My hand-fed baby bird's crop is bulging. Am I feeding too much?

The amount will depend on species, age and weight. The crop, when full, will become distended. When you see this, stop feeding. In young chicks, you can see the full crop through the skin. Do not overfeed and do not palpate the crop roughly as this may cause regurgitation.

It's possible that the bread is caught in the crop or isn't breaking down and digesting. Birds should also not be given dairy products as it can lead to diarrhea and dehydration. It is best to stick with a formulated baby bird food until your bird is old enough to begin adding in solids (usually a balanced adult diet) to their meals. If the crop remains swollen or Marcos appears listless, doesn't want to eat, or in pain it is best to seek veterinary care immediately.

Thanks for reaching out about Rick and including a photo. An over-sized crop can be due to over-eating or a disease. Crop infections (bacteria, fungal), ingested foreign bodies and obstructions, systemic illness are all possibilities. Check and correct husbandry, as baby birds need to be kept warm. If the crop appears firm, offering small amounts of water and massaging the crop might help. If Rick appears ill, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

A full crop will feel like a giant, fat balloon just under the chin/neck, and in birds that don't have their feathers in yet may be visible. An empty crop will just be a flat, normal looking neck. Keeping a full crop in a baby bird is best as it means they always have something for nutrients and to keep them full and happy. If they constantly have empty crops they need to have their feeding throughout the day increased to keep them full. Following the guidelines on your baby bird formula can help you make sure you're feeding enough and often enough.

It's possible you could be overfilling his crop, causing him to regurgitate up some of the extra food. Checking his crop (located on the neck, it will feel like a little balloon when full, or be visible if his feathers haven't grown in) can alert you if he's full or not. If it's full, waiting a bit to feed him again or decreasing the amount fed and just feeding more often can help. If his crop is always full, or he is unable to keep any food down, having a vet take a look to rule out issues such as obstruction or illness is best.

Hello! The crop is supposed to enlarge as it is filling, but his heaving makes me worry that he could have aspirated some of the food into his lungs and may be at risk for pneumonia. I would recommend surrendering him into a wildlife sanctuary or a veterinary hospital that cares for wildlife. They will have baby bird formula and avian electrolyte supplements for optimal nutrition and can give him antibiotics if necessary. This will give him the best chance of survival. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

A bird's crop will naturally disyend when the bird eats or drinks, it goes down as the contents move into the proventricularis. The time to worry is if the crop stays large, this would indicate infection or impaction of the crop.