4 1/2 week old chick in need of help

[jonalisa]

I gave her a drop of Nutridrench and tried to give her a little scrambled egg, but she wasn't interested. Her crop feels a little puffed up and very soft but empty. (I compared hers with the crops of the other chicks and they are somewhat hard and full.) She's chirping softly and constantly but she's laying down trying to sleep with the others.

I'm too worried to go to bed. Any guidance?

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[ThatTeowonna]

First thing is isolate her from the others to avoid spreading whatever it is. More experienced chick keepers can advise from that point on. Good luck.

 

[jonalisa]

I gave her a drop of Nutridrench and tried to give her a little scrambled egg, but she wasn't interested. Her crop feels a little puffed up and very soft but empty. (I compared hers with the crops of the other chicks and they are somewhat hard and full.) She's chirping softly and constantly but she's by herself under the heater.
She was fine all day. The chicks were on medicated feed for the first 2 1/2 weeks.
I'm too worried to go to bed. Any guidance?

My chicks are all asleep and I am petrified to go to bed in case there is something I should/could be doing. I have been up for over 24 hours

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@Eggcessive @azygous @Wyorp Rock

 

[jonalisa]

Well, after no response here I posted on Reddit and they think it Is likely sour crop and that I should wake the chick, give olive oil and massage the crop. I've never done this before and not sure it is the right thing. I am so exhausted, I can't think straight.
I reread @azygous article on crop issues and I'm thinking I should wait until morning to see if the crop is still empty and puffed up. God, I hope this is the right thing. Ruby is my favorite and she's really the first to become attached to me.

 

[Fluffy_Feathers]

I'm so sorry no one has replied. I'm not a sour crop expert, but from what I've read there is often an odor present if you open her mouth and smell. Is there any odor coming from her mouth?

 

[jonalisa]

This morning I gave my chick coconut oil and did gentle downward crop massage, according to @azygous article. She does have a round, squishy crop but no smell of anything at all around her head.

Is it possible to have a round squishy crop but no smell and still have it be sour crop?

Edited to include she's standing under the heater.

 

[azygous]

I've just yesterday finished a seven-day round of miconazole for a two-year old hen with such a bad case of sour crop she was regurgitating spontaneously when she would bend over to pick up grit. Yet, over the entire week, at no time did I detect a sour odor.

Only once did a crop disorder reek of an awful smell. That hen had impacted crop that had also soured. I've treated a lot of sour crops that never smelled. Usually an impacted crop in a young bird does not smell at all.

Has the pullet responded to the oil and massage? It's very rare that such a very young bird would have sour crop. The oil alone should be able to clear it up.

 

[jonalisa]

I've just yesterday finished a seven-day round of miconazole for a two-year old hen with such a bad case of sour crop she was regurgitating spontaneously when she would bend over to pick up grit. Yet, over the entire week, at no time did I detect a sour odor.

Only once did a crop disorder reek of an awful smell. That hen had impacted crop that had also soured. I've treated a lot of sour crops that never smelled. Usually an impacted crop in a young bird does not smell at all.

Has the pullet responded to the oil and massage? It's very rare that such a very young bird would have sour crop. The oil alone should be able to clear it up.

Thank you so much.
I just did it once this morning-about an hour ago. No response yet. She's sleeping under the heater.
How soon should I repeat?

I can go get Miconazole...should I?

 

[Eggcessive]

Is the chick 4 1/2 weeks, not months right? I would be a little concerned that she could have coccidiosis. Some chickens can have slow crops with coccidiosis. But I would watch for both a crop disorder and cocci. Corid is the treatment, and most use the maximum dosage of 2 tsp of the liquid or 1.5 tsp of the powder per gallon of water for 5-7 days. Once Corid is started, if you do treat with it, stop any vitamins until after treatment. You can give a couple of drops of the undiluted Corid as well, twice a day as a quick boost. @azygous is very good with crop problems, so I hope that the chick gets better soon.

 

[azygous]

I really don't think you'll need to treat for sour crop. This chick is too young to have that issue. Never heard of it happening to such a young bird.

However, impacted crop and constipation does occur in chicks as they sometimes gorge of food and don't drink adequate water and also may be deficient in obtaining grit.

Rather than buying miconazole, I suggest buying chick grit.