Impacted crop?

[LLCoyote]

I've found a lump on the right breast of one of my BO chicks and from what I've read online it sounds like it might be an impacted crop. She acts totally fine but every time I feel of her chest, that bump is there. They have had full access to grit since I've started giving them bits of things like meal worms and crumbles from a chick stick (I can't leave that in there because they won't leave it alone).

Are there signs I can look for that will let me know that she's ill? Should I isolate her? I'd prefer not to take her to the vet but only because I called three vets about it today and each one told me "I don't know, we don't really treat chickens". Which means I'd have to go all the way to UT and pay a vet bill 100+ not to mention gas and stress on her. I'm continuing to read information online but everyone seems to have their own advice. Can anyone tell me what I should do?

There's no pasty butt, she's not lethargic, and she's eating/drinking

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

It sounds like she's just doing a good job keeping her crop full. How old is she?

 

[LLCoyote]

She's about three and a half or four weeks old. She's also very fat (which I kind of worry about. Both of my BO are the biggest chicks I have, more so that my Jersey Giants). I checked it again this morning. The lump wasn't gone but it went down dramatically.

 

[lazy gardener]

I assume that there's a light in the brooder for heat? So, if they have access to food all night, as well as enough light to see, they're probably munching all night long. (Little pigs!) As long as she's acting ok, I'd not worry about it. If you want to really assure yourself, take the feed away when you put them to bed tonight, and see how her crop is in the morning.

 

[azygous]

You can tell if a chick has impacted crop by the poop. It will be either abnormally small and scanty or not present at all. Also, the chick will not be very interested in food.

But it sounds like your chick in question is just fine. As long as they have plenty of fresh water, free of wood shavings, and grit if treats are given, there's not much danger of impacted crop.

Older chickens get it when they eat leathery-stemmed grasses and hay, usually when they free range and they're overly hungry during late winter when food is scarce.

 

[Sue Bennard]

When should I introduce my baby chicks to the flock?