Week old chick with air filled crop?? any ideas?

[kelsigall]

I have a week old chick that has had a large crop for a couple days now. Its not hard like impacted crop, and it doesn't feel mushy or watery like sour crop. It feels like a balloon filled with air. I can massage it and sometimes it seems soft and malleable but for a few seconds it turns hard. Super weird. Any ideas? Could it be sour crop? Is it okay to separate a week old chick by herself? I would like to withhold food for half a day to see if it goes down. I have supplies for a epson salt drench and also the dulcolax laxative gel pills but wasn't sure if those would apply to this case. Thanks in advance for any information or advice!

Also I should add that she is still active and is eating, drinking and pooping. The crop just isn't going down.

 

[junebuggena]

Withhold food for at least 12 hours, overnight is the best time to do this, and check the crop first thing in the morning. If it empties, the chick is just fine.

 

[kelsigall]

Okay I'll do that tonight. Definitely let her have water though right? I have vitamins and electrolytes in it now, anything else I should try? Thanks!

 

[junebuggena]

Water is fine. Right now, you first have to figure out if there really is a crop problem or if you just have a piggy little chick.

 

[kelsigall]

Haha I hope its just that! I'll post an update tomorrow. Thanks for helping!

 

[kelsigall]

Update. Seems to have gone down overnight. Not totally back to normal but getting there. I'll keep watch on her food intake haha.