2 day old chick with ruptured air sac

[EmilyAtlanta]

Help! I have a chick that makes a clicking sound when he breathes. He is weak and is not interested in eating or drinking and just sits under the heat pad all day. He has a bubble above and around the wing near neck. Also clicking breathing. I think he was born with the air sac ruptured as I saw the bubble when he hatched and also within the egg when he made a big hole. He didn’t make it out on his own and i had to help but I definitely didn’t injure him. I have used a needle to burst the air bubble but it’s inflated 3 times already again and I’m afraid to keep doing it in case I cause more harm than good. He isn’t trying to eat and is very lethargic with clicking breathing sounds. I hope someone can help.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Help! I have a chick that makes a clicking sound when he breathes. He is weak and is not interested in eating or drinking and just sits under the heat pad all day. He has a bubble above and around the wing near neck. Also clicking breathing. I think he was born with the air sac ruptured as I saw the bubble when he hatched and also within the egg when he made a big hole. He didn’t make it out on his own and i had to help but I definitely didn’t injure him. I have used a needle to burst the air bubble but it’s inflated 3 times already again and I’m afraid to keep doing it in case I cause more harm than good. He isn’t trying to eat and is very lethargic with clicking breathing sounds. I hope someone can help.

Welcome To BYC

Is there a way to get a video of the chick and/or photos? Upload video to youtube and provide a link.

Are you sure that you are seeing an air sac rupture and not the crop?

 

[EmilyAtlanta]

Welcome To BYC

Is there a way to get a video of the chick and/or photos? Upload video to youtube and provide a link.

Are you sure that you are seeing an air sac rupture and not the crop?

 

[EmilyAtlanta]

Here is a picture of the poor little buddy. I can’t get him to eat, he hardly opens his eyes. He was also born with that strange bit of blood on his beak, I remember seeing it when his beak was poking out of the egg, as well as the air sac. I thought it was odd at the time as I knew chicken skin was thin, but not thin like an air balloon, it looks so fragile. It is so sad as I’d love him to live but I can’t seem to get him to take food, despite using a pipette. I don’t know what to do, keep trying or is it kinder to let him go?

 

[EmilyAtlanta]

Welcome To BYC

Is there a way to get a video of the chick and/or photos? Upload video to youtube and provide a link.

Are you sure that you are seeing an air sac rupture and not the crop?

 

[EmilyAtlanta]

https://youtube.com/shorts/tCxF4oiaL8g

 

[EmilyAtlanta]

I’ve sent a link to a video of him. I hope you can see it ok.

 

[EmilyAtlanta]

Please can anyone help with this? Why do you think he was born with this ruptured air sac and blood on his beak. It’s so sad and I really want to know if there’s anything I could have done differently. Sadly he died yesterday.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry about the chick.

I really don't know why there was a ruptured air sac. Blood on the beak could have been done when the chick was pipping or zipping and ran into a little blood vein - speculation.
Was this an assisted hatch - did you help it at all?

Sadly, some chicks just do not survive and/or may hatch with issues. That's what you run into when hatching your own at times.

 

[Justicedog]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ruptured-air-sac-subcutaneous-emphysema.1432594/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/swollen-chick-ruptured-air-sac.1411016/

I saw these threads - maybe they could help if you hadn’t seen them. I’ve got nothing other than crossed fingers for your little one.