, skin under her wings..)

Any ideas???

 

[canesisters]

No one?????

 

[canesisters]

She just poo-d, looked normal.
Gave her a few more drops of water. Don't know if she actually swallowed any. Scared I'm going to get it in her lungs.

I have to be at work at 5:30 in the morning so HAVE to get a little sleep. Have no way to keep her safe and warm in the house, so taking her back out to the brooder.
HOPING that it's not something contagious. Leaving the computer on while I'm out - hoping someone will offer a little advise.

 

[Amy PT]

I'm new to chicks, and have no ideas or suggestions for you. I just wanted to say I hope she's okay, and I'm sorry you're not getting answers here.

 

[canesisters]

Well - she made it through the night.
She's still making that rythmitic, coo-koo sound with the head/neck streatching and beak opening.
I gave her a few more drops of water and when I put her back in the brooder she ran to be with the others. Running is good, right?

I'm still searching the site for help but would REALLY appreciate any advise any of you could offer.

Is there something else I could be looking for? Should I be trying to give her water?? Maybe some soft food?? Like what? Leave her alone to work it out?? They're on wood shaving bedding and have been really wearing out the sawdust when they find it... could that be part of the problem??? She really looks like she's trying to swallow something... I've even tried turning her upside down for a moment and stroking her croup (the lump).

 

[canesisters]

I'm thinking maybe impacted crop since she has no discharge from her nostrils or mouth. (?)

From what I've been able to find, I should give olive oil and massage the crop.
How much oil? Just a drop or two? How to give it? Just open her beak and drop it in??
How hard to masage the crop? I don't want to hurt her or cause damage.

Anyone????

 

[Nambroth]

I just got your PM, but wanted to respond here in case anyone else can chime in!

The yawning and strange neck movements that you describe do sound like a bird trying to adjust its crop. Normally, birds do this when the crop is at a funny angle, or very full, or is somehow bothering them. Ordinarily 2-3 yawns and neck wiggles will settle it. The fact that your baby is doing it often and has a hard crop sounds like a possible impaction.

Your chick is still pooping? Are they normal poops?

What are you feeding your chicks and what have they had access to?

Grit is a mechanical digestive aid in the gizzard-- this is below the crop and well inside the chicken-- so grit really doesn't do anything for an impacted crop (if the grit is too large for the chick, it will make it worse or cause it).

When I had crop impaction problems with my chick Derp, I found physical massage of the crop to be the most effective. I massaged the crop every way except for up. The sensation is hard to describe... have you ever played with one of those stress balls that have sand in them? It sort of feels like that, but more gentle of course. You want to actually rub and gently manipulate the contents between gentle fingers. It's not a petting motion.

I have mixed feelings on olive oil; the inside of the crop is already pretty slick and lubricated unless the bird is severely dehydrated. A drop or two likely won't hurt unless the crop is sour (if it's hard this is not likely). You can offer the drops directly on an eyedropper or cook up some scrambled eggs then mix in a wee bit of olive oil. You only need a little bit for a chick; the rest can feast on the leftovers (without oil). Chop it up very fine, like the size of their chick crumbles. I generally feel that if you can't help with crop massage, it is probably beyond the chicken's power to pass and surgery is the only option. Obviously this is not something I recommend for a chick, so try the massage. Here's a link, though, if curious: http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Article.html

I used to massage Derp's tiny crop for 30 minutes at a time, let her rest and drink, then continue. It took several sessions. I don't know how she got stopped up in the first place-- maybe she ate some wood shavings. I'll never know for sure. But I suspect that they can impact on it if they eat a lot or eat a piece too big to swallow.

Is she eating or drinking, still?

 

[canesisters]

I just got your PM, but wanted to respond here in case anyone else can chime in!

The yawning and strange neck movements that you describe do sound like a bird trying to adjust its crop. Normally, birds do this when the crop is at a funny angle, or very full, or is somehow bothering them. Ordinarily 2-3 yawns and neck wiggles will settle it. The fact that your baby is doing it often and has a hard crop sounds like a possible impaction.

Your chick is still pooping? Are they normal poops?

She pooped once last night and it was normal. I had to put her back in the brooder because I didn't have a reliable way to keep her safe and warm in the house, so I don't know what she's done since then.

What are you feeding your chicks and what have they had access to?

They are on medicated chick starter. I've only had them since Saturday so they haven't had anything else. They do pick constantly at the bedding (wood shavings) and I suspect that might be the problem - if it IS impaction.

Grit is a mechanical digestive aid in the gizzard-- this is below the crop and well inside the chicken-- so grit really doesn't do anything for an impacted crop (if the grit is too large for the chick, it will make it worse or cause it).

When I had crop impaction problems with my chick Derp, I found physical massage of the crop to be the most effective. I massaged the crop every way except for up. The sensation is hard to describe... have you ever played with one of those stress balls that have sand in them? It sort of feels like that, but more gentle of course. You want to actually rub and gently manipulate the contents between gentle fingers. It's not a petting motion.

Aha - ok. Then I was on the right track last night. Thank goodness.

I have mixed feelings on olive oil; the inside of the crop is already pretty slick and lubricated unless the bird is severely dehydrated. A drop or two likely won't hurt unless the crop is sour (if it's hard this is not likely). You can offer the drops directly on an eyedropper or cook up some scrambled eggs then mix in a wee bit of olive oil. You only need a little bit for a chick; the rest can feast on the leftovers (without oil). Chop it up very fine, like the size of their chick crumbles. I generally feel that if you can't help with crop massage, it is probably beyond the chicken's power to pass and surgery is the only option. Obviously this is not something I recommend for a chick, so try the massage. Here's a link, though, if curious: http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Article.html


I used to massage Derp's tiny crop for 30 minutes at a time, let her rest and drink, then continue. It took several sessions. I don't know how she got stopped up in the first place-- maybe she ate some wood shavings. I'll never know for sure. But I suspect that they can impact on it if they eat a lot or eat a piece too big to swallow.

Is she eating or drinking, still?

I haven't seen her do either. I'll try the egg and oil this afternoon. The others have had sand and grit since yesterday so they will enjoy the left over egg, I'm sure.

 

[ETphonehome]

Did she made it?, what was at the end impaction or something else?

 

[LawChick]

My vet gave my chicken a little cat hairball medicine to get things moving out of her severely impacted crop. My hen was dehydrated, so she did require some extra liquid to get the crop lubricated again. I also fed her very small amounts of bread that I had crumbled up into tiny pieces and mixed with a little water and a little olive oil. It did the trick. She is now reunited with her roosties (chicken equivalent of homies)! Also, I used a dog crate to make a little hospital room for the hen at home. I kept her in the basement in it until she was done with the medication (for an intestinal infection . . . no telling which came first, impaction or infection) and I was able to monitor her food/water intake very well. Hope your chicken recovers, too!