Week old rescue chick with impacted crop.

[elimasmz]

Hi ! I rescued an abandoned chick that was on the curb yesterday. I took her (or him) to a vet that said she was 4-5 days old and has nasty infection in her eyes (they were swollen shut and crusted over). I have been cleaning them and applying an ointment and she looks way better already, is active and chirping.

I didn't have any chick feed yesterday so the vet said it would be okay to give her some chopped up corn tortillas. So yesterday she had tortillas, some boiled potatoes and a bit of natural yoghurt. One family member decided to give the chick roughly grounded dry corn today.. and when I came back in the evening with the chicken feed the crop was swollen and hard.

I'm giving her water with acv (1 tbsp in half quart) and massaging the crop which helps a bit to break the clog but in a while the water passes and the clog becomes hard again. I also gave her a couple drops of oil but that didn't seem to help.

How much should I wait? Can I empty the crop somehow through the mouth? Sorry if some of these questions are stupid, I have never had a chicken! And I'm so worried for the little guy

 

[elimasmz]

Here's the little guy right after I found him and after the vet I will try to take a pic of the crop now.

 

[Alaskan]

I don't see a bulging crop...

a few drops of comfortably warm oil with gentle massage then wait until morning and that should do the trick.

except that...... that chick looks to be in such horrid shape.

Not sure what to say, except wow! and how does a chick end up on the sidewalk?

good luck

 

[Arya28]

For impacted crop, definitely recommend Apple Cider Vinegar. If they eat anything other than chick food, they need grit! Good job for rescuing him though! On the other hand, keep in mind, it is normal to be able to feel a chick's crop, to a point.

 

[Mraya]

Don't forget to get some chick grit. So he or she can grind up the food.

 

[Mraya]

How do you know it is impacted and not just full. I would wait until morning before you feed it to see if the crop is empty.

 

[elimasmz]

I don't see a bulging crop...

a few drops of comfortably warm oil with gentle massage then wait until morning and that should do the trick.

except that...... that chick looks to be in such horrid shape.

Not sure what to say, except wow! and how does a chick end up on the sidewalk?

good luck

Thank you!

Yes the poor thing looked very sad. I honestly thought it would die pretty soon. The photos I posted above were before the impaction.

I checked before going to bed and ta-da! The crop had reduced in size a lot. When I found it during the day you could see the red-translucent skin bulge out like a balloon and it was very hard. Now it looks and feels way better so I guess the massaging, water and oil did help!

 

[elimasmz]

For impacted crop, definitely recommend Apple Cider Vinegar. If they eat anything other than chick food, they need grit! Good job for rescuing him though! On the other hand, keep in mind, it is normal to be able to feel a chick's crop, to a point.

Thank you! I did add acv to the water and kept offering with a dropper every 20 minutes along with a massage The crop started to go down before going to bed and today it looks normal! Yay!

 

[elimasmz]

Don't forget to get some chick grit. So he or she can grind up the food.

Were can I buy it? Or can I use sand or dirt? In the pet store near me they didn't have it

 

[elimasmz]

How do you know it is impacted and not just full. I would wait until morning before you feed it to see if the crop is empty.

It was hard and swollen like a ballon for a good 12 hours. The skin was very stretched, red and translucent and the chick would make these head movement like trying to pass or gulp down.

Maybe I'm wrong but it didn't look right to me.. if it's normal then sorry for the panic! I have never had a chicken