Columbian Wyandotte Rooster

[LilCtryGal]

I received a "Mystery" chick in my last bird order. Turns out it's a Columbian Wyandotte Rooster. He's about 9 weeks old and my concern is his chest seems really large and a bit protruding, is this normal? I'm new to the chicken thing so I'm learning everyday!
thanks for the help.

 

[Wyandottes7]

A picture might help. Wyandottes usually have quite big, broad chests, but it could also be impacted crop or some other sort of disorder.

 

[LilCtryGal]

Best photos I could get.

 

[Wyandottes7]

He seems perfectly normal.

However, he is not a Columbian Wyandotte. I believe that he is a Lakenvelder.

 

[Kelsie2290]

He seems perfectly normal.

However, he is not a Columbian Wyandotte. I believe that he is a Lakenvelder.

X 2, neat breed to get as a mystery chick.

 

[LilCtryGal]

Really? He looks so much like my girl's, which I ordered Columbian, so I thought for sure he was. Like I said, I'm new to all this. I'm going to post pictures of my girl's, let me know what type you think they are.

 

[Kelsie2290]

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGK/Lakens/BRKLakenvelder.html

That is the Feathersite page for lakenvelders.
That chick has a single comb doesn't it? Wyandottes (hopefully) rose comb, and the black on his neck seems to be coming in pretty solid.

With the chest, is it doing anything different, hard to tell from the pictures if there was anything odd going on with the crop etc.

 

[LilCtryGal]

Remember I'm new to all this before you laugh. What is a "crop" ? When I put him in the coop/run with all the others (I do have 3 older girls) he was always by himself and hiding his head in between the 2 x 4's. I felt maybe he was getting picked on. Nothing else odd about his behavior. I rechecked my girl's and they are definitely Columbian Wyandotte.

 

[LilCtryGal]

I received a "Mystery" chick in my last bird order. Turns out it's a Columbian Wyandotte Rooster. He's about 9 weeks old and my concern is his chest seems really large and a bit protruding, is this normal? I'm new to the chicken thing so I'm learning everyday!
thanks for the help.

Another question about my little guy. His chest area that seems large is really "mushy", the best way to describe it. Is this normal or should it be firm?

 

[Kelsie2290]

From what you are describing, I would be suspicious that he has sour crop. Do a search on BYC about it, there are a lot of threads on it.
If the crop is soft and extended (you don't have an impaction) it is usually caused by a bacterial imbalance in the crop and it takes time to reestablish the good population. A lot of things can cause this, a yeast or fungal infection, antibiotics, something he ate, or something wrong with the chicken/crop itself.
If he does seem to have this keep him where there is no hay or pine shavings or long grass for him to eat, since you don't want to get an impacted crop and you want it to empty as much as possible. Feed him only wetted food or soft mushy foot that until crop is empty in the morning, it won't hurt to add some yogurt to his food. Make sure he has grit available and add Apple Cider Vinegar to his water. If he is bad you are going to have to help him clean out his crop. Hold him upside down and massage crop to let him vomit, let him breathe in between until you get no more vomit. Massage crop for a few minutes a few times a day, you don't need to make him vomit every time.
It can take a Long Time to really be cured. I usually figure it is going to take a good month to have the chicken back to totally normal where it will not reoccur. If you quit too soon, it is likely to reoccur, that is one reason a lot of people just cull them.
AVC is used to adjust the ph level of the crop so the yeast/fungi don't grow as well, you're using the yogurt etc to reestablish the good population, the small soft food is too keep things moving and not extend the crop.
If the crop is extended I try to get them to vomit up at least twice a day. Just don't hold them upside down for too long.
I use about 1/3 cup/ gallon of AVC in the water for a week or so for ones I am treating, they seem to drink it no problem.
Feed him yogurt and really soft foods, make the chicken feed a wet mash. Do Not give him any grain or scraps or anything rough or hard.
It should be warm enough this time of year, but in the winter I put them under a heat lamp or keep them inside, it seems to cure it faster if they are warm.
I have never used it, but some people have used a fungal or yeast medication if it was not clearing up. There are several threads about using monistat or similar yeast medications in chickens with tough cases of this.