5 week old chick with impacted crop

[newbiechickenmamma11]

I have a 5 week old araucana chick (different to the other one I've asked for help with) who is growing slow for its age and breed. I've been keeping an eye out to see what's wrong, and have noticed its crop is full in the mornings. Hence, I withdrew food from the brooder overnight for a few days to investigate.

I've noticed that its crop does not empty by the morning, over the past 3 mornings, and so I'm concerned it has an impacted crop. I think maybe the crop has emptied 10-20% overnight, if anything, but in the mornings it is a solid round lump made of the chick starter it is eating. I did some research online, and read that I could feed it olive oil, extra water, and give it a gentle upwards massage to help the food move through its digestive system and loosen the round solid ball. I have done that over the past two days, and it has definitely helped loosen the food, and the massage has helped move at least some of the food down through the digestive system. However, the next morning is still the same.

The chick is otherwise spritely and active in the brooder, and eats and drinks like the other chicks. No other chicks have impacted crop - except for another runt chick who seems to have a doughy crop. It's currently only on chick starter which contains grit (and so the breeder told me it did not need extra grit), but because the grit is small I'm wondering if it's falling to the bottom of the plate and it's not eating enough. Would offering a plate of grit help? The brooder contains wood shavings on the bottom. The water it is drinking now contains bird electrolytes/vitamins in the water (from the pet store) - I was hoping it would help.

I'm wondering what I could do to solve this issue so it doesn't keep having the same issue every morning?

I have attached a photo of the chick

 

[alinas2010]

I have a 5 week old araucana chick (different to the other one I've asked for help with) who is growing slow for its age and breed. I've been keeping an eye out to see what's wrong, and have noticed its crop is full in the mornings. Hence, I withdrew food from the brooder overnight for a few days to investigate.

I've noticed that its crop does not empty by the morning, over the past 3 mornings, and so I'm concerned it has an impacted crop. I think maybe the crop has emptied 10-20% overnight, if anything, but in the mornings it is a solid round lump made of the chick starter it is eating. I did some research online, and read that I could feed it olive oil, extra water, and give it a gentle upwards massage to help the food move through its digestive system and loosen the round solid ball. I have done that over the past two days, and it has definitely helped loosen the food, and the massage has helped move at least some of the food down through the digestive system. However, the next morning is still the same.

The chick is otherwise spritely and active in the brooder, and eats and drinks like the other chicks. No other chicks have impacted crop - except for another runt chick who seems to have a doughy crop. It's currently only on chick starter which contains grit (and so the breeder told me it did not need extra grit), but because the grit is small I'm wondering if it's falling to the bottom of the plate and it's not eating enough. Would offering a plate of grit help? The brooder contains wood shavings on the bottom. The water it is drinking now contains bird electrolytes/vitamins in the water (from the pet store) - I was hoping it would help.

I'm wondering what I could do to solve this issue so it doesn't keep having the same issue every morning?

I have attached a photo of the chick

Sorry to hear about your chicks having crop issues, they sure are frustrating. Cute little thing! You are doing things correctly by doing massages with oil. You might try giving them frozen coconut oil for the chick to peck at if they’re not keen on slurping up the olive oil. Keep at it with massages a few times a day until things empty. Sometimes it can take quite a few days until things get back to normal.

Yes, do provide grit in a separate dish if they’re eating anything other than chicken starter. If they’re only eating chicken starter, they shouldn’t need it mixed into their food. It is good to let the chicks pick up the grit as needed and always have it available if they’re getting anything other than chick starter. With it being in their food they likely can’t control how much they’re getting, as you’ve suggested.

What brand of chick starter are you using? It’s odd that that would impact her crop. Is there a chance she ate any bedding accidentally? How is her back end, is the vent clear?

Here is a good article about crop issues and how to treat them by @azygous:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[newbiechickenmamma11]

Sorry to hear about your chicks having crop issues, they sure are frustrating. Cute little thing! You are doing things correctly by doing massages with oil. You might try giving them frozen coconut oil for the chick to peck at if they’re not keen on slurping up the olive oil. Keep at it with massages a few times a day until things empty. Sometimes it can take quite a few days until things get back to normal.

