Impacted crop?

[Ahborowski]

We got a few chicks from TS last week. Noticed that one did a funny head stretching thing now and then, but didn’t really think about it. Yesterday, we discovered a giant lump on her chest. I’m wondering if it’s an impacted crop? It’s very squishy and there’s a small bald spot where it’s obviously grown a bit too fast. The bald spot is bigger today than yesterday.

We are giving her olive oil and massaging the crop 3-4 times a day. My daughter has made her throw up a few times in hope of dislodging whatever could be there. Today we removed food from the brooder.

When massaging, you can hear gurgling, almost like air bubbles. She’s eating, drinking, pooping, and acting completely normal.

Does this seem like impacted crop or something else? Somehow we’ve been lucky and never had chick trouble before. Thanks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She’s eating, drinking, pooping, and acting completely normal.

I would be careful vomiting a chick, you can injure them and they can aspirate. Liquid oil can be hard to administer and if aspirated, there's nothing you can do. Try giving tiny chunks of coconut oil instead, let the chick eat it on her own.

How are you brooding the chicks?
If under a heat plate, they should be sleeping all night and not eating. For heat plate brooding, check her crop before she goes to sleep, take up food/water from the brooder. Re-check her crop first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks to see if it's emptied.

If you are using a heat lamp and the chicks have light 24/7 it's hard to gauge crop function since they eat at all hours. Let her have her fill, then take away food/water for a few hours to see if the crop is going down.

Photos of the poop?

Eating/drinking/acting normal, doesn't sound like the crop is impacted. You'll want to monitor it.
If your chicks are on shavings, I highly recommend that you provide chick grit free choice.