# Crop not empting, please help soon!



## NuttyNu (Aug 20, 2009)

I am hand rearing a little chick. 2 weeks old. started him yesterday. I am feeding EMP as this is what we use in the UK. I have it to a nice moist paste consistancy but once I have fed him, his crop never completely empties.

I can only feed about 2ml at a time as this is all his crop will hold. (Probably 3ml including what is left in there from before.

I left him all night, only getting up to heat his pad up, and hsi crop still holds about 1ml of food.

What do I do?
Why is this happening?
Should I feed him now or wait until all that has gone?

He is cheaping away and is very bright at the moment and takes food very well. he has passed more watery faeces since I have been hand-rearing him but I put this down to me using more water in my mix than his bird parents did.

Please help as soon as.


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## animal lover (Jun 8, 2011)

Hi, I am no expert as I have never hand reared a chick before, but I have been reading up on it as I find it all fascinating, I have read on here that not emptying the crop is caused by formula being to cool, might be worth a read until someone in the know reads this x

http://www.cockatielcottage.net/feeding.html


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## kellweaz (Jun 16, 2011)

Hiya crop must be emptied before the next feed otherwise the baby can end up with sour crop which can be deadly to the baby,,

Increase the temp by one or two degrees and add a drop of honey and yakult to the formula,, also over the next few feeds make the fix alitte more runnier,,,


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

I'm not familiar with EMP, so can't answer on that.

At the top of the forum is a *Search* area. Use it and search for past postings of Slow crop, sour crop, crop not emptying. There is alot of info. Try what is suggested in the postings that come up in your search results.


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## barryh12 (Jun 8, 2011)

In the uk you can get kaytee handfeeding formula or A21 nutibird


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

i also started a thread called slow crop you can read
a fast way to find it is go to my profile statistics and find all threads started by me
how often are you feeding the baby 2ml also what temp are you feeding it at
it must be between 104f-106f when you feed or babies will you their reserves to focus on digesting food not growing or anything else....what are your mixture ratios also?
you said paste it should be pudding texture a paste wouldn't be enough water in it i think..since chicks are requiring water you must make sure it getting enough from the formula mixture
where is the baby being kept while not being fed?


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## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

I've been doing a little research on EMP, it looks to be an egg food. I'm not sure how good a product egg food is for baby birds though.


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

kaytee exact handfeeding formula also has dried whole egg in it so it must be ok
you might wanna look into if you can somehow get kaytee exact handfeeding formula online
and shipped to you


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Mentha said:


> I've been doing a little research on EMP, it looks to be an egg food. I'm not sure how good a product egg food is for baby birds though.


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It would be too much protein and could impair or shut down the kidneys. If Kaytee is available, try and find and use it. If not you *have too* reduce the protein content of the EMP. This can be done by mioxing it 50% with boxed babyfood Rice Cereal.


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

This what is says

- Protein: 16.5%
- Oil: 7.5%
- Fibre: 3.5%
- Ash: 6.2%

http://www.valupets.com/pets/egg-biscuit-food/emp-superior-egg-biscuit-food/22036.html


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

kaytees says on its label
crude protein(min)....22%
crude fat(min)......9%
crude fiber(max).....5%
moisture(max).....10%
omega3 fatty acids(min)....0.5%


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## NuttyNu (Aug 20, 2009)

Thanks for all your help. I will look into being able to supply the kaytee stuff. I may try our referrals in Swindon for Harrisons hand-rearing formula as I know harrisons do make one, just hard supplying it as they are very specific where they stock to. grrrr.

Little one died this morning though. Was fine and I warmed his heat pad up again and left him whilst I went home to get lunch (He was at work with others nurses/kennel staff around). Came back to work with my lunch 30mins later and he was nearly dead. I got anohter nurse to euthanase (I personally couldn't do it or be there) him as he was collapsed, completely unaware of anything going on and there was no chance of recovery. He couldn't even stand up. I think this must be something which parents are giving them for mine in aviary to die so young and so fast and then for him to do it. However, It has given me some good experience of hand-rearing and proven i can do it! (Even with lots of help from you guys!)

I was unable to measure the temp of the food exactly i have been doing a similar way to the Hedgehog I was hand-rearing. I have been ensuring it was warm to touch o arm, finger and bak of hand. if it was cold, i put the egg-cup which I mixed it in into a bowl of boiling water until it was warm.
I never realised how important exact temps like that were as mammals just need it "touch warm" rather than specific temps and as I say, I have never done this before and was never planning to, therefore did not have all the equipment I should ideally have had. I will go and find a good thermometer for the food now for furture feedings if they occur.

However, Now we are lookin at clearing the stock and going into Budgies in one aviary, Some small parakeet in another (e.g. ringnecks or something similar which will cope with our climate) and then have the lovebirds in the third aviary once we have finished building it!


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

sorry to hear about your loss


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## cookie232 (Aug 15, 2010)

I replied on your other thread and then found this one, sorry for your loss  You mention Swindon in your post, I am in Swindon, and have purchased harrisons pellets from GW Refferals, but i never managed to convert my birds from seed, so add suppliments to their diet and use EMP during the breeding season as well. You can order direct from Harrisons and i found them very helpful In case you need to hand rear in the future, I read up on hand rearing formulas available in the UK before i pulled my chicks and noticed a lot of people had crop problems with the A19 so chose Avi-Plus instead, but it is only available from one supplier, so not many pet shops stock it. Paradise Pets in Swindon does though and if you want anything they dont stock, they will order it in for you. Paradise Pets is owned by Neil Eatwell, whose family have been bird breeders for years, his brother kevin Eatwell is one of the best Avian vets in this country, he did work for a local vet, but i believe he is in Scotland now and is specialising in reptiles too. I have found them very helpful and a wonderful source of advice


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