Silkie Chick - No down or feathers

[CarolB865]

I thought this silky chick had pasty butt when I first got her though her vent seemed to protrude oddly and she'd make a high pitched noise each time she pooped. So, I did everything I was reading, washing her off, even putting vaseline on her hiney to try to help keep it from sticking. I noticed then she only had skin showing and thought maybe I had washed too hard and pulled some off.

She is now 5 weeks old. The pictures included were taken minutes ago (sorry she pooped just as we picked her up) as you can see, it's even worse, she's basically got no down or feathers even showing like they are coming in on her back end or on her belly. Her vent still protrudes and she continues to make the high pitched noise when she poops, though she's eating and drinking just fine. She's a mess, her poop is getting stuck in her wing feathers and everywhere else. None of her flock mates pick on her that I've seen.

I have no idea what is going on or what I should do with her? Is there anything I can do to help her? Is this a birth defect of some kind? Help??




The picture above shows the skin on her tummy with no feathers or down.

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

I honestly don't know what the heck this is!poor thing!

 

[Fluffers]

i have no idea what that is, to me it looks like she had been cut somehow, can you show a pic of the whole chick? I see down, but not sure if that is the right amount, i have never owned a silkie, or a silkie chick. Is she hatched by your own hen? Or mail in? How long has she had it?

 

[Eggcessive]

How does she act, and does she eat and drink normally? How hot is the temperature in her brooder? There is a condition called mushy chick disease that can cause infection around the umbilicus and belly from infection. Most of those chicks die within the first 2 weeks of life, though, so it probably is not that. Constipation can be common especially in chicks who don't drink enough liquids, if the brooder temperature is too high causing dehydration, or if there is something physically wrong such as a vent prolapse in the chick. I would give her a few drops of molasses occaionally if she is straining to poo, and add some probiotic plain yogurt to her food 2-3 days a week. Her bottom looks a little pooched out like some chickens with constipation look. Hopefully you can get her on the road to recovery, but she could be just a weaker chick. Here is an article with pictures about mushy chick disease: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/mushy-chick-disease-yolk-sack-infection-omphalitis

 

[CarolB865]

The chick was hatched by a reputable breeder and she's not cut at all, probably just the coloring. I'm including a few pictures of her upright so you can see the whole chick.

 

[Fluffers]

poor thing. Pasty butt?

 

[Eggcessive]

Look up some pictures of a baby chick with a prolapsed vent. Your last picture looks a bit like that. A prolapse can be treated with honey or hemorrhoid cream such as preparation H, and pushed backed inside, but sometimes a lot more complicated in chickens.

 

[Colorado Philly]

The chick was hatched by a reputable breeder and she's not cut at all, probably just the coloring. I'm including a few pictures of her upright so you can see the whole chick.

Look up some pictures of a baby chick with a prolapsed vent. Your last picture looks a bit like that. A prolapse can be treated with honey or hemorrhoid cream such as preparation H, and pushed backed inside, but sometimes a lot more complicated in chickens.

 

[Colorado Philly]

The chick was hatched by a reputable breeder and she's not cut at all, probably just the coloring. I'm including a few pictures of her upright so you can see the whole chick.

My chick had this from a racoon bite, i drained the scab and thank goodness I did, She was filled with maggots. I cleaned the wound gently and she did so good. I water cleaned gently daily and and 2 weeks later good. 7 months still with us!