Smelly 5 week old chick/rooster

[goodwiab]

I have a five week old japanese bantam that is most likely a rooster. I can post pics, but as of a week ago I noticed that he is very smelly compared to my other five chicks. Sweet/sour almost like the smell they poop after eating eggs. I have had them outside and they have had grass (which I know now never to do again) but he has had plenty of grit too. No wounds that I can find, and eating/drinking/flying/playing just fine. I didn't know if roosters smell more when younger or what? I have no idea if it's sour crop because he's young and he's eating and drinking and pooing just fine. Am I worrying too much about he smell? I clean their cage weekly (50 gallon tub ). Sorry long post...

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a five week old japanese bantam that is most likely a rooster. I can post pics, but as of a week ago I noticed that he is very smelly compared to my other five chicks. Sweet/sour almost like the smell they poop after eating eggs. I have had them outside and they have had grass (which I know now never to do again) but he has had plenty of grit too. No wounds that I can find, and eating/drinking/flying/playing just fine. I didn't know if roosters smell more when younger or what? I have no idea if it's sour crop because he's young and he's eating and drinking and pooing just fine. Am I worrying too much about he smell? I clean their cage weekly (50 gallon tub ). Sorry long post...

Does he have a poopy bottom?
Photos of him and his poop would be good.

Check his crop to see if it's emptying. (smell his breath too to see if that's the source of the odor)
I've never really noticed males smelling different, but hopefully other will chime in.

May I ask, why you will never have them out to have grass again? What was the problem with that?

 

[Vickischics]

I have a five week old japanese bantam that is most likely a rooster. I can post pics, but as of a week ago I noticed that he is very smelly compared to my other five chicks. Sweet/sour almost like the smell they poop after eating eggs. I have had them outside and they have had grass (which I know now never to do again) but he has had plenty of grit too. No wounds that I can find, and eating/drinking/flying/playing just fine. I didn't know if roosters smell more when younger or what? I have no idea if it's sour crop because he's young and he's eating and drinking and pooing just fine. Am I worrying too much about he smell? I clean their cage weekly (50 gallon tub ). Sorry long post...

I am new to this forum and a new chicken keeper but as a Nurse, that smell is from yeast (Candida) or from a high impaction of stool even though he/she is pooping. It could be high in the GI tract. Again, I'm offering my seasoned RN opinion not a Chicken expert by any means. I hope someone with true knowledge answers quickly.
I'm interested in the cause, answer and fix.
Good luck with your little chicken.

 

[goodwiab]

No poopy bottom, but def smells by his neck/beak, but no white mouth. I tried to take a photo of the one time I saw him poop but it was the cecal kind. He acts totally normal it's really just the smell. Eating, drinking fine. I gave them all a bit of yogurt today but I wasn't sure how much to give them so I only did a little (one large spoonfull for all five). I thought maybe it would help?

 

[goodwiab]

Oh and for the grass thing, I've been reading it seem like that's really bad for them? Mine definitely want to pick at it and sometimes I find them with long pieces in their beaks that remove.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

but def smells by his neck/beak

I gave them all a bit of yogurt today but I wasn't sure how much to give them so I only did a little (one large spoonfull for all five)

Oh and for the grass thing, I've been reading it seem like that's really bad for them? Mine definitely want to pick at it and sometimes I find them with long pieces in their beaks that remove.

Is he still in a brooder with light on all night? Check his crop - is it empty in the morning before he's had anything to eat/drink?


Chickens eat grass and all sorts of things. While long pieces aren't ideal, usually they nip off small pieces. They do need a source of grit.

If giving yogurt, I would make it about 1 teaspoon per chick.

 

[goodwiab]

THANK you so much for your help! I checked his crop and it felt squishy this morning...is that good? He did one of those yawn things but I've only seen him do that twice (and they were all cuddled asleep when I walked in). The light is on the cage still as they are bantams and still very small at 5.5 weeks. However it is about 2 from off the brooder above. I also was planning to turn that off this weekend. Upon further inspection of him this morning he didn't seem to smell as bad (yay!!!) So maybe the yogurt helped and I will definitely be giving him some more today, thank you so much for the measurement!!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

THANK you so much for your help! I checked his crop and it felt squishy this morning...is that good? He did one of those yawn things but I've only seen him do that twice (and they were all cuddled asleep when I walked in). The light is on the cage still as they are bantams and still very small at 5.5 weeks. However it is about 2 from off the brooder above. I also was planning to turn that off this weekend. Upon further inspection of him this morning he didn't seem to smell as bad (yay!!!) So maybe the yogurt helped and I will definitely be giving him some more today, thank you so much for the measurement!!!

It's hard to gauge crop function if they have light and can eat/drink during the night.
A crop should be empty in the morning if they have been sleeping all night.
Since you detected an odor - he may have sour crop.
What does his poop look like?

I would continue with the yogurt, but you will want to monitor his crop daily. You can take out food for several hours after he's filled up, then check to see if it's emptying. Not the best way, but since he's got light, that can help you determine if there's a problem.

Sour crop is yeast in the crop and chickens can become unwell due to this. Here's a good article about crop issues.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/