Impacted crop? Or something else?

[Thechickenchick2]

I have a 4 week old chick that is seemingly a little lethargic and keeps sitting around with her chest puffed out and her head resting into her body. Her crop was hard but I forced fluids and it got soft after the water... it’s hard again now but I haven’t seen when she ate last. She is pooping and eating (I’m not watching constantly as I can’t but I’ve seen her eat a little). Can anyone help??

 

[azygous]

Water alone won't help clear up an impacted crop, and it sounds like that's what your chick has. You need to give her at least one teaspoon of oil. Coconut oil is the easiest and safest to use because you can use it in its solid form and slip pieces into the chick's beak, placing them on the tongue, and she will swallow.

After you get all the oil into the chick, massage the crop gently until you feel the contents break up and go down. You need to check her crop again first thing in the morning before you give her food to be sure the crop is empty. If it's got anything in it, repeat the oil and massage.

I feed chopped boiled egg as the first food after a crop disorder to get the chick eating again. And a probiotic or some yogurt will help restore good microbes in her digestive system.

Chicks need access to appropriate grit to avoid crop disorders and constipation which can kill.

 

[Thechickenchick2]

Water alone won't help clear up an impacted crop, and it sounds like that's what your chick has. You need to give her at least one teaspoon of oil. Coconut oil is the easiest and safest to use because you can use it in its solid form and slip pieces into the chick's beak, placing them on the tongue, and she will swallow.

After you get all the oil into the chick, massage the crop gently until you feel the contents break up and go down. You need to check her crop again first thing in the morning before you give her food to be sure the crop is empty. If it's got anything in it, repeat the oil and massage.

I feed chopped boiled egg as the first food after a crop disorder to get the chick eating again. And a probiotic or some yogurt will help restore good microbes in her digestive system.

Chicks need access to appropriate grit to avoid crop disorders and constipation which can kill.

Thanks so much! I tried massaging her crop and couldn’t find anything .. will I always be able to feel the contents of something is stuck? If I get the contents out how soon should she be acting herself again?

 

[azygous]

It may not always be in the crop where the intestinal obstruction forms. Sometimes it's in the gizzard, and sometimes the chick is backed up way down in the large intestine (constipation). Oil will help in all these cases. I never hesitate to treat with oil immediately if I suspect any blockage as time is of the essence to get the chick unblocked before it gets so sick it won't respond to any treatment due to weakness or unconsciousness.

A chick will recover within 24 hours.

 

[Thechickenchick2]

I feel like nothing is helping her! I’m trying to help massage her and give her the coconut oil but she’s still lame, puffed up with her neck tucked, won’t eat... idk how to help her and I’m scared to lose her

 

[azygous]

She may have genetic abnormalities that are catching up to her.

The behavior you describe is that of a suffering chick. We know when a chick is past the point of helping when it closes its eyes, lies down, and won't get up. At that stage, the chick can no longer eat, swallow, and participate in its own care by being conscious. Death will not be far off.

Euthanasia is the kindest thing you can do at this point. I'm very sorry.

 

[Thechickenchick2]

She isn’t closing her eyes yet but her eyes look so sad and sick... I’m trying to take care of and spend time with my two toddlers but I just can’t stop obsessing over this chick..

I had a sick chick my first go around (red sex links now 6 months old) and I made it my goal to cure her and obsessed as I am now and I did... it’s so upsetting to me to think I can’t help her. Ugh.

 

[Thechickenchick2]

I had corid and DE from the chick that was sick a few months back and I put the food grade DE in their feed and some corid in their water. I’m just trying everything I can think of and hoping for a miracle

 

[azygous]

Have you given her the coconut oil?

 

[Thechickenchick2]

Have you given her the coconut oil?

Yes