slow moving crop in 11 day old chick

[AndreaS]

I posted this under raising baby chicks but have not gotten an answer. Though not a true emergency, I feel that it could become one.

Good morning everyone!

The paranoid new chickie momma is back with another question!

Is it normal for a weaker chick to have a slow working crop? My little Bernice is a 11 day old salmon faverolles chick. She is with 4 other girls of the same age, all of whom are twice her size, even the other salmon faverolles. She had a rough start. I had to seperate her a few days after she arrived and baby her a bnit to get her up and going. She is fine now, and has been back with the other girls since Saturday night. She was getting pushed away from the feeder by the bigger girls (they don't bully or Peck at her though) so on Tuesday I added another feeder and waterer to the brooder so she would get enough to eat. Wednesday night I noticed her crop was full and hard so I took their food out for the night. In the morning it was a little puffy, but smaller and no longer hard. I put the food back and went to work. Last night it was the same thing, large and very hard. I took the food out again last night and massaged her crop a bit. She was eating and drinking and pooping just fine, and I gave her so yogurt last night when I took their crumbles out. This morning her crop is no longer hard, but maybe a little gritty/grainey.

One other thing, on Wednesday I gave them a little container of parakeet grit because I wanted to be able to give them treats soon. They all gobbled it up, especially Bernice. I did not give them anymore.

Could she have eaten too much grit? Or is it normal for some chicks to have a slower working crop?

I'm a little scared now to give them free choice food again, thinking that since I have taken it away from them twice they might eat too much/ too fast and get impacted. I am going to scramble them an egg this morning and give them

 

[AndreaS]

Continued-

Access to the crumbles for short intervals this morning before work.

How should I reintroduce food to them safely?
Should I be worried/ keep a close eye on Bernice because of the slow working crop, or will she grow out of it? Is this common?

Thank you!!!!!!!!
Andrea

 

[mypicklebird]

They can certainly eat too much grit- young chicks are still figuring out what is good to eat and what is not. Chicks without a broody hen to show them what to eat will eat stuff that they shouldn't like too much grit, paper towels, wood chips ect. Best thing for chicks is chick crumble and as much water as they want. They don't need grit if on crumble, and they don't need chick scratch and treats. If you do want to start giving them treats that a gizzard has to grind up- then access to grit is important- but only sprinkle a bit around, or on a plate- as they will gorge on anything new. Some chicks just have bigger crops, but if this one's is empty by the morning- I wouldn't worry too much about it. If it eats a bunch and is not drinking enough- they can get impacted just on dry food, but that is usually only a problem in brooders that are too hot or run out of water....

 

[AndreaS]

Thank you! She is drinking just fine And they have two waterers split between five chicks. If a backed up crop was to become a problem, would she start acting funny?

Maybe it was just too much grit...