1 week old baby chick with swollen abdomen

[Tatiana110]

We have one of our baby chicks with swollen abdomen - it looks like a half egg yolk size thing, soft to touch. He does not seem to be in pain, drinks normally, but eats very little. He is lethargic most of time and stays under heat lamp, sleeping on his feet, while other chicks are actively running around. His bum has been clean all the time, and his droppings are normal in color and consistency (I only noticed him pooping twice, not that I watched him all day). There are no lesions anywhere, vent looks totally normal, no swelling there .

Can you help to determine what this may be? Is he going to die? I am really worried about the poor fella... He is smaller than anybody else.



Here are a few pictures.

 

[Tatiana110]

He is quiet all the time.

 

[Thread-wing]

I have a chick that appears to have this problem as well. I have a very young Brahma who's just starting to get her adult quills, and yesterday I noticed she had a swollen abdomen like you're describing, and she was just as active as the other chicks. This morning, however, she was extremely lethargic, and now it's gotten to the point that she's just sitting in the back of her enclosure with her eyes closed, breathing laboriously. I'm afraid she won't make it, but I've changed out the bedding and food for now, and hopefully I'll get results soon. If you find anything, I would greatly appreciate if you could get back to me, and I will do the same

 

[Tatiana110]

Consulted with an expert - it looks like the baby has a navel infection. Prognosis is very poor. I am so sorry for the little fella, I hope he does not suffer too much.

I need to prepare myself that he may not be able to make it.

 

[PNWskye]

I'm new to backyard chickens and have an 8 day old that had a pasty butt. I cleaned it off and when I was drying its bum, I noticed a lump in the abdomen. Did your chick make it? Did it also have a pasty butt? Thanks.

 

[MicFlan]

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/omphalitis/omphalitis-in-poultry

I'm having this issue now... it sounds like very few survive from this and it isn't curable.

I can't let my chick live like this... I'm considering culling. :'(.