# Slow crop in chicks.



## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

My chicks have slow crop... I think it is from the parents over stuffing the crops, which may be in part my fault. with 8 chicks in the nest I have been giving an unending supply of food for the parents who have over fed their chicks. I pulled the 3 week old chicks on thur for handfeeding only to discover the crops full at 7am and they never went down all day despite my not feeding them at all and only giving them a bit of warm water at feeding times. At about 4pm I called my exotics vet and got an appointment for the next day at 3:40. Again I didn't feed all day Friday, only giving the chicks a tsp or so of water at feeding times. I did get crop bras on them which I think helped some. Vet looked at them and took crops content samples. He found yeast and bacteria in the crops. Chicks are now on meds for antifungal, antibiotic and to make the crops move... they never looked sick , were always perky and alert which is good. Now all 8 chicks have to take the meds for about 5 days, and I have pulled them all from the parents. Fingers crossed for my babies, they are emptying ok today, not perfect but getting there... they have had 2 doses of meds so far. ( they only get it once a day.)


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

The garlic powder, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper remedy of srtiels does wonders in preventing slow crop. Baking soda in water does a pretty good job short-term as well if you catch it early.


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## shaenne (Apr 19, 2014)

I absolutely swear by srtiels spice remedies! I always have a container of garlic powder, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and ground tumeric on hand when i'm hand raising and use it as a preventative. It smells amazing, too lol.

Good luck with your babies! Fingers crossed they continue to improve


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

shaenne said:


> I absolutely swear by srtiels spice remedies! I always have a container of garlic powder, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and ground tumeric on hand when i'm hand raising and use it as a preventative. It smells amazing, too lol.
> 
> Good luck with your babies! Fingers crossed they continue to improve


Thanks, this is my 3rd clutch but the 1st I have had problems with, I don't think I will be breeding them anymore. I LOVE doing it, I love my little babies who look at me as mommy, I have no problem selling them to good families and letting them go, but this worry and anxiety over them being sick is to much, I can't handle or deal with it.


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

Darkel777 said:


> The garlic powder, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper remedy of srtiels does wonders in preventing slow crop. Baking soda in water does a pretty good job short-term as well if you catch it early.


Thanks, I hope I caught them early enough... But I think my breeding days are over, can't handle the anxiety this has set off.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

It's normal for the parents to stuff the chicks to the point that their crop may be bigger than their head. When there are yeast/bacteria problems in parent-fed chicks, I suspect that sometimes the real issue is the type of food they're getting. Parent birds love to feed soft moist foods to the babies, but these are the same foods that are most prone to developing microbes if they sit around for too long. It's especially a problem in warm humid climates. I live in Southern Arizona where it's hot but very dry and have never had a problem with it. But I hear that it can be a major problem in places like Florida.


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

tielfan said:


> It's normal for the parents to stuff the chicks to the point that their crop may be bigger than their head. When there are yeast/bacteria problems in parent-fed chicks, I suspect that sometimes the real issue is the type of food they're getting. Parent birds love to feed soft moist foods to the babies, but these are the same foods that are most prone to developing microbes if they sit around for too long. It's especially a problem in warm humid climates. I live in Southern Arizona where it's hot but very dry and have never had a problem with it. But I hear that it can be a major problem in places like Florida.


Chicks are doing pretty good still, still have meds for a few more days. I have bras on 2 and feeding smaller meals. I believe I caused the problem myself. I am an easy touch and my parent birds know it. If they holler for more food I give it to them. They loved sprouted wheat berries and baby bird formula the most which I supplied in abundance, too abundant I think as they have 8 chicks I was trying to make sure everyone got fed well. My food never sat around too long as the parents won't eat it after a while they yell for more, which I gave them. I hope I caught it in time, all chicks crops are moving quite well now and emptying most of the time, but a few have saggy crops when empty and it is hard to tell if they are truly empty, I massage these saggy little baggies...lol which seems to cause them to contract and shrink on themselves. I haven't lost anyone yet and they all look good and healthy, so let's hope they are ok. I have pulled them all and am feeding them myself.


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

Chicks remain pretty good, however 4 out of 8 are still slow. I don't want to use any home remedies as long as they are on meds so I called the vet today and he gave them a bigger dose of a stronger GI stimulator, I have to give them 1 drop 3times a day... What fun!! They still are on the anti fungal anti biotic meds as well.


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

My chicks are now about 8ish weeks old and weaning, I have struggled on and off with one or two of my chicks crops since they were originally to the vet. I have tried the spice remedy and applesauce without any real results. I have kept yeast at bay with Bragg's ACV in the formula. I have been using 1/4 tsp to 1/2 cup mixed formula. Over the last few days one chick has started not emptying all the way again so I called the vet to see what to try next, he does not really want to give meds if he can help it so because my chick is still bright and healthy looking other than her crop issues he decided to try a round of papaya on her. 1/2 inch chunk of papaya mashed and mixed into her formula is supposed to help stimulate her crop motility and the enzymes help digest the food... Please keep your fingers crossed this works. Unless she starts going downhill I am to try the papaya for a week and see how it goes... If the papaya does not work then he wants to do X-rays to make sure we are not dealing with a blockage.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Hopefully it works!! Crops can be tricky in baby birds!



> Thanks, this is my 3rd clutch but the 1st I have had problems with, I don't think I will be breeding them anymore. I LOVE doing it, I love my little babies who look at me as mommy, I have no problem selling them to good families and letting them go, but this worry and anxiety over them being sick is to much, I can't handle or deal with it.


That was it for me, to be honest. The stress after losing so many just got to be too much. Post pictures of the babies when you have a chance!


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

roxy culver said:


> Hopefully it works!! Crops can be tricky in baby birds!
> 
> 
> That was it for me, to be honest. The stress after losing so many just got to be too much. Post pictures of the babies when you have a chance!


Thank you, I will later when I get back on my laptop, I just took some new ones today. I have 2 normal grey males, a whiteface pied male, a pearl male, 2 lutino hens and 2 whiteface lutino hens.


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