Two week old chicks breath smells like sour milk! 🤢

[#lovemychickens]

I recently received a batch of baby chicks and at about four days old, one of them started to smell like sour milk. I felt it’s crop and it was squishy and gurgled. It did feel like a little water balloon. I massaged it gently and the next day it was still there. I recently started giving him little doses of Monistat to help and the smell isn’t as strong. He’s definitely smaller then all of the other chicks and I can feel his bones. I’ve noticed he doesn’t eat much and believe it’s because of his crop. At one point when I was massaging it, it almost felt like a tiny wood chip was in there. I don’t feel it anymore but he still has that weird smell. I don’t know what to do because he can’t keep going on too much longer as he is just about all bones.. I don’t want to give up on the little guy either. What do I do?!? Please help me!

 

[azygous]

Crop yeast infections are extremely rare in chicks, mainly because they are young and healthy for the most part. Older chickens get sour crop often as a symptoms of an underlying health issue. Therefore, a chick with sour crop likely has other health issues, too.

You can keep up with the anti yeast med, and augment it with a probiotic or Greek yogurt. To boost its energy and put weight on, feed minced boiled egg or minced tofu with Poultry Nutri-drench sprinkled over it.

Your objective is to try to improve this chick's nutritional levels and that will help strenghten its immune system, ultimately helping it to kick the yeast infection.

Fermenting the chick's feed will further add nutrients and natural probiotics.

 

[Starburst]

Sour crop is pretty rare for chicks, but it is thought to be caused by Candida albicans, which is a type of fungus. You first want to clean out all the bedding. If you think you have sour crop, and her crop is full for several days, VERY gently empty her crop, tipping her beak at an angle towards the floor, and massage her crop. Do keep in mind that while you are doing this, she may aspirate (breath in) the vomit which can ultimately lead to death. You want to keep her on water for 24 hours and then slowly introduce food, maybe mixing it with yogurt, in small amounts. This is how you treat Sour crop for chickens, I am not sure if you do it differently for baby chicks. I hope your little one gets better!

 

[azygous]

Please don't try to empty the chick's crop. This is not advisable. It has very little benefit and very high risk of death.

 

[#lovemychickens]

This morning his crop was almost empty.. I tried giving him the egg but he just isn’t eating it. Although this morning he seemed to have more energy.. was a little bit of a challenge to catch him to check his crop and to give more Monistat. There still is a smell but it’s not as strong.. maybe it’s working?? I’ve tried giving him wet chick feed and he just isn’t having it. It seems like he likes to eat the wood shavings. . I’ve cleaned out their bedding several times since I’ve had them and they get fresh water multiple times a day. Should I put ACV in their water? Will that help? How do you ferment their feed?

 

[LaFleche]

It seems like he likes to eat the wood shavings. .

In that case it would be best to use a different bedding until your chicks are old enough to know the difference between food and bedding.

To help break down the ingested wood chips your chick needs sand/grit.

 

[azygous]

Have you tried mincing the egg? Chicks have no patience with big chunks.

Keep up with the yeast med for a full seven days. That's how long it takes to knock out a yeast infection.

Feed it dry crumbles until the crop is clear. Then you can try fermented feed. Take a small container, put about a cup of feed in it and barely cover it with warm filtered tap water. Add a teaspoon of ACV to jump start it. Set in a warm place, 70-80F and stir at least once a day. The first batch may be ready to feed in 36-48 hours. It will be lighter in color and light and fluffy with a pleasant yeast odor.

When you've fed out two thirds, use a teaspoon of it to start a new batch. That will take less time to ferment and should be ready in 24 hours. Add feed to make it thicker. Chicks do better with a thick, dry FF since they tend to wallow in their food and it can be a big mess. The stuff dries like cement.

Find a small container to feed it, something the size of a Fancy Feast cat food tin or a fast food sauce cup. Glue it to a block of wood so it doesn't tip. Stay away from large dishes that a chick can walk in.

 

[#lovemychickens]

Have you tried mincing the egg? Chicks have no patience with big chunks.

Keep up with the yeast med for a full seven days. That's how long it takes to knock out a yeast infection.

Feed it dry crumbles until the crop is clear. Then you can try fermented feed. Take a small container, put about a cup of feed in it and barely cover it with warm filtered tap water. Add a teaspoon of ACV to jump start it. Set in a warm place, 70-80F and stir at least once a day. The first batch may be ready to feed in 36-48 hours. It will be lighter in color and light and fluffy with a pleasant yeast odor.

When you've fed out two thirds, use a teaspoon of it to start a new batch. That will take less time to ferment and should be ready in 24 hours. Add feed to make it thicker. Chicks do better with a thick, dry FF since they tend to wallow in their food and it can be a big mess. The stuff dries like cement.

Find a small container to feed it, something the size of a Fancy Feast cat food tin or a fast food sauce cup. Glue it to a block of wood so it doesn't tip. Stay away from large dishes that a chick can walk in.

For the Monistat, there is a 2% and a 6.5% dose.. what should I be using?

 

[azygous]

To be honest, I didn't know it came in two strengths. I've found that more important that dosage strength and amount is to be sure the crop has a steady exposure to the yeast killing med. Usually a dose in the morning and another in the evening provides this exposure. And it absolutely must be continued for a full seven days.

 

[#lovemychickens]

To be honest, I didn't know it came in two strengths. I've found that more important that dosage strength and amount is to be sure the crop has a steady exposure to the yeast killing med. Usually a dose in the morning and another in the evening provides this exposure. And it absolutely must be continued for a full seven days.

I’m on day three of doing it twice a day. He already seems to have a little bit more energy. Still not eating much but I’m hoping he continues to improve. He’s a cute little Salmon Faverolle. I’m assuming it’s a little he because he wings are dark and mostly black with a little brown coming in. Thank you for all of your help!