2-day chick with prolapse(?). Any advice please.

[RoyalChick]

good luck with the little fluffball

How many did you hatch to add to your flock, and what are they?

I didn’t hatch any. No rooster remember.
I went on a road trip and came back with 4 just hatched. Probably 2-3 hours old when I got them.
For some reason day old chicks have almost vanished from the US until September. But I have a broody Tassels to appease so couldn’t wait.
I think I have one each of:
- Golden Cuckoo Marans
- Speckled Sussex (that’s the one with the prolapse)
- Buckeye
- Some designer mix called Cookies and Cream

Basically I took one of each of whatever hatched on Monday morning and isn’t a bantam (none of my others are bantams).
My hope is Tassels will adopt them but I am nervous as all hell about that! I am waiting for the Marek’s vaccine has a chance to take and I know that reduces the chances she will accept them.
And now I have one with a prolapse I am even more worried!

 

[thecatumbrella]

I started doing some reading, largely because I would have had no idea what to do if mine kept popping out.

I'm seeing a lot of talk about using a bit of hydrocortisone to reduce the swelling. I'd go for the ointment version, if you can find it. It's pretty much petroleum jelly with hydro in it.

 

[RoyalChick]

I started doing some reading, largely because I would have had no idea what to do if mine kept popping out.

I'm seeing a lot of talk about using a bit of hydrocortisone to reduce the swelling. I'd go for the ointment version, if you can find it. It's pretty much petroleum jelly with hydro in it.

I wondered about that but there are some vet sites that advise against it because the steroid gets absorbed through the skin and can impact immune system development.
The sugar did reduce it a bit.

 

[thecatumbrella]

I wondered about that but there are some vet sites that advise against it because the steroid gets absorbed through the skin and can impact immune system development.
The sugar did reduce it a bit.

Yeah, I can understand the concern with that (I'm a chronic hydro user and have to be mindful about these things myself). I think I'd limit it to maybe 1 or 2 very light applications. Hydro works fast, so if I didn't see any improvement within a couple hours, I'd probably discontinue.

Super interested to hear if the sugar gets the job done! Will be following.

 

[Perris]

I didn’t hatch any. No rooster remember.
I went on a road trip and came back with 4 just hatched. Probably 2-3 hours old when I got them.
For some reason day old chicks have almost vanished from the US until September. But I have a broody Tassels to appease so couldn’t wait.
I think I have one each of:
- Golden Cuckoo Marans
- Speckled Sussex (that’s the one with the prolapse)
- Buckeye
- Some designer mix called Cookies and Cream

Basically I took one of each of whatever hatched on Monday morning and isn’t a bantam (none of my others are bantams).
My hope is Tassels will adopt them but I am nervous as all hell about that! I am waiting for the Marek’s vaccine has a chance to take and I know that reduces the chances she will accept them.
And now I have one with a prolapse I am even more worried!

I did remember you haven't a roo, but erroneously assumed you got Tassels hatching eggs. Isn't it something like 12 days you have to wait then? Do broodies adopt chicks so old? It all sounds challenging - without health issues on top, as you say. Good luck with them

 

[RoyalChick]

Yes. Challenging. The best data I have found on how long it takes for the Marek's vaccine to take hold comes from the group behind this paper. They specifically look at what is called VCI - which is vaccine to challenge interval - i.e., the time between receiving vaccine and encountering Marek's virus.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/03079450701802230?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub 0pubmed#d1e390
Their findings are that there is no increase in protective power of the vaccine after 7 days and from 2-7 days you see increasing protection. If you do actually read the paper don't get too side-tracked by a fascinating side finding, probably related to maternal antibodies, that makes the data at 2 days quite counter-intuitive.
So, I am playing a balancing act. Can I wait 7 days or will she reject them? Is it an acceptable risk at 4 days? I am thinking of introducing them at 4 or 5 days at which point I have 70-80% chance they will not contract Marek's.
I am trying to increase their chances by introducing them in a clean environment. So I will take Tassels out of the coop and install her in the garage with clean bedding. Don't laugh, but I will also dust her and probably deploy the hair dryer on her to reduce the dander she brings with her. They will get exposed if she is shedding, but it won't be as heavy a viral load as going into the coop where every particle of dust is just waiting to infect them!
This is probably a way longer answer than you wanted, but that is where I am. And in thinking it all through of course I completely did not count on one of the chicks having a health issue that is nothing to do with either Marek's or being rejected by Tassels!