Impacted crop in 6-week chick? Pics.

[campingshaws]

Pic of tonight, and a few days ago. This has been my only bathtub chick for a while. After several supervised visits with the big girls, I moved her outside with my friendliest pullet. She ranged most of the day yesterday. I was busy today and left her alone in the outside pen. This afternoon when I let her out is when I noticed her crop. It's hard as a rock and hasn't seemed to change in the past few hours. Is she impacted or did she just pig out all day?

(Sorry for posting all the time. I'm an alarmist; y'all should've seen me with my first kid. I swear I do tons of intense googling before I make any posts.)

 

[seminolewind]

You probably won't know anything unless you keep the bird without food overnight and see if the crop empties. Sometimes they are hard and stuffed with food. Sometimes they stay that way until night when the chicken is resting, the digestive system starts to work.

 

[Eggcessive]

Did she have access to small chick grit when she was out on the grass? Grass can be common to impact a crop. I would check it in the morning at first light to see if it is improved or less full. Make sure she has access to plenty of water. In fact, if she was kept from water by other chickens today, she may need some water to help digest her food tonight. With impacted crops, keep in mind that vomiting a chicken is very dangerous, and must be performed with extreme caution, and exactly as advised. Crop surgery sometimes is necessary by a vet for some cases. Here is a link to read about crop problems: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/answers-from-chicken-vet-on-impacted.html

 

[campingshaws]

Thanks so much! Ok, I went out and removed the food and topped off the water. We have really sandy soil (read: straight sand) so I don't have grit out, but I did see the chick in a few of the sand pits today. I can pick up chick grit tomorrow if that would help more.

 

[Eggcessive]

It may be that she has enough grit in your yard to help with digestion--every soil is different, but having the grit available for free feeding won't hurt. Hopefully her crop will be fine in the morning. If not feed only wet feed with water to make a cereal, soft egg, or a bit of yogurt, but no whole grains.