Yes, do provide grit in a separate dish if they’re eating anything other than chicken starter. If they’re only eating chicken starter, they shouldn’t need it mixed into their food. It is good to let the chicks pick up the grit as needed and always have it available if they’re getting anything other than chick starter. With it being in their food they likely can’t control how much they’re getting, as you’ve suggested.

What brand of chick starter are you using? It’s odd that that would impact her crop. Is there a chance she ate any bedding accidentally? How is her back end, is the vent clear?

Here is a good article about crop issues and how to treat them by @azygous:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Hello, thank you for your advice and link!

I dip its beak in olive oil and it slurps it up willingly, so that has worked but will keep coconut oil in mind as well. I will provide grit in a separate dish.

I'm using Green Valley Grains Open Range starter/grower mash which is what the breeder recommended I use: https://www.greenvalleygrains.com/product-page/open-range-starter-grower-mash
The bits are all different and what I can feel in her crop is usually big bits from the mix. There is definitely a chance she ate bedding accidentally - as they often make a mess of the food and I see them pecking for food within the bedding, but it's hard to tell when I watch them! Her vent is clear.

When I treat with oil and massage, it does go down/loosen, but it happens again the next morning. Is this an issue that is meant to go away? I'm just confused why her impacted crop keeps coming back

 

[alinas2010]

Hello, thank you for your advice and link!

I dip its beak in olive oil and it slurps it up willingly, so that has worked but will keep coconut oil in mind as well. I will provide grit in a separate dish.

I'm using Green Valley Grains Open Range starter/grower mash which is what the breeder recommended I use: https://www.greenvalleygrains.com/product-page/open-range-starter-grower-mash
The bits are all different and what I can feel in her crop is usually big bits from the mix. There is definitely a chance she ate bedding accidentally - as they often make a mess of the food and I see them pecking for food within the bedding, but it's hard to tell when I watch them! Her vent is clear.

When I treat with oil and massage, it does go down/loosen, but it happens again the next morning. Is this an issue that is meant to go away? I'm just confused why her impacted crop keeps coming back

Ah okay, yes I bet she does need grit with that food, sorry I was thinking that it was just starter crumble. I would provide a separate dish with chick grit just to be safe.

Crop issues can be somewhat complex and tough to figure out at times. It may keep slowly draining until whatever is blocking passes through. Sometimes this can take a while, but if it’s the feed, then grit should help. I’ve had a hen that it took probably 5 days to get completely unblocked. The other thing to think about is a sour crop. Is it possible she has a yeasty crop and that’s why her crop is large?

 

[newbiechickenmamma11]

Thanks! Would 'fine' shellgrit be suitable for chicks her size?

Like this one below? https://www.greenvalleygrains.com/product-page/green-valley-grains-shell-grit

I will continue to monitor and treat. I'm a first time chicken mama so not completely sure, but based on what I read it sounds more like an impacted crop as the bits inside are solid little pieces, rather than smooth and liquidy? She doesn't have sour breath either, but also she's so small there's probably no breath to smell!

Thank you

 

[alinas2010]

Thanks! Would 'fine' shellgrit be suitable for chicks her size?

Like this one below? https://www.greenvalleygrains.com/product-page/green-valley-grains-shell-grit

I will continue to monitor and treat. I'm a first time chicken mama so not completely sure, but based on what I read it sounds more like an impacted crop as the bits inside are solid little pieces, rather than smooth and liquidy? She doesn't have sour breath either, but also she's so small there's probably no breath to smell!

Thank you

That product does say it can help as grit would, but because they’re chicks, I would steer away from the shell grit due to the excess calcium it would be providing them. Because it’s also shell grit, it may not be quite strong enough depending on what needs broken down. Usually when you provide grit, you’ll want some crushed granite, like the this; nice a tough and formulated for chicks:

She may not have a yeasty crop, but keep an eye on it incase it does because squishy. Hopefully the grit and massages help and she can get on her way.