# Baby's crop size - what is normal?



## stephie (May 17, 2006)

What should a normal healthy crop look like?

My baby's is pretty pronounced and squishy, even several hours after feeding. Have I been overstuffing the poor little thing? It never gets too firm, but I read that it should "hang flat" when empty, in which case this one's never empty. In the morning, it still sticks out a little farther/lower than his stomach. 

He's 9 or 10 days old as far as I can tell, is a good eater and he poops a lot so food is getting thru to his stomach, but it seems a little weird that he lies on his puffy crop like a pillow, since some of the babies I've seen pics of have pretty skinny little chests.

Can anyone post pictures of a "normal" vs impacted or overfull crop of a baby around this age? And advise what action I should take if there is a problem? He just came into my care by chance and I have literally no experience with baby birds, so for all I know it could be perfectly normal at his age, but I'm really in love with him and I wanna make sure he's okay.

I'll take pics tonight if anyone can determine from that whether there's a problem.

Thanks!
xoxo stephie weffie


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

A different way of looking at it goes like this: feed them 10 to 15% of their weight in formula three times per day. My homers feed their kids to the point of their crops looking pretty doggone big. Some of my rescued feral pairs only feed their kids what they need so it's a wide margin. At this point, you can also start trying to teach him how to peck at seeds. He's not going to learn real well but it'll help when weaning time comes.

Pidgey


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Could you tell us how much he is being fed? Also, how are you feeding it? Babies can vary. We are currently feeding six, 3 to 4 times a day and their crop size varies. Our youngest, also about 10 days old (I've kinda lost track) is now getting about 35 cc per feeding but I always check the crop. If it feels full at 20 then I stop. Sometimes they just have a full looking crop.

I wouldn't worry a whole lot as long as the crop is soft and has the squishy feel you mentioned. When you need to worry is when the crop gets hard and never goes down. If this happens, pull the feed and give it only liquids to loosen up the crop for a day or so and gently massage the crop a few times per day.

Also, welcome to the forum.


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## stephie (May 17, 2006)

I admit I haven't measured carefully from the start, but today (now that I have a syringe with markers) it's been about 25cc for breakfast, a small snack when he woke up hungry later (maybe 5 or 10?) and another 25 or so this aft.
Until today (since Saturday) I was feeding with just my fingers, so it was difficult to measure how much he ate versus how much went all over him and everywhere else. From what I've read here I don't think it was ever too much at a time, but the first day or so I just fed a little bit whenever he seemed hungry so it was probably too often. 
Maybe he's just naturally puffy or something? When he came home, he hadn't eaten in at least 16 hours and even then his crop was fairly bulgy.

 Thanks for the welcome and help Maggie, and thanks Pidgey too! I'm so glad this forum exists, just reading through it has really helped already!


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Good luck with this baby. It doesn't sound like he's being fed too much. Their crop stretches quite a lot as they get older. 

I may have some pictures that can show you the crops in my thread "Be Careful What you wish for" in the feral forum. Let me know if I can help.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Stephie,


One may use the hollow side of a regular soft Rubber people-baby-bottle Nipple for them to eat out of. Not the 'bottle' part, just the 'Nipple'...

This is clean, easy and natural for them, and allows more and progressive solids and small whole Seeds to be included in the formula.


If you like, write me off site and I would be happy to e-mail you some details and expanded info.

[email protected] ( pdp "one" ) 


Sounds like all is well...

Some Babys swallow some air sometimes too, and this can inflate the Crop to make it seem fuller than it is.

'Squishy' is good...if it is not squishy, offer tepid Water between meals...

What is the formula you are useing made of? what are it's ingredients?

Should be about 40 to 50 poops every 24 hours...

How are you keeping him? In something, on something? Provideing warmth?

Lettuce know...


Best wishes..!

 
Phil
Las Vegas


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Here is a 9 day old baby with a full crop. This baby is darn full and content!


http://www.speedpigeon.com/9-Day_Old_baby_racing_pigeon.jpg


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Here's another baby with a full crop. It's 10 days old


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## Steelers Army (Mar 3, 2006)

*Gorgeous Crop*

hey I have some pics like that too its all hanging from the bowl LOL i show you now he he he


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Now THAT'S A FULL CROP!!!!!!


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## Steelers Army (Mar 3, 2006)

*Yes it is,*

too full its too heavy for the babies to lift it up, I remember that day after the daddy fed one baby cant even stand so I have to pick him/her up to be in the bowl...


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Great pics of full babies, Lovebirds and Steelers, lol


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## stephie (May 17, 2006)

*Awww*

Those are awesome pics, thanks everyone! I feel a lot better now, guess I was just being paranoid 

And thanks for the nipple idea- it works awesome! It's pretty much the same shape I was making with my fingers to help push the food in his mouth, but we both stay a lot cleaner with the rubber!

Baby is doing very well, and growing like a weed. His feather-spikeys are all sprouting paintbrushes today. We named him/her Robin, because we wanted something unisex just in case, and our mothers are already named Pat and Leslie, plus, I mean, a Pigeon named Robin? come on...

He's living in a nice cloth-and-bowl nest in a box with heating pad underneath, staying around 80-83 degrees and he seems quite content. Oh, and I'm feeding him a baby hand feed mix from the pet store, I think it's made by Hagen, and it has lots of calcium, protein and vitamins. I bought some pigeon seeds, too, so when he's ready he can practice eating those.

Much thanks to everyone for the advice and good wishes. Robin and I are very grateful that nice people like you care about him and his happiness!

I'll try to post a few pics tomorrow, we've been busy staying full and clean and warm so haven't had much time for a photo shoot, but I'll do my best!


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