Impacted Crop? 1week old Plymouth Bantam...help!

[MelBrown13]

This little one has been fine until we just noticed this today... about 10 minutes ago.
The area seems swollen (sort of).
The chicks is still eating and drinking, but he doesn't seem to be as active as he was before.
I'm guessing this is an impacted crop, but I have no idea what to do!
Please help!

 

[cherrynberry]

Follow this video...

 

[Wyorp Rock]

This little one has been fine until we just noticed this today... about 10 minutes ago.
The area seems swollen (sort of).
The chicks is still eating and drinking, but he doesn't seem to be as active as he was before.
I'm guessing this is an impacted crop, but I have no idea what to do!
Please help!

How are you brooding the chicks?
What do you feed?

 

[MelBrown13]

How are you brooding the chicks?
What do you feed?

Haven't even transitioned over to pine shavings...still using just paper towels as substrate for at least another 2 week. Feeding chick starter from IFA and chick grit in 10:1 ratio as recommended.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Haven't even transitioned over to pine shavings...still using just paper towels as substrate for at least another 2 week. Feeding chick starter from IFA and chick grit in 10:1 ratio as recommended.

How is the chick?
Do you provide light 24/7? If you do, then it's hard to gauge crop function.
Is the chick pooping?
Some chicks eat a lot and can look really full and it can be alarming, but if you monitor the chick for a while you will find that the crop is emptying.

If the crop is not emptying, feel of it and let us know what that's like. For a tiny chick, I would start with giving just a small amount of Coconut oil.

 

[Eggcessive]

Take the grit out of the feed. They do not need it until they are eating something other than just chick starter, such as grass, worms, or other food. Grit should then only be in a separate container, not ever mixed into the feed.

 

[MelBrown13]

How is the chick?
Do you provide light 24/7? If you do, then it's hard to gauge crop function.
Is the chick pooping?
Some chicks eat a lot and can look really full and it can be alarming, but if you monitor the chick for a while you will find that the crop is emptying.

If the crop is not emptying, feel of it and let us know what that's like. For a tiny chick, I would start with giving just a small amount of Coconut oil.

We use essentially shop lights during the day, and at night they gave only the red/heat lamp (through they seem to stay rather active even with only that.)
I have always had the grit mixed in the feed as recommended by Privett Hatchery, and I've had over 100 chicks without issue until this one. I've noticed everyone has his/her own ideas about having grit with starter chick feed (or not). Regardless of what we do, it seems someone else will recommend the opposite so we've just always defaulted to the Hatchery's recommendation.
He is pooping still, yes...or at least he has popped at least 3 times (that we've seen ourselves) since I posted this last night. lol

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Has his crop gone down? What's it feel like?
With a light on at night, they will eat/drink, so sometimes it's hard to tell if the crop is emptying/going down like it should.
I would also go by behavior, sometimes if they overeat they can be less active for a little while, but once the food is processed they should become more active.
If he's still lethargic, then I would be concerned. Maybe separate him with just water, give a bit of coconut oil and see what comes out see if the crop starts to empty too.

 

[MelBrown13]

How is the chick?
Do you provide light 24/7? If you do, then it's hard to gauge crop function.
Is the chick pooping?
Some chicks eat a lot and can look really full and it can be alarming, but if you monitor the chick for a while you will find that the crop is emptying.

If the crop is not emptying, feel of it and let us know what that's like. For a tiny chick, I would start with giving just a small amount of Coconut oil.

Seems about the same if not slightly more engorged. That area last night felt like a water balloon. This morning, it feels less "waterlike" and more fleshy? I can feel nothing inside it when massaging except what feels like the tiniest grain or something or other...not sure if that even means anything.
The chick is not active like the others and tends to just shake his head (like a wet dog) when I try to get him to drink.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Seems about the same if not slightly more engorged. That area last night felt like a water balloon. This morning, it feels less "waterlike" and more fleshy? I can feel nothing inside it when massaging except what feels like the tiniest grain or something or other...not sure if that even means anything.
The chick is not active like the others and tends to just shake his head (like a wet dog) when I try to get him to drink.

When he poops can you get some photos?

Waterlike and fleshy, I would say it's starting to sour.
I would start with giving a little coconut oil, don't massage.
You may need to treat for sour crop and Coccidiosis. Do you have any Corid (Amprolium) on hand? What about an anti-fungal/yeast cream like Miconazole or Clotrimazole?

And yes, if you are wondering, it seems like people ask - I have used and given both to young birds with good results and no problems.