# Should I be concerned?



## Fairydust125 (Sep 9, 2009)

One of the Tiels(The bigger one) crop doesn't empty fast enough. By the time I have to feed him again there is still quite a bit there..it gets smaller but not by too much. Should I be worried? He still asks for food


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

It could be sour crop.
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Sour Crop:* A healthy chick's crop should empty completely at least once every 24 hours. When food does not traveling down from the crop to the stomach and other parts of a bird's digestive system as it should, it goes sour and starts to ferment. Sour Crop is the term used to describe the accumulation of undigested, fermenting food in a chick's crop. Sour crop causes impactions, total shut down of the digestive system as well as infections. Causes of sour crop include not letting the crop empty once in a 24 hour period, diseases, bacteria, yeast and fungal infections, improper preparation or temperature of the formula, (too cold, too thick) a brooder that isn't warm enough, babies getting chilled when out of the brooder, babies ingesting wood, liter, corncob, walnut shell type beddings and a breeder who overfeeds the babies and stretches out the crop. As formula from additional feedings builds up inside of a stretched crop, the capacity to hold more sour food increases. Crop muscle tone becomes weak and food can no longer be pushed down into the baby's stomach. If sour crop isn't treated in the early stages, the chick's entire digestive tract will slow down or shut down completely, depriving the baby of nutrients and fluids. Secondary infections will also develop until death finally occurs. Some breeders add a FEW drops of apple cider vinegar, papaya extract or half baby food applesauce to half of the mixed formula for the morning feedings. These products are used to help the crop drain and to prevent sour crop. Formula should also be 104-106 degrees Fahrenheit. Lower temperatures will contribute to the development of sour crop by chilling the baby. If you baby's crop isn't draining properly, call an avian vet.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Need more info....such as age, weight (empty) and how much formula you are feeding per feeding.


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## Fairydust125 (Sep 9, 2009)

I hope it's not sourcrop. It's about 15 days old. When I have to feed again in 4 hrs it still has a bit in the crop so I wait a little longer. This morning when I fed it, it was almost empty but it had been 8 hrs. I am feeding about 7-10 cc formula per feeding, and I don't know weight, I don't have a scale but he's a pretty good size


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## jeffm1967 (May 21, 2010)

really need to get one of those cheap scales to help you know if you are overfeeding or not. you want to make sure your feeding 10% of thier body weight. Good Luck.


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## Fairydust125 (Sep 9, 2009)

ok thnx..where can i get a scale?


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

What you would like to find is a scale that weighs in grams and ounces. If you have an Office Max or office supply store, nearby they have a Pelouse (sp) brand scale that is around $30. Sometimes you can find a scales at Walmart.


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