HELP!! Sand new in brooder and chicks crops full!

The_Flock

Songster
5 Years
Aug 24, 2019
278
353
196
Ontario, Canada
I just switched my 13 chicks (7 days old) from paper towel to sand. They'll be on sand when they go in the coop and they just kept eating the paper towel. Plus the PT stinks. I had put a bit of grit in with them because of them eating the PT.
Anyhoo they have been eating the sand too and half of them have their crops full, and I mean FULL of it. I just switched them to sand today. Should I be worried? Or check them in the morning and see how the crops are?
 
This is from fresh eggs daily-https://www.fresheggsdaily.blog/2013/07/the-real-scoop-on-using-sand-in-your.html
"According to the reputable experts I consulted, using sand in the brooder can be very dangerous for young chicks (and in fact I have heard from one Facebook fan who lost a chick to impacted crop after brooding on sand).

One expert said "Chicks can mistake the sand for feed and eat it. Though chicks need grit to help digest their food, sand gets sodden and can clump in the chick's crop unlike commercial grit or dirt. This can lead to complications causing suffocation, impacted crops and even death."

instead, use a different bedding in the brooder, and i think you should be worried. impacted crops don't always clear themselves.:hmm
 
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check them in the morning and see how the crops are?

Yes, this. If the crops have emptied by morning, then don't worry.

Chickens tend to make pigs of themselves when they have access to any new "food," but they usually settle down in a few days.

I think you did well to notice and then do research, not ignoring or panicking :)
 
@NatJ @alwaysthere4chickens @LadyAchee Thank you all so much for your responses. The chicks are fine today. I did move them to a bigger brooder and planned on putting the sand in there again but when I went to use the tray for the XL dog crate it was very broken. So my hubby had the great idea to put a rubber mat under it. So we did that. The crate frame is exposed to their feet but they can't get toes under it.
Man...was I happy to see their crops small. They really do pig out on new things. 🤦‍♀️
 
@NatJ @alwaysthere4chickens @LadyAchee Thank you all so much for your responses. The chicks are fine today. I did move them to a bigger brooder and planned on putting the sand in there again but when I went to use the tray for the XL dog crate it was very broken. So my hubby had the great idea to put a rubber mat under it. So we did that. The crate frame is exposed to their feet but they can't get toes under it.
Man...was I happy to see their crops small. They really do pig out on new things. 🤦‍♀️
We used hay in our brooder. Not very practical. But you definitely want some type of litter.
 
We used hay in our brooder. Not very practical. But you definitely want some type of litter.

Should I put grit in there? Or do you mean litter for bathing? I can figure out how to put sand back in. They slowed down on eating it quite a bit when I moved them to the bigger brooder. Plus I have away bigger feeder in there now. 😊
 

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