Baby chick crop

[Teresa Lawson]

I accidentally fed my babies starter grower. Now their crop is big. What can I do?

 

[Tamdog]

hum, I will admit I am new here and thought that " Starter Grower" was what you feed them when they are young- can you tell us what the brand name of the food you are using is? I will try to see if I can find the answer to your question under the articles and get back to you. Seems odd that they would have a big crop due to the feed. How old are the chicks and how long did you feed them that? Maybe someone with better experience will jump in here soon. My thought is maybe give them a tiny bit of scrambled egg.

 

[Tamdog]

I found this: if this does not help you give a shout out again in the morning ( with the answers to the questions I asked so we can help you diagnose) and maybe someone else will have an answer..
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

 

[Tamdog]

This paragraph explains a lot, it says they gorge before bed and wake up with an empty crop- maybe you will find in the morning that it all worked out: ( paragraph from article) So how do you know if the bird has a crop issue? Lets start with the healthy crop. A bird that has a healthy fully functioning Crop will always wake up with an empty Crop and go to roost with a full Crop. Birds like to stuff their Crops full a few hours before roosting so they can get through the night with enough calories to stay warm and alive. It takes about 4 to 8 hours to completely empty a Crop. So upon inspection first thing in the morning before the bird has eaten or drank anything, the Crop should be completely empty. Morning is the only time you can count on a Crop to be empty with a healthy bird. Crops can feel funky all day long...soft and squishy, hard and firm. So make your assessment in the morning before the bird has eaten or drank anything. If you come to find a bird with a full crop in the morning, something is amiss with the digestion or the bird itself.

 

[Teresa Lawson]

This paragraph explains a lot, it says they gorge before bed and wake up with an empty crop- maybe you will find in the morning that it all worked out: ( paragraph from article) So how do you know if the bird has a crop issue? Lets start with the healthy crop. A bird that has a healthy fully functioning Crop will always wake up with an empty Crop and go to roost with a full Crop. Birds like to stuff their Crops full a few hours before roosting so they can get through the night with enough calories to stay warm and alive. It takes about 4 to 8 hours to completely empty a Crop. So upon inspection first thing in the morning before the bird has eaten or drank anything, the Crop should be completely empty. Morning is the only time you can count on a Crop to be empty with a healthy bird. Crops can feel funky all day long...soft and squishy, hard and firm. So make your assessment in the morning before the bird has eaten or drank anything. If you come to find a bird with a full crop in the morning, something is amiss with the digestion or the bird itself.

Well, it is late and we are usually asleep at this time so maybe they will be fine in the morning.

 

[Teresa Lawson]

hum, I will admit I am new here and thought that " Starter Grower" was what you feed them when they are young- can you tell us what the brand name of the food you are using is? I will try to see if I can find the answer to your question under the articles and get back to you. Seems odd that they would have a big crop due to the feed. How old are the chicks and how long did you feed them that? Maybe someone with better experience will jump in here soon. My thought is maybe give them a tiny bit of scrambled egg.

So starter/grower is the right kind of feed? My chickens are 9 days old.

 

[Teresa Lawson]

When I woke up this morning my chickens were fine. Thank you so much for your help. I guess I'm just being a overly protective mother hen.

 

[Tamdog]

So starter/grower is the right kind of feed? My chickens are 9 days old.

Are they looking better this morning?
Yes, depending on what feed you buy it is sometimes hard to read the ages that the feed is for. - but Grower starter is what I use. - and now they have another level they introduced for ten weeks to adult. I also read an article ( not on this site) from a farmer who said that she never ever used grower starter and just put them straight away when they are hatched on the same lay feed her other old hens eat. She said- that plenty of others do the same thing and not one has baby chicks falling dead or dying of kidney disease. So- now that my chicks are 9 weeks, I am not as panicking when I get low on Starter feed I feel a bit more relaxed about it . I am still going to buy it and use it, but I am not as worried about it.
BUT: remember that is just my opinion and someone else may jump on here with some real expert advice.- and say different.

 

[Teresa Lawson]

Are they looking better this morning?
Yes, depending on what feed you buy it is sometimes hard to read the ages that the feed is for. - but Grower starter is what I use. - and now they have another level they introduced for ten weeks to adult. I also read an article ( not on this site) from a farmer who said that she never ever used grower starter and just put them straight away when they are hatched on the same lay feed her other old hens eat. She said- that plenty of others do the same thing and not one has baby chicks falling dead or dying of kidney disease. So- now that my chicks are 9 weeks, I am not as panicking when I get low on Starter feed I feel a bit more relaxed about it . I am still going to buy it and use it, but I am not as worried about it.
BUT: remember that is just my opinion and someone else may jump on here with some real expert advice.- and say different.

Yes they are looking better. Thank you for your help. I was so worried about them.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Yes, chick grower/Starter feed is what you feed young chicks. From day 1-6 weeks. At 6 weeks I switch them over to flock raiser.
It's normal for chicks to have full crop after eating. I've been raising chicks for years now.