I need some advice on a neglected baby budgie I received

[Britnicorn]

Sorry I don't have time to read all the replies to this post so I may repeat advice.
As for the possibility of sour crop, feed a Papaya wash. See this video for instructions:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=493264484578347

How are you ensuring that the food is being fed at the correct tenperature? You should take the temperature with an instant thermometer but also have it in a water-bath, the water at 104-5 F.
Unfortunately, a homemade brooder is probably not good enough for a day one chick. It may work out, but you'd save yourself a lot of aggravation by getting a small professional one such as this: Amazon.com : Brinsea Products TLC-30 Eco Brooder Intensive Care Unit for Young, Sick Or Injured Birds & Small Animals, Off White, USHD380C : Pet Supplies
If the brooder is at a constant temperature, slow crop can be largely avoided.
How are you ensuring that the brooder is humid enough? It is a good idea to put a clean, wet sponge in the corner. Re-soak when needed.
How are you disinfecting everything? Chicks that have never been fed by their parenta have very little immune systems and need to be kept in sterile environments. You can get F10 or use a 1:10 bleach solution. Remember to rinse anything you disinfect after a contact time of about 10 minutes. Bleach also may not be good for your syringe.
I'm going to disagree with a few of the previous comments and say that such a young chick should be kept in a small plastic or glass container inside the brooder with kleenex bedding. Change the kleenex at each feeding.

I take the temperature of the formula right before feeding to make sure it’s the right temperature, but the water bath for the syringe is a good idea!
The Brooder I have right now is at a constant temperature, the heating pad is set and it keeps itself around 96-98°.
I have a hygrometer(is that the right word? The thing that measures humidity lol) along with a thermometer inside the nest, both temperature and humidity look good.

You think I can let her go 4-6 hours for her crop to empty? It’s been a little over 3 at the moment and it’s still a bit full

 

[Matto]

Yes, she can have a break at night. It may even be necessary for her crop to completely empty.

 

[Zara]

How is the crop now and when was last feed?
When was the last time fully empty?

 

[Britnicorn]

How is the crop now and when was last feed?
When was the last time fully empty?

It’s gone down since last feed, but only about halfway or a little more than halfway. The last time the crop was empty was a little over 24 hours ago

 

[Zara]

Ok so then this time you need to let the crop empty.
Is it going down though ?

 

[Britnicorn]

Ok so then this time you need to let the crop empty.
Is it going down though ?

I don’t think so it seems to get to a certain point and then stops going down. I’m hoping I just haven’t waited long enough, but now it’s been almost 4 hours and it’s still at the same spot

 

[Zara]

As for the possibility of sour crop, feed a Papaya wash. See this video for instructions: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=493264484578347

 

[Britnicorn]

Should I do this instead of taking her to the vet? I don’t have any papaya so I’d have to go out and buy some

 

[Britnicorn]

I think it might actually be air in her crop! I feel so bad it looks like it’s a little bit see through, and that all that’s left in there is air. Is there a way I can get it out myself?? @Zara @Matto

 

[Zara]

That does look like air. It is not a solid colour.

 

[Britnicorn]

That does look like air. It is not a solid colour.

Should I try getting it out myself? Or just feed her and have the vet do it in the morning?

 

[Zara]

I´m trying to find a good video to show you how to massage the air out, but most videos online are poultry.
This is poor quality, but it´s the only one I´ve found so far;
Remove air

 

[Britnicorn]

I´m trying to find a good video to show you how to massage the air out, but most videos online are poultry.
This is poor quality, but it´s the only one I´ve found so far;
Remove air

I’ll try that right now

 

[Zara]

Be extremely gentle.

As it appears there´s no formula in there, once you have the air out, feed the formula.

 

[Britnicorn]

Be extremely gentle.

As it appears there´s no formula in there, once you have the air out, feed the formula.

I can’t get her mouth to stay open long enough to get a lot out... is there a good way to get it open? Tapping her beak isn’t enough for her

 

[Britnicorn]

@Zara i don’t think I’ve made any progress, and I’m only making her frustrated at me she won’t open her beak unless it is to bite me, and it’s so hard to even get to the crop because she’s wiggling so much

 

[Britnicorn]

I put her back in the brooder and started wrestling with her there for about 15 minutes but I’m not sure if I made any progress she either doesn’t move at all and won’t open her beak, or she moves violently and only opens her beak to start biting

 

[Zara]

she won’t open her beak unless it is to bite me

Try touching her beak with the empty syringe. She will think she´s about to be fed and open her beak.
Once the air is out, feed her to avoid her swallowing air.

 

[PoukieBear]

I think it was @PoukieBear who took a baby to the vet a little while ago.
Do you have someone to go with you? That way one person can drive and the other can monitor baby?

Yes, that was me.
Some of my chicks were having the same issues as @Britnicorn

When you go to the vet, you'll have to find a way to keep the chick warm if you don't have heated seats or a transportable heating pad. (I did a long road trip with my chicks, and had them tucked into my cleavage for warmth...lol.)

I really hope you have a better outcome than I did. We ended up doing a full crop flush on both chicks, and re-feedings with electrolights and a thined out formula. Only one of the chicks survived the vet trip, and the other chick passed away a few days later despite our efforts.

You can try the papaya trick if you can find one (there are none in my area, so I don't have any hand on experience with this trick)
Wishing you and your chick all the best!

 

[Britnicorn]

Try touching her beak with the empty syringe. She will think she´s about to be fed and open her beak.
Once the air is out, feed her to avoid her swallowing air.

It didn’t work she got excited for it at first and hit on it but I think she’s too smart and realized there’s no food. It’s been almost 5 hours since her last feeding, I don’t want her to starve. Should I feed her a bit and then try again later?