# air bubble in crop of 26 day old cockatiel chick



## Amyy (Apr 23, 2011)

after feeding my chick,i saw a air bubble trapped behind his left shoulder side..
the part where the wing starts from...
like an air pocket protruding from the upper back.
i tried massaging it,but it isnt going away.
is it okay if it stays there?


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

can you post photos? it might make it easier for us to see whats going on


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## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

If it's what I think you'll have to release the air it could block the bird's ability to eat and breathe. Pictures will help though. Then we'll be able to help.


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## Amyy (Apr 23, 2011)

i dont have my camera right now..but in this link here :
http://www.kcbbs.gen.nz/lori/ar/handrear2.html
i read :
WHAT ARE THOSE STRANGE BUBBLES ON THE BACK OF THE NECK AFTER A FEED?

The expanded (full) crop can be seen from the upper back of the lory and any air in the crop (normal) can show as air pockets protruding from the upper back. These only appear when the chick is full.

and i was wondering if that is right?
ill post pictures soon though


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## Amyy (Apr 23, 2011)

i just checked the chick...the bubble seems to have disappeared!


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## Dreamcatchers (Apr 17, 2011)

Babies can gulp air when feeding, especially when they are really hungry. I have seen the bubble you are talking about on my chicks occasionally. Keep an eye on it. If the crop starts to show red thickening veins or the air increases and doesn't go away within a few minutes of feeding, the chick may have something more serious going on.


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## Amyy (Apr 23, 2011)

my chick begs for food like crazy!


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## Dreamcatchers (Apr 17, 2011)

How old is the chick? How much are you feeding and how often?


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## Amyy (Apr 23, 2011)

i handfeed him once a day....twice when the mother doesnt feed him


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## Amyy (Apr 23, 2011)

he is 27 days old now


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

Do you have a kitchen scale you could weigh him on? That way you can keep a eye on his weight and if he isn't gaining any you could feed him more.Weigh him first thing in the morning. If he is loosing weight start feeding him more.


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## Amyy (Apr 23, 2011)

nope i dont own one of those...
although today,his mom fed him throughout the day and i didnt have to feed him at all..
his crop wasnt really full but i was just half full.
i read somewhere that vre not supposed to feed the chicks if the crop already has food in it.
can we feed the chick till the crop is full though??
like first the mom'll feed him,and after that,ill feed him till hes kinda full.


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## Dreamcatchers (Apr 17, 2011)

Amy - can you get a photo of the baby? It is hard to judge if he is being fed enough without a photo.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

At 27 days old, the baby is almost old enough to fledge. It's natural for chicks to start eating less at this age because their growth rate is slowing down and it would be hard to fly with a big bulging crop weighing them down. If he acts like he's hungry you can feed him, but don't try to stuff his crop full like you would with a younger baby because this isn't appropriate for him any more.


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## Amyy (Apr 23, 2011)

so can i remove him from the nestbox and keep him in the breeding cage with his mom????


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## Amyy (Apr 23, 2011)

my chicks body is covered in feathers and its becoming very difficult for me to find air bubbles in his crop when im looking for them after his meal time.
how do you guys find them??


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## Amyy (Apr 23, 2011)

Dreamcatchers said:


> Amy - can you get a photo of the baby? It is hard to judge if he is being fed enough without a photo.


okay ill post a picture soon


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i merged your other post in this one, it still pertains to this thread, just helps keep the forum organized  we can just keep the same topic here


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## Amyy (Apr 23, 2011)

okay...
but how do we find the bubbles when the body is covered in feathers...??


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i am no expert on the baby stuff, i think you might have to wait for someone with more experience to come on.


but i *think* you would have to look at the crop and look for what looks like air in the crop, you might have to part the feathers to see.


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## Amyy (Apr 23, 2011)

thats what i do...but the chick is making it really difficult for me...he doesnt like me parting his feathers at all...and tries to run away when i do that...and there are so many many feathers..
when i finally part them to get a quick peek,the chick moves away or shakes a lot and the feathers appear again


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## Amyy (Apr 23, 2011)

and its becoming even more difficuly to recognise a bubble....


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

You can order a cheap gram scale online, that's where I got mine. If you are having a hard time finding the air bubbles, it sounds like the baby is getting rid of them on its own. Any time I had air bubbles I just massaged them out. Does the baby not like being handled?


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## Amyy (Apr 23, 2011)

he doesnt mind the handling part,but doesnt let me move his feathers...he shakes a lot when i move them for more than a few seconds...
and when can i move the chick to a cage for weaning.like at what age must i move him?
he is 29 days old


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## Jamiukena (Sep 27, 2021)

Dreamcatchers said:


> Babies can gulp air when feeding, especially when they are really hungry. I have seen the bubble you are talking about on my chicks occasionally. Keep an eye on it. If the crop starts to show red thickening veins or the air increases and doesn't go away within a few minutes of feeding, the chick may have something more serious going on.


Like what? Can you please help me my baby dies have the red veins


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## Beak (Sep 16, 2021)

Amyy said:


> after feeding my chick,i saw a air bubble trapped behind his left shoulder side..
> the part where the wing starts from...
> like an air pocket protruding from the upper back.
> i tried massaging it,but it isnt going away.
> is it okay if it stays there?


Sometimes and baby chicks, air leaks in under their skin. This is not real common but it does happen. Take a needle and sterilize the end of it and puncture the skin in the air should come out. I want to make a whole large enough to let the air out. Sometimes the whole chicks body will puff up like a balloon and they were die because of the air pressure trying to breathe from their lungs. So it’s very important puncture the skin has air under it so that bird can breathe. Sounds like you’re Bird has a small problem
I’ve had a few chicks for the whole bird Swell up like a balloon, does puncture the skin in an area away from the vital organs it will settle back down and the bird will be fine. Veterinary told me the air leaks and under the skin and that’s what causes it when They breathe


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