Author Topic: My chick has sour crop? (Read 2743 times)

Farmboss64 · « **on:** May 15, 2021, 11:32:07 pm »

My chick was sitting under the lamp I picked him up and he started moving his head around weirdly and he keeps trying to drink water when there is nothing there but I did put water out for him starting to move around but when I set him down he falls over forward help please

chrismahon · « **Reply #1 on:** May 16, 2021, 06:45:30 am »

Could be it has got too hot under the lamp and has become dehydrated? What is the temperature under that lamp? Won't be sour crop but could also be a neurological problem?

Farmboss64 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 16, 2021, 09:42:19 pm »

The temp is good already had 7 die from this same problem they are Orpington chicks notice there crop is large and squishy like it’s full of air and liquid I tried olive oil to get things moving and that one died after last night they barf up too they are on medicated chick starter feed and have vitamin/regular water

Farmboss64 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 17, 2021, 04:34:18 am »

They don’t really want any food just water and it seems like they have trouble swallowing it’s like they twitch there head around a lot eyes are open and he is walking only a bit I put him away from the lamp and always ends up under it

chrismahon · « **Reply #4 on:** May 17, 2021, 06:41:04 am »

Is there something wrong with the feed? Sounds like they can't digest it. Or perhaps the water should have any additives?

We have always given ours unmedicated crumb and plain water.

chrismahon · « **Reply #5 on:** May 17, 2021, 08:44:09 am »

On further reflection it sounds like they all have a digestive impaction and what they have eaten is now going rotten in the crop and gassing up. I very much doubt this is genetic and so it must be a digestive reaction to the feed or water additives.

All you can do is just give them plain water and hope their system clears. No point in giving them feed if they can't digest it. I assume your tap water is safe to drink? I ask because ours certainly isn't and if we reared chicks here they would be on bottled water without added minerals, as we are.

Richmond · « **Reply #6 on:** May 17, 2021, 08:58:49 am »

What are you bedding them on? Could they be eating it? I always put newly hatched chicks on a towel for a few days until they are eating their crumb well and are less likely to confuse their bedding for food.

chrismahon · « **Reply #7 on:** May 17, 2021, 09:51:12 am »

That's a very good point Richmond. We use kitchen roll for the first week and change it every day. If they have eaten their bedding that's irreversible unfortunately.

Farmboss64 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 17, 2021, 05:40:23 pm »

I first had straw in there and I just changed it to wood chips the other day the chick is still alive usually with the other ones they died in a couple hours

chrismahon · « **Reply #9 on:** May 17, 2021, 07:28:29 pm »

Naturally the mother hen would show the chicks what to eat, but without a mother hen they need to have no other options. So it looks like they have eaten the bedding and unfortunately when one eats the bedding they all copy their example.

What you need to do now is get the remaining ones off anything else they can eat and just give them water and crumb. Get them off wood chips as they are too coarse anyway and it will damage their feet.

I'm not going to add to this thread again as it's just upsetting me. Poor little chicks.