Huge crop on 9-10 day old chick. Help!

[Peachyfrog]

At my witts end with this little one. Got through not eating, then it had green poop for a couple days (likely due to the not eating. Poop back to normal, and then last night I noticed it’s top and bottom beak aren’t aligned, probably scissor beak as the age is right. Seems to eating a drinking fine despite that, but now for the last 24 hours has a huge crop that doesn’t seem to be emptying, likely impacted. . Though something is getting through as still pooping. It has grit, drinking a lot, periodically gently massaging it. Tricked it into eating like a drop of olive oil but otherwise can’t get that in it. Won’t eat soft foods like egg, yogurt or feed watered to a mash. I don’t think it wise to withhold food given only like 8-9 days old. What else can I do for this little one?? I fear it just has other developmental problems.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Does this little one have light 24/7 or is it brooder under a plate?

I place the chick on puppy pads, provide water and withhold feed for at least a 1/2 a day. Work on getting some coconut oil into her. Put the oil in the fridge/freezer to harden it, then break into little chunks. See if she will eat it on her own. If not, then carefully syringe liquid oil drop by drop into her beak. You can also use a qtip dipped in oil and press it against the beak, let her take in bits at a time. Aim for getting around 1/2-1 tsp oil into her. Massage the crop and see if you can break up what's in there.
IF you can get it all broken up and moving, then offer a little wet feed. She'll eat it if hungry.
It won't kill her to go a day without food, if the crop issue is not resolved, then you are looking at bigger problems.

Chicks with a broody sleep all night with no food/water, so she should be fine with you withholding feed from her for a while.

Keep us posted.

 

[Peachyfrog]

When it was with the group was under a plate, but now that it's separated (but can still see it's friends through a wire "gate") it has heat lamp in it's section (only have 1 plate unfortunately).

I put only water with it last night, no food. Saw poop evidence this morning so something's getting through, though early this morning while I was in with her, she did just a clear liquid poop so possible we're through everything that was in her system past the blockage. Crop is a little smaller this morning, but still has a sizable hard mass in it. Will try the coconut oil instead of olive oil this morning as grown chickens in the past seem to like that more and more willing to eat it, let's hope same goes for chicks, though this one so far doesn't want to eat anything other than dry feed or headless mealworms. Making another egg this morning just in case though and will keep trying that and yogurt too.

 

[Peachyfrog]

Dislikes coconut oil even in solid chuncks. Any tips/tricks on getting the oil on her beak/dropper with such a tiny squirmy creature? Such a small moving target.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

Make some "chick food oatmeal" by mixing her chick feed with quite a bit of water (it will soak it up and get less wet as it sits). Add coconut oil to that.

The wet oatmeal-y feed digests easier.

Also, make sure she isn't eating the bedding. Some chicks eat the wood chips or whatever and get stopped up that way.

And I wouldn't separate unless she is getting picked on - chicks fight harder to get better with friends around. Just put everyone on the special diet.

 

[Peachyfrog]

I have the oatmeal like feed like you describe and she won’t eat it. She’s on puppy pads so no chance of eating bedding since I’ve had her. She’s separated with wire so she can see her chickmates and there’s one of the others that always wants to be with me that comes and visits it’s side while I’m there so she’s not that isolated.

As I’m typing this seems her visitor has decided the egg yolk isn’t so bad and the one with the crop issue is trying to steal it from the visitor. Maybe a little healthy competition will inspire her to like it

 

[OmnipotentOrpington]

Aww, darling. Keep us posted!

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

Hmmm...that's all I know to do. My australorp was having issues and the oatmeal feed cleared it up in a couple days. She always had a bigger crop than the others, but it was a bit less bulge-y after that.

 

[Peachyfrog]

Not sure why, but none of mine seem interested in it. It's definitely more than just a bigger crop as didn't empty last night with no food. It's kind of hard to the touch, water makes it a little less hard for a bit with massaging, but then it goes back to hard again.

The good news is she's still pooping, so whatever it is, doesn't seem blocked...will try to keep it on whatever soft food I can get it to eat for a day or so and see if it passes along with extra water and massaging it. I just can't seem to get oil in it, olive or coconut, without it getting all over her feathers and then she scratches and gets it in her eye.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Well, if you can't get the oil into her, then see how it goes after a couple of days.