Impact/ sour crop on baby chick, please help me!

[missypebble]

I have a strong feeling the speckled Sussex chicks from where we got them are somewhat not doing well as other breeds.

I lost one due to my faults and hubby didn’t want to see me suffer emotionally so he got home yesterday’s afternoon with another chick. Immediately, I’ve noticed she was very tired, but hubby said she was running around, eating well and opened her wide eyes when he picked her up to look at her. He said she got a full belly, thinking that she’s eating and doing well.

From 7 pm until around 10 am today, she was mostly sleeping. I gave her a few drops of sugar water last night, before letting her rest. She was very tired. She’s eating, drinking a bit, and I’ve given her about 4 ml or so of yogurt, diluted with some milk, and a tiny amount of vitamin E tablet crushed up. Her legs are too fragile and skinny and I read vitamin e helps...

She’s moving around, but definitely still doesn’t look as active as the other chick we have, different breed though And I’m not sure what breed she is yet.

She likes to sleep a lot. She likes to stay in front of a mirror I put inside the brooder and just stands there, with her eyes closed most of the time. I have not heard her chirp much, except for night time when she snuggled next to a feather owl. She’s too quiet, it does eat.
but her belly is squishy, and somewhat solid. I massaged her belly twice now, and will do that. What should I do to help her? I cannot go through the heart break of loosing her.

Im attaching a picture of her dropping that I took just half an hour ago. From what I have noticed, her droppings are loose, with a few that looks somewhat ok, but I’m not too sure.

I gave her medicated chick crumble, electrolyte water, but just change it to ACV water. She’s in large wire cage brooder with a heating pad on one side, ceramic heat lamps on the other. The temperature has been keeping between 91-93F.

Please help! Thank you!

 

[Dephora]

It has been in the 90s on both sides of the brooder? You really want to give them the option to cool down. If you have a temp gun my chicks do best with heat on one side only. If her poop is very watery that might just be from all the water she is drinking.

 

[Dephora]

Can I see a photo of her sour crop? It should be very noticeable. How long has her crop been full?

 

[missypebble]

It has been in the 90s on both sides of the brooder? You really want to give them the option to cool down. If you have a temp gun my chicks do best with heat on one side only. If her poop is very watery that might just be from all the water she is drinking.

Thank you, I’ll adjust the heat source from both sides. Should I just adjust one side in the low 80s then?

I just turned off the lights so they are sleeping, but yes, I should have taken a picture of her crop. Sorry! I’ll send first thing in the morning.

 

[missypebble]

Can I see a photo of her sour crop? It should be very noticeable. How long has her crop been full?

Yes, her crop is very noticeable. I didn’t pay attention to her crop yesterday’s after, but my hubby said one of the reasons he picked her was that he thought she’s eating well because she has a full tummy. Honestly, my hubby does not know how picking a chick work. I think the guy at the feed store just made that up to sell her. So I noticed her crop was full this morning. I’ll check again to report back.

Is this really bad? I’ve never had a chick with impacted, sour crop before.

Thanks again for responding!

 

[Dephora]

Thank you, I’ll adjust the heat source from both sides. Should I just adjust one side in the low 80s then?

I just turned off the lights so they are sleeping, but yes, I should have taken a picture of her crop. Sorry! I’ll send first thing in the morning.

If you are using heat lamps just set one up on one side and have it going until they are feathered. I wouldn't put a heat source on both sides. Usually most will have the heat lamp going day and night until they don't need it anymore.

To be honest I don't use heat lamps at all. I generally just place a "heater plate" I think I have the rentacoop kind. They go under it when they need heat and otherwise it is just normal temp anywhere else. But everyone does it a little differently, so long as they always have a "hot side" and a "cool side".

I see so this is a brand new chick. An impacted crop can be serious, but, at that age I can't figure want on earth could be in there other than food which should go down fine. Check if the crop is empty in the morning. Should feel flatish. You will just have to wait and see in the morning.

Also try to find out what breed she is. If she is a meat bird I have found them to be very inactive and gorge themselves allday. If she is a meat bird her behavior would not mean anything is wrong with her and would explain why she is not acting like your others.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I'm sorry you're having difficulty with your chicks. They are hard to diagnose because they are so tiny and fragile.

FWIW, sour crop and impacted crops are two different things. Impacted crops are crops that are unable to empty. Sour crop is caused by a yeast infection in the crop.

To know if there really is a crop problem, take its food out of the brooder tonight and check its crop first thing in the morning. It should be empty/flat. If it isn't, then you know you've got a crop issue.

A new chick might just be exhausted. And, as others have pointed out, it might be too warm in your brooder. A warm side and a cool side is preferred so chicks can regulate their temps.

Let us know how it goes tomorrow.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I just turned off the lights

Do they have a heat source at night??? They need a heat source at all times until they are feathered out.

 

[missypebble]

If you are using heat lamps just set one up on one side and have it going until they are feathered. I wouldn't put a heat source on both sides. Usually most will have the heat lamp going day and night until they don't need it anymore.

To be honest I don't use heat lamps at all. I generally just place a "heater plate" I think I have the rentacoop kind. They go under it when they need heat and otherwise it is just normal temp anywhere else. But everyone does it a little differently, so long as they always have a "hot side" and a "cool side".

I see so this is a brand new chick. An impacted crop can be serious, but, at that age I can't figure want on earth could be in there other than food which should go down fine. Check if the crop is empty in the morning. Should feel flatish. You will just have to wait and see in the morning.

Also try to find out what breed she is. If she is a meat bird I have found them to be very inactive and gorge themselves allday. If she is a meat bird her behavior would not mean anything is wrong with her and would explain why she is not acting like your others.

Thank you!

i have since adjust the heat source to have one side with no heat source.

I checked her crop this morning and it seems ok. Thank you for asking me to do so! So I guess what I’m feeling is that she might have other problem then. Her droppings have been loose in general. It’s not watery, but the pasty, peanut butter Looking in texture and consistency.

I’m not sure what’s the file size limitation for uploading a video clip here...

 

[missypebble]

Do they have a heat source at night??? They need a heat source at all times until they are feathered out.

Thank you! Yes, they do have heat source and I’ve just making sure they have one side cool so they can run to it if they feel too warm.