Why isn't my cockatiel chick's crop emptying? Is it sour crop?

I'm sorry to hear about Nala. I would be concerned that there may be an issue with his crop, such as a hole in it, something causing an obstruction, illness or infection, or other issue, especially if you cannot fill it all the way or he vomits up any extra. Having a vet take a look in person is best to try and see if there are any visible issues with it that can be found. Until you can get to your vet, feeding smaller meals more often may help Nala get enough food to keep growing without overfilling his crop and making him ill.

If there's a weird smell emitting from Barry and he seems to be swallowing or clearing his crop a lot, it may be that there is something stuck in there that is now rotting/fermenting, or there is possibly an infection somewhere in the mouth or crop causing the smell. You may see other issues such as changes in eating or drinking habits, weight loss, or even discharge from the mouth. It would be best to bring Barry to a local avian vet to rule out these issues or get started on treatment for them to help get him feeling better.

Thanks for reaching out about Rue and including a photo. Provide heat support in the 80-85 F range, for aid. Remove perches and place a soft towel on the bottom of the cage. Only provide small amounts of water to drink. This could be a crop infection (bacteria, fungal, yeast), obstruction, toxicity and more. See your veterinarian first thing in the morning to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Charlie. Crop infections or impactions are common in cockatiels. A veterinary visit is recommend to assess and provide a treatment plan. Provide heat support in the 80-85 F range for support.. Offer small amounts of water in an attempt to loosen or dilute crop contents. Good luck.

You need to take him to an avian vet specialist as he us definitely not fine, regurgitation is usually caused by a crop disease, it could be yeast, bacterias or a foreign body. the vet will take a crop and fecal sample to check for an infection first, if he can't find one the next step will be an xray.

You should have the chicks or parents examined by your veterinarian or an experienced avian vet. A culture may identify bacteria. If you are hand feeding, use fresh food for each clutch. Clean and sanitize all equipment between feedings or clutches. Clean and sanitize all cages, bowls, toys nest boxes and perches. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Change cage paper daily. Make sure the chicks are kept warm and are emptying their crops regularly. Sour crop, or crop stasis, can result in a hard crop full of spoiled food and bacteria or fungi. This can kill young chicks if left untreated.

Sounds like a probable crop burn. Crop burns can lead to secondary bacterial and yeast infections and/or a fistula. Sometimes these are very serious complications to the point where surgery needs to be done to remove the burned tissue. You will probably have to tube feed the bird by directly passing a soft red rubber catheter into the proventriculus and deposit the food there. He should be on antibiotics due to the high chance of infection. I suggest you consult with your local vet regarding this issue. There is not much more we can tell you over the internet. Best wishes.