Empty crops on certain chicks.

[thecatumbrella]

I've got 7, 2 week-old bantams. My 3 mottled pekins never seem to fill their crops until I offer mash. I picked one up in the afternoon, just to see if I was crazy, and there was nothing in her. Totally flat. They feel a little scrawny as well.

The other chicks eat heartily and have no problems, but I'll watch the mottleds beak out the crumble and then scratch for crap on the brooder floor (quite literally ). I'm in there every couple hours making sure the feeder isn't obstructed by shavings. Everyone is super active and running around.

Thoughts?

I could cut out the mash altogether, though I'm only giving it before the lights turn down for bed. They're stuck with boring, dry chick feed all day. Maybe I'm overthinking this and they're fine? It's not like I'm doing hourly food boob checks. I guess I'm just accustomed to chicks always having something in them, and didn't think they'd empty until overnight.

 

[Debbie292d]

I give them mash continually, and they do eat the dry as well. The mash I serve in plastic peanut butter jar lids so they'll have that gone in a few hours, and I'm not apt to refill it but two or three times a day.

I think we get them spoiled on that, but so what? We're making sure they're hydrated a little with that as well.

 

[thecatumbrella]

I give them mash continually, and they do eat the dry as well. The mash I serve in plastic peanut butter jar lids so they'll have that gone in a few hours, and I'm not apt to refill it but two or three times a day.

I think we get them spoiled on that, but so what? We're making sure they're hydrated a little with that as well.

Spoiled indeed, but how can that be a bad thing when they're just too cute!

Mine drink like they're training for a triathlon, so I can't use the hydration excuse. By the way, have you seen this new silkie food from Nutrena? They're perfectly little round balls and mine go nuts if I sprinkle some over the top of their normal feed. Extra protein and B1.

 

[Debbie292d]

Spoiled indeed, but how can that be a bad thing when they're just too cute!

Mine drink like they're training for a triathlon, so I can't use the hydration excuse. By the way, have you seen this new silkie food from Nutrena? They're perfectly little round balls and mine go nuts if I sprinkle some over the top of their normal feed. Extra protein and B1.

I've seen it, but they're already on 20% and on CS (Chinese Skullcap Baicalin), which needs fat added. So that's Kaytee Baby Parrot food + fat I had bought for a blind, emaciated chicken I adopted. I need to use that up, but in the meantime, that's buchu vitamins, minerals, and yes, more protein. It's such a small amount added, but I don't want to add even more protein until we're done with that. Too much protein can start causing issues too, so I'm trying to watch it.

 

[thecatumbrella]

I've seen it, but they're already on 20% and on CS (Chinese Skullcap Baicalin), which needs fat added. So that's Kaytee Baby Parrot food + fat I had bought for a blind, emaciated chicken I adopted. I need to use that up, but in the meantime, that's buchu vitamins, minerals, and yes, more protein. It's such a small amount added, but I don't want to add even more protein until we're done with that. Too much protein can start causing issues too, so I'm trying to watch it.

Totally get that. The protein is kind of nuts on the silkie feed, so we're just using it sparingly as well. I hope your little blind buddy makes a solid recovery! Poor thing.

 

[Debbie292d]

Totally get that. The protein is kind of nuts on the silkie feed, so we're just using it sparingly as well. I hope your little blind buddy makes a solid recovery! Poor thing.

Thank you!

We got her at 4 months old. She was blind and light as a feather. We got her fixed up in a brooder so she could eat and drink on her own as I had been making torpedos from that Kaytee stuff, crumbles, egg yolk, etc. for a week. She got her sight back which we didn't expect, and now she's with the flock and about 10 months old.