Swollen crop on baby bantam

[sunny_bellyboo]

Someone help! They have wood shavings, water, and crumble food. It is a baby bantam about 1-3 weeks old. Breed and gender is unknown. What could be wrong?

 

[azygous]

Every year around this time, new chick owners get wildly concerned about a swollen lump on a chick's chest, not realizing that it's the crop and chicks can have very full crops due to some individuals being very much like little pigs.

As long a a chick is running around, eating and drinking and pooping, it's probably just fine. A chick that's in trouble will be stationary, perhaps teetering and unbalanced, or even prone. Eyes will be red-rimmed or half closed, beak agape, perhaps chirping loudly.

If you don't have coconut oil, get some first chance you get. It's in the cooking aisle with the cooking oils. Get the kind that is unrefined and still tastes like coconut if you can, but any will do as long as it's solid and not the liquid kind.

It's a fine thing to always have in a chicken first aid kit along with Poultry Nutri-drench. Don't skimp. These two items are indispensable and can save a chick's life.

 

[Mamatomany123]

So, I'm new to raising chicks but when we first got them, one chick would always run up to the food to be the first to eat. She would stuff herself like that. Now at around 3 weeks old, she has stopped doing it but because of her antics she earned herself the name fatty patty

 

[sunny_bellyboo]

Guys it's still living! Like @Lamontelle4 said, we think it was just a birth defect. @Chickin Out thanks for the compliment! @AEbersole it's still living thankfully for us

 

[21hens-incharge]

What was her behavior in the store?
Is she flipping on her back and not able to right herself?


She looks like she pigged out. Maybe pull feed away for a few hours to see if it goes down at all.

 

[FluffyFeathers97]

Someone help! They have wood shavings, water, and crumble food. It is a baby bantam about 1-3 weeks old. Breed and gender is unknown. What could be wrong?

Does the crop feel hard or squishy? Does the chick smell foul at all? Pooping okay?

 

[FluffyFeathers97]

It could have eaten a wood chip. I would give a small bit of coconut oil and massage the crop a bit (don't push up, you'll aspirate her). But I'm sure others can also chime in with better ideas.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Pics?

Behavior? Normal? Active? Sluggish?

Vegetable oil but extra care must be taken to avoid aspiration. Do not give until after we have seen this chick please.

 

[21hens-incharge]

@azygous @casportpony would either of you happen to be online?

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

She was energized like the rest and yes it couldn't get up when it flipped over.
We can't exactly take away the food because we don't have anywhere to isolate her and we have 5 other baby chicks

We had a weak chick before. Rather than removing food from the flock can you use a cardboard box to close that chick off? We had to do that.