Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: kegs on August 25, 2012, 10:59
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Hi
Just got back from our week long holiday and I have a 4wk old Brahma chick with a hugely impacted (and pecked, bleeding) crop. It's only had access to chick crumb and wood shavings. I've now got it in a brooder box but need to know if there is anything I can do (other than put it out of its misery). The poor thing looks as if it's going to burst. Apologies for waffling. :(
Edited due to typing error
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:( could only recommend the massaging of the crop and some oil in a syringe in its mouth, poor little thing. Hope you get it sorted soon
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dont know if this will help, hopefully a knowledgable one will be along soon :(
http://poultry.allotment-garden.org/advice/chicken-health/impacted-or-bound-crop
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Thanks both. It's still in the brooder box with water but no food. It looked lethargic this morning but this afternoon it's chirping a bit more and has pooped an average amount. I think its crop is going down slightly as it looks fluffier and less taught, but that could be my imagination.
I could have a go with oil but am unsure whether that's advisable in a 4wk old chick. I'm not going to attempt an op as I'm not experienced or brave enough so any suggestions would be great.
forgot to add earlier that these are incubator chicks so have only been in a brooder, on wood shavings, and have no access to grass or anything else other than the previously mentioned crumb.
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you could also try a few white maggots (not the dyed type) and remove the shavings as it would appear you may have a very greedy chick who will eat everything. Try making the crumb into a mash to help get fluid into him/her :)
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Support white maggots. These worked for us when oil and massage didn't.
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How are they today?
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The Brahma chick didn't have an impacted crop after all - it was sour crop. I tipped it forward and managed to get rid of some liquid and I've kept it in its own brooder box in the garage where the others can see it. There was so much liquid in the bottom of the box this morning I wasl in two minds whether to put it out of it's misery, but as it's busy tucking into some scrambled egg, cod liver oil and yoghurt I guess I'll have to wait a bit longer. ;) The swelling has greatly reduced by about half but it still looks awfully swollen and malnourished.
The feather plucking Light Sussex is still in solitary confinement and is not happy. It's now pooping normally (it had eaten so many feathers that it's poo was thin black and 2 inches long - hope no-ones eating :lol:). Not sure what to do about it but if anyone wants to swap a 4wk old unsexed LS called Hannibal Lector for some chick crumb then let me know? ;)
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I've just found an old thread which suggests Banana and Epsom Salts (not together) so I might give that a go too unless anyone thinks the advice is out of date?
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=8761.msg102226#msg102226
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I've never had to treat sour crop, but the advice Munty gives sounds pretty good. Flushing the crop out to clear any yak, then offering a good neutral source of carbs and sugar which is easy to digest :)