Sour crop in little chick??

[1dog1cat6chicks]

She poops, but it is water-y with just a little solid.







Last Saturday (8 days ago) we got six red pullets from TSC. All was going well until about four days ago...my daughter noticed one of the chicks (Pearl) had a very swollen crop. After doing a little research [these are our first-ever chicks], we narrowed it down to a crop issues, either sour crop or an impacted crop. We are leaning toward sour, since it's not hard. The swelling has not gone down over night at all. The chick continues to eat (which may be bad??), and otherwise acts like the other chicks. Yesterday we--by this I mean my husband --held the chick and massaged the crop for a long time, and also held her upside down while massaging it, trying to get her to vomit up what was in there. That didn't work. This morning, my daughter said the chick 'threw up' a little when she picked her up; she also tried massage but to no avail. Is there anything else we can try?? We hate to lose this chick, especially if there's some way we can help her.

 

[Eggcessive]

Don't try to vomit the chick any more. This is very dangerous, and may cause the chick to aspirate (choke.) Massage is okay a few times a day. It may just have a full crop, or has eaten some pine shavings. Set him inside the brooder under the heat with a little barricade (a tiny box works,) and give him only water for a couple of hours to see if the crop gets smaller. Also I would put paper towels down over top of the shavings for a few more days to keep them from eating them. Change them twice a day or as necessary, but they will learn the difference between food and shavings soon. Make sure they are only eating chick feed and no treats for 3 weeks.

 

[1dog1cat6chicks]

Thanks, Eggcessive....we will try what you suggest. She is acting normal, pooping, drinking, etc. It's just that her crop hasn't gone down in DAYS. We'll withhold food for awhile, and put down some paper towels.

 

[Eggcessive]

I doubt that an 8 day old chick would have sour crop. They tend to have pretty noticeable crops round the clock. But some do eat the pine shavings. As long as it is pooping and looking alert, it is probably okay.

 

[1dog1cat6chicks]

Added a few pictures in the first post....

Today we removed the pine shavings, put down a thick layer of newspaper and then paper towels. My daughter did say she saw her eating shavings yesterday.

 

[1dog1cat6chicks]

Bumping this up in hopes someone sees the new pictures....is this normal for the crop to be so huge, and not to empty at all??

 

[Eggcessive]

Oh my, that crop is huge. Is there any way you can get the chick to a vet? I think I would withhold food over night, and just give it water. A few drops of mineral oil as a laxative may help. I have never had to treat this, but here is a thread that sounds similar: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/21498/oh-no-another-problem-in-our-tiny-flock-impacted-crop-now

 

[1dog1cat6chicks]

Last night we did indeed withhold food from her. Water was available.

This morning there is no difference.

My daughter is really concerned, as is my husband and me, too.

 

[Tricoglossus]

That's a very large crop. I am worried that your chick has eaten pine shavings and if so, they may have blocked the crop, ventriculus or proventriculus (the stomach and glandular stomach of birds). This would explain why the droppings have become watery especially if the chick is still eating (watery droppings because no food is getting through into the intestine, but urine and intestinal secretions are still being produced and passed as waste).

If there is a blockage of pine shavings then I doubt that you will be able to do anything to save this chick.

One thing you can try is to flush the crop with fluids and hope that this will clear any feed impactions or minor blockages. This will need to be done with a crop tube. If you have never done this before then you will need to take the chick to an avian vet and they will show you what to do. Just giving the chick access to water will not be sufficient. I have treated doves with crop stasis at a wildlife rehabilitation centre and there is a lot of flushing involved. I once had a Houdans chick that had consumed hay and got crop stasis. Despite my best efforts the chick did not survive.

Good luck.

 

[ten chicks]

Can you feel what might be in crop,meaning what does her crop feel like when gently pressing on it? If she is still eating,try adding a bit of grit to her food,see if this helps with digestion. Here is a link with alternate treatments. Crop bra might be something to try.

http://www.wildbirdrehabhaven.org.

Once on site,go to INFORMATION,then "symptoms and treatments" scroll down to crop issues.