A young Budgerigar chick with an inflated crop

There are times in the breeding season, when on inspection of your nest boxes and chicks, you will find a chick that has an inflated crop. What is an inflated crop and how does this happen.

When you check the young chicks you will see soon enough if they have an inflated crop. This gives the appearance of a very small balloon in the front of the throat anything between the size of a pea to a marble. It is usually caused by young inexperienced hens in their attempts to feed their chicks. They fill the chick's crop with air instead of food. This problem most times will cure itself, but there are times when a helping hand may be needed.

Keep a close eye on the chick to check whether or not the hen has been able to correct her way of feeding. If the hen is unable to feed because of the size of the inflated crop, then action should be taken to prevent the chick from starving.

First thing to try is, remove the chick from the nest and place on its back in the palm of your hand. Gently rub the throat area around the air sack in the direction of the beak. This sometimes has the effect of releasing the air out through the mouth and the problem is solved. You most likely will not get all of the air out of the crop but if you have released some then return the chick to the nest and monitor the situation. When the hen starts to feed again the problem may be solved, if not then the process may need repeating until the chick is on more solid food.

If you can not release the trapped air by the above method then you will have to release it using a needle. Make sure that the needle you use is sterile. Place the chick again onto the palm of your hand, only this time bring your fingers up slightly towards your thumb. This will ensure that the chick is held firmly. Next, take the needle and look for an area in the air sack that has no blood vessels running through it. Gently pierce the air sack in this area and rub as before. This will release the trapped air. This procedure does not have any ill effects on the chick but may have to be carried out again before the problem is solved.

Return the chick to the nest and monitor it for a few hours to see if the hen is feeding properly. Once the hen is feeding OK then the chick will develop at the normal rate.