What should a normal 8 week old crop feel like?

[kimchick621]

I have 8 week old chicks that I've been working on getting ready to put outside, and about a week ago I swapped their food to larger pellets (flock raiser). I mixed their food with grit starter, and DTE as I do with my adults (except adults get oyster shells).

Yesterday, I noticed they had swollen crops, water balloon type crops. I assumed they weren't getting enough grit, so I took away their food, and gave them only grit starter. They did make a good dent in the plate, and this morning their crops were down. They peeped hungrily at me, so I fed them a little bit (I had taken them off food yesterday entirely) and they ate like they were starved.

After they ate and settled down, I felt everyone's crops. Some felt what I considered to be normal, and hard. My only pullet of the bunch felt gritty. I could feel the grit in her crop...is that normal? They're all active and seem healthy otherwise. Their crops seemed to be normal size though after they ate today...not as huge as they were yesterday.

Anyway, should I switch them back out to chick starter, or is this a normal kind of getting used to having more than just chick starter reaction. I've never raised chicks inside...raising them outside is so much easier!

 

[Double Laced]

Its not unusual for the crops in younger birds to get stuffed full. they can look really out of proportion and its worse in the 6 to 12 week old age as the crops can stick out of the feathers like something out of a horror movie.

chick starter can swell in the crop as well.

If all seems normal and they are eating well I do not think you have anything to worry about. Chick crumb wont clog the crop.

I am growing Some bresse gauloise on at the moment and their crops stick out like a fist after they have finished stuffing themselves.

 

[salt and pepper]

Its not unusual for the crops in younger birds to get stuffed full. they can look really out of proportion and its worse in the 6 to 12 week old age as the crops can stick out of the feathers like something out of a horror movie.

chick starter can swell in the crop as well.

If all seems normal and they are eating well I do not think you have anything to worry about. Chick crumb wont clog the crop.

I am growing Some bresse gauloise on at the moment and their crops stick out like a fist after they have finished stuffing themselves.

x2