# Dark patch at the bottom of the crop



## huson (Feb 23, 2009)

I have been handfeeding my cockatiels for a while now, and my 15 days old chick have a dark grey-ish patch at the bottom of the crop. It seems like the sediments of the formula. If I allow the chick to consume all the formula in the crop, eventually the patch will be gone.

Should I be concern? How do I know it is not slow crop?


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Yes...that is the vitamin particles separating in the formula. I've seen this happen more with Kaytee formula than other brands. If there is alot of particles in the bottom of the crop they can be caustic to the skin and you may see a black/blue bruised looking area. This is not a real health concern, and goes away.

if you are using Kaytee I would suggest dumping your whole container into a large bowl. Thouroughly stir and mix the dry powder well and put it back in the container/bag. Many times the formula settles during shipment and the vitamin particles sink in the bag. What results id when you first used the formula it does not have all the nutrients, and you have constantly crying babies....and as you go thru the container/bag towards the last 1/3 the particles that settled are in excess when you feed and can create a toxicity or cause crop problems or vomiting, etc. So alway make sure the dry powder is shaken well before using each time.


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## Dreamcatchers (Apr 17, 2011)

Perhaps this is what is going on with Loki! I didn't think to mix up the formula dry, just been scooping it out. I will give it a good mixing before the next feeding and see if Loki does better.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Dreamcatchers....I learned this years ago with Kaytee. The dry ingredients settle and if a person is not aware of this the first 1/3 of the bag is lacking the heavier vitamin particle, so the baby does not act satified no matter how much you feed, and there is little to no weight gain. many times there is weight loss. The middle 1/3 of the batch has a good mix of ingredients so all of a sudden the baby is doing better. And when you get to the last 1/3 all of a sudden it will start to drop in weight, become real fussy, restless and sometimes crop problems. If the vitamin particles are in concentration at the bottom of the bag it is enough to cause serious problems and/or death.

I learned to shake and mix the dry ingredients. I would put about 1 cup in another container...shaking this prior to use. Once done do the same...shake the whole batch to mix well, and use from smaller containers. it sure eliminated alot of problems.

I used to have pix's of what the actual formula should look like...and without the vitamin partical it is paler, and with the particles has the darker flecks and is more gritty.

Some people also will complain that Kaytee formula when mixed will either separate or is very gritty. I found that the type of water makes a difference. If you have hard water it formula mixes up gritty...and with soft water it mixes up nice and smooth.


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## huson (Feb 23, 2009)

thnx~~~for the advice!!! I'm glad is not a health concern. 

I'm using the Tropican handfeeding formula. I tried Kaytee ones before and it is a lot more expensive than Tropican. After raising chicks from both types of formula, I really cannot see any difference in terms of health, feather, personality. So I decided to stick with the cheap Tropican handfeeding formula.


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