How to get chick to open beak?

[Sandnerchick]

Hi! I’m fairly certain one of my bantams has an impacted crop. She’s still eating & drinking, but not as much as the others & she’s become lethargic. I’ve been giving them a small amount of ACV mixed in their water & daily massages. I wanted to try giving her a little coconut oil but she refuses to open her beak for me. Is there a way I can open it myself in a safe/gentle manner? I tried gently stroking her beak but being that she’s only 10 days old & a bantam her beak is SO tiny I can’t really get a hold on it comfortably. Or maybe should I isolate her temporarily & put the oil in her own water or feed? Looking for any suggestions. TIA!

 

[Eggcessive]

You can slightly cool the coconut oil and then chop it into small pieces that the chick could peck. If she won’t after some time, I would mix a little egg yolk and the oil, and offer it to her. It is a bit dangerous to force feed oil to a chicken if they fight and inhale it, they can aspirate.

 

[Eggcessive]

I usually open a beak by slightly squeezing the outsides. In old chickens you can pull down on the wattles. I would not use ACV, just plain clean water. Dip her beak into the water a few times. If you could use some Poultry NutriDrench orally or put some electrolytes into the water, that might perk her up. Egg yolk mixed with a little water would be good.