Unusually large crop in three week old chick?

[Ausdotte]

My daughter is worried because one of the chicks she is raising has an unusually bulgy crop and she is concerned that it could be indicating some sort of problem.

Lavender Araucana
About 3 weeks old
Seems active and normal apart from crop
Fed only chick crumbles
Lives in a box with a heat lamp with 5 other chicks
Other chicks are normal
Crop feels a little soft and squishy
Crop only slightly smaller first thing in the morning
Been like this for about four days

Thanks for any help

 

[biophiliac]

You are right - the crop should be empty in the morning [full at night]. What kind of bedding? .... @Pyxis , @Wyorp Rock ?

 

[Ausdotte]

Straw over newspaper.

 

[biophiliac]

Do you think she might have eaten straw? It does look abnormal to me.
@rebrascora ?

[I have tagged a few members who know a lot more ]

 

[Wyorp Rock]

About 3 weeks old
Seems active and normal apart from crop
Fed only chick crumbles
Lives in a box with a heat lamp with 5 other chicks
Crop only slightly smaller first thing in the morning

Hi @Ausdotte

It's hard to gauge crop function when chicks are under a heat lamp - they will eat at all hours of the day and night. Chicks under 24hrs of light will usually always have what appears to be a fairly full crop.

If she is active, eating/drinking and not in distress, then she is probably fine.

Even though you are only feeding chick starter, it never hurts to make chick grit (crushed granite) available free choice in the brooder. Some chicks will consume small pieces of bedding which can be a little hard to process without the grit.

 

[Ausdotte]

Sorry didn't mean heat lamp that emits light, just warmth, the chicks are in darkness at night.

 

[Ausdotte]

would it help to have sand as bedding material?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sorry didn't mean heat lamp that emits light, just warmth, the chicks are in darkness at night.

OK That changes things a bit.

Is she pooping?
It's unusual for a chick that is only 3wks old and eating only chick starter to have an impacted crop. She may have eaten a little bedding.

Provide chick grit free choice, offer wet chick feed and see that she is drinking well.
Check the crop at lights out - it should be full. Check her again first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks - if the crop is still full after a night of sleeping, then you will need to possibly treat her for an impacted crop.

Sand as bedding is usually not necessary - if you can't provide a source of grit - course builders sand or a clump of sod may provide sufficient grit- but the crushed granite, imho, is better.

 

[Ausdotte]

I'm in Perth, Australia and not really seeing any product for sale called 'crushed granite' here. It's very very sandy here though, if they weren't in a box I can't see that as being a problem.

 

[Ausdotte]

My daughter wants me to ask about wet chick feed... ? What is it I guess...?