Cream Legbar not growing/crop problems

[jdwilk]

Advice please: I got two crested cream legbars from a breeder to keep a lone olive egger company until they were ready to join the big girls.
One had a structural deformity and I think wry tail. She was not growing and is with a friend now who is working with her. The other is also not thriving and when I put them to bed I always check her crop and it’s empty or I can’t find it.
Today I brought her in to give her some egg and watch her eat and this is what I observe. She does it pretty much with each bite.
I am worried I will lose her and my olive egger is now double her size... she is ten weeks.
What can I do??

Link to video here:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10221108782263561

 

[azygous]

You'll need to describe what the chick does when eating.

 

[jdwilk]

Oh so hard to describe without the video working. This is not a typical crop adjustment. Let me see if I can fix the video issue. Didn't realize it was not working. Thank you for letting me know.

 

[jdwilk]

You'll need to describe what the chick does when eating.

I hope this works. She does this with each bite...

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks like she is adjusting her crop. Her crop might be impacted. Can you feel of it in her upper right chest and tell us if it is full and doughy or hard, or if it is empty or full and puffy? Do you have chick grit available for her? It should be available in a separate container from her food. Is she out on grass yet? What all does she eat besides eggs? What type of bedding are you using?

@azygous is the crop problem specialist, but I would be inclined to offer some chilled coconut oil cut into pieces and later massage her crop downward several times a day, if it feels firm or doughy.

 

[jdwilk]

It looks like she is adjusting her crop. Her crop might be impacted. Can you feel of it in her upper right chest and tell us if it is full and doughy or hard, or if it is empty or full and puffy? Do you have chick grit available for her? It should be available in a separate container from her food. Is she out on grass yet? What all does she eat besides eggs? What type of bedding are you using?

@azygous is the crop problem specialist, but I would be inclined to offer some chilled coconut oil cut into pieces and later massage her crop downward several times a day, if it feels firm or doughy.

Thanks for your reply. She is currently on grower feed and has access to grit. She also goes outside, but only for limited time each day right now. There is nothing doughy or hard. I don't know how to explain it well, but with all of my other hens I can easily locate their crop. Hers is difficult to locate and when I do it feels empty. I just offered some eggs because she is currently not growing and I wanted to see if she showed interest. She is with her buddy in a large brooder with pine shavings.

 

[Eggcessive]

Some chicks may eat pine shavings. I would check her crop during the day to see if it fills up. Water intake is very important if there is any crop impaction. In rare cases the crop could be on the opposite side.

 

[azygous]

It appears this video has problems only you can fix @jdwilk

 

[azygous]

It does appear this chick, who is so cute I can barely handle it, has a crop disorder. Or it has a blockage that is not allowing the crop to drain properly.

If you've already give the coconut oil, be sure to massage it into the crop. Then if the chick is still not perking up, do more oil.

This could be a FTT (failure-to-thrive) chick and the digestive system isn't working efficiently. Time will either improve this situation or she may get worse. There isn't much more you can do with such a chick other than special feedings as you're doing.

 

[jdwilk]

It does appear this chick, who is so cute I can barely handle it, has a crop disorder. Or it has a blockage that is not allowing the crop to drain properly.

If you've already give the coconut oil, be sure to massage it into the crop. Then if the chick is still not perking up, do more oil.

This could be a FTT (failure-to-thrive) chick and the digestive system isn't working efficiently. Time will either improve this situation or she may get worse. There isn't much more you can do with such a chick other than special feedings as you're doing.

Thank you so much for your response. I am truly so sad. I had a broody hatch five babies this year (mostly cockerels!) and we were only left with one little pullet so I got her these two legbar friends so I could introduce them together. Her sister has a crooked spine and what appears to be wry tail and is going to need some extra help. My friend currently has her with some bantams to see if she can get her to safely thrive.

I have not tried the coconut oil, but I can give that a go. Any other ideas for special foods??
I don't want her to suffer. I can't see how she will be ok with the bigger hens.