Large crops in 4 day old chicks?

[saintbee]

I got a shipment of 30 chicks on Friday. Everybody was fine until today. I woke up to one dead and another very lethargic. An appenzeller was dead and a salmon faverolle was lethargic - she ended up dying a couple
Hours after I found her. Now three more are lethargic and I noticed they have very swollen crops. I didn’t noticed
If the two that died had this though. The crops are the size of quarters. The three are also 2 salmon faverolles and 1 appenzellers - I got Cochins and buckeyes in the order as well and can’t even feel any of their crops. Any idea what it could be? One of the salmons can’t even seem to stand. Is there anything I can do to help? I’d hate to loose more!

 

[Folly's place]

So sorry! What are you feeding? Bedding? Pictures of the brooder, and heat source?
Mary

 

[saintbee]

Happy to report after moving them outside last night and taking food away for the night, everyone is fine! ‍ Perhaps they just overate?

 

[debid]

I very much doubt they "overate". The crop is meant to hold a lot in times of plenty to help them through times when they can't eat. Like overnight. They should load it up at dusk if they have a natural light cycle.

Overheating is the biggest killer of chicks brooded indoors with lamps which is why someone asked for pictures of the setup. And there are chicks that will eat bedding which can cause the crop to fail to empty and get impacted. However, you can also do everything right and still lose some due to shipping stress.

You haven't given enough information to guess at what happened but I'm sorry that you lost some. Hopefully the changes you made will help.

 

[saintbee]

It was quite late and dark when I posted. I was in the process of making a “mama heat pad” set up as described to me in another thread - I don’t like heat lamps but thought it was my only choice so I’m pleased with this option. Sorry for the lack of details. The set up they were in in the house is dismantled but I had 11 chicks each in three large totes. The two that died were in different totes. No heat lamp. I’m able to keep the heat on in the room they were in - in was 85-90 on floor level with the chicks. But we have contractors coming in so I was also seeking advice on how to put them outside. Yes they were on a natural light cycle. Light on from 7 am to 7 pm. So that could explain the full crop. It was weird to me that they were lethargic though so I was just wondering if it was related to the large crop ‍ They’re in a small coop outside with the mama set up now and it reads 85 on the floor as on 6 am - last night was the coldest weather we’ll have this week so I am pleased with that. They’re eating 20 % organic chick crumble and have water with ACV with the mother and that’s it. Bedding is pine shavings. I’ll be keeping a close eye on everyone today but yes, hope it was just a fluke or something that happened with shipping and I don’t loose anymore. These were replacements to victims of a raccoon so they’re extra special to me.

 

[debid]

It was quite late and dark when I posted. I was in the process of making a “mama heat pad” set up as described to me in another thread - I don’t like heat lamps but thought it was my only choice so I’m pleased with this option. Sorry for the lack of details. The set up they were in in the house is dismantled but I had 11 chicks each in three large totes. The two that died were in different totes. No heat lamp. I’m able to keep the heat on in the room they were in - in was 85-90 on floor level with the chicks. But we have contractors coming in so I was also seeking advice on how to put them outside. Yes they were on a natural light cycle. Light on from 7 am to 7 pm. So that could explain the full crop. It was weird to me that they were lethargic though so I was just wondering if it was related to the large crop ‍ They’re in a small coop outside with the mama set up now and it reads 85 on the floor as on 6 am - last night was the coldest weather we’ll have this week so I am pleased with that. They’re eating 20 % organic chick crumble and have water with ACV with the mother and that’s it. Bedding is pine shavings. I’ll be keeping a close eye on everyone today but yes, hope it was just a fluke or something that happened with shipping and I don’t loose anymore. These were replacements to victims of a raccoon so they’re extra special to me.

The MHP method is much easier to give the chicks enough heat without being too much, I'm glad you found that option.

As long as it is positioned so they can press their backs against it like they would with a hen, it doesn't matter what the air temperature is. I've had chicks using one with nights in the teens, no problems, and there are others using them with colder weather than I get here. Plus, it didn't overheat my little coop when the daytime highs went into the 80s the way a lamp did. I was forever messing with the lamp, I don't miss that at all.

 

[Folly's place]

I agree, the brooder plate is really nice, and especially in warm/ hot weather.
Mary

 

[chickens really]

If no heat was provided they got too cold..

 

[debid]

If no heat was provided they got too cold..

OP said they'd been using totes and a space heater in a room. So, chilling or overheating are both possible as space heaters cycle on and off and the chicks don't have much choice of temperature. I just don't think it matters much at this point, the chicks are doing well in their new setup.

 

[chickens really]

OP said they'd been using totes and a space heater in a room. So, chilling or overheating are both possible as space heaters cycle on and off and the chicks don't have much choice of temperature. I just don't think it matters much at this point, the chicks are doing well in their new setup.

.......I replied..