Chick not growing, slow crop emptying, pasty butt

[kattington]

One of my two week old chicks is not growing like the rest. A few days ago, I noticed that her crop is not emptying well. I have been giving her olive oil, massaging her crop and adding ACV to their water. Now today she has pasty butt. I cleaned her off, but not sure what is going on with her. She is only 1/2 the size of the rest of the chicks. She was smaller than the rest from the beginning, but it is much more noticeable now. She walks around very slowly and stays under the heat a lot. I have been giving them fermented organic feed, and she eats and drinks well. I just ordered some Kocci-Free to give her, but it won't be here for 2 days. I want to raise them as organically as possible, but I also want to give her a good chance.

 

[Eggcessive]

Is her crop big and puffy soft, or is is big and hard? Don't give more olive oil, because if she aspirates it, it could be the end. Is she eating any bedding? Pasty butt can occur if the heat is too high in the brooder or they are not taking enough water. If you think she could have coccidiosis, don't mess around with herbal treatments, but get some Corid (amprollium.) It inhibits thiamine in the coccidia oocyst, but is not an antibiotic. It is common with cocci to have a slow crop, but coccidiosis usually isn't a problem until 3 weeks of age and older.

 

[kattington]

Thanks. In the mornings her crop is big and hard, then I massage it down and it softens up. Only one morning it was big and soft like it had air in it, but I haven't seen that since. I haven't given her her any olive oil since the first day that I noticed her crop was hard. It was much worse that day, and I couldn't get it to loosen up at all. I won't give her any more. I don't know if she is eating shavings, maybe. They have a Brinsea EcoGlow in their brooder so they can go under the heat whenever they want. I don't have a heat lamp at all. I really don't know what is wrong with her, just trying anything since she looks and acts so frail. I think they are all having normal stools, but a few of them are a *little* dirty on their back ends. Not too bad except for the tiny chick. I'm not sure if that's normal or not. I'm happy to try the Corrid, I just don't really know what's wrong with her. Thanks for answering!

 

[Eggcessive]

If a chick has pasty butt, they may get it every day for a bit, since it seems to be from dehydration. Put paper towels over the pine shavings or bedding for a week or so. I sprinkle feed down on the paper towel, and they will eat it instead of the shavings. Hopefully if there is an impaction in her crop it will go away. With chicks eating 24/7 they hardly ever have an empty crop.

 

[casportpony]

I've also seen pasty butt in chicks with coccidiosis, so I would try the Corid.

Corid dosing info here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/818879/updated-corid-and-amprol-amprolium-dosing

-Kathy

 

[maple11chickens]

Does anyone know what the air in the crop is about? I have got a chick that has had air in its crop for 2 days.

 

[casportpony]

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Does anyone know what the air in the crop is about? I have got a chick that has had air in its crop for 2 days.

Welcome to BYC!

Are you sure it's air in the crop? Read this:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/828000/subcutaneous-emphysema-pictures-added

Do not attempt to puncture the crop to remove the air. If air is in the crop you should be able to massage it up and out, sort of like a burb. Make sense?

Kathy

Edited to add: read posts 7, 13 and 20 of the link above.
Edited again with correct link.

 

[Eggcessive]

Does anyone know what the air in the crop is about? I have got a chick that has had air in its crop for 2 days.

Does your chick have any other symptoms? How old?