3 wk old chick beat up by the other chicks, bouts of breathing diff.

[Lynnk]

Hi, in my last hatch I had a chick with one leg that was bent straight back behind her and the joint wouldn't budge. I figured she wouldn't make it but she is a tenacious little thing. She managed to eat and get around in the pen with the others and was doing fine until this morning. I found her lying on her back and she had been worked over by the others. I'm not sure if they dogpiled on top of her or trampled her as they tend to not pay much attention to her, but she's been with me all day. I got her to drink a tiny bit of water, and peck at a couple tiny bits of food over the day, but she sounds congested like she breathed in a bunch of dust from the bedding, and at first couldn't make any noise. I wiped the dirt away from her nostrils and she goes through these phases of gasping for air, then is fine chirping quietly for a few mins, then sounds like she has fluid in her lungs. I even put her between my palms (she is tiny) and swung her from above my head to between my knees as I do with a new born puppy that has inhaled amniotic fluid. that seemed to help for a bit.
She was quite loud before this and the only noises she's making now are very quiet ones.

She'll seem ok, then the gasping starts again.
any ideas..?

She is small she fits on my hand with her legs sticking out. She is an Americauna chick.
thanks
Lynn

 

[Afrochicken]

ive never heard anything like that. Hope your chick pulls through!

 

[SpringChickens]

I had a 3-week-old chick that I had to put down a week ago for a similar reason. He was doing ok until it rained one day while he was out and he got away from his momma. He never really recovered and stopped gaining weight, so I had to cull him. I figured it was more humane to do that than let him suffer and die on his own.

Good luck with yours.

 

[Lynnk]

I'm sorry about your little guy.
This one wasn't out alone or in the rain and just had the snot kicked out of her by a couple of the others. I think she inhaled either dust or something..or perhaps trauma to the esophagus?
she is still quietly, kind of hoarsely chirping away after having a nap on my lap but is not all that interested in food or water (and she is normally a good little eater) poor gimpy.
I had already planned for her own little condo within the coop so she could have maybe one roommate and still feel social but be protected...I'm not sure what will happen now, but she's a tough little thing. She sits in a box in my office when I'm typing and hobbles out on to my foot when she wants attention. She is a funny thing.
normally she seems quite happy despite her deformed leg, but not today poor beast.
Lynn

 

[drumstick diva]

I hope they didn't cause her internal damage, I'm wondering if they damaged a lung or something. Poor baby, she deserves a good break.

 

[Lynnk]

I know, that is what I'm worried about. I brought in one of my calmer hens to cuddle with her inside tonight. They are curled up in the box in my office. Hope that gives her some comfort. She is still chirping but doesn't seem as bad right now.
l

 

[Lynnk]

I know, that is what I'm worried about. I brought in one of my calmer hens to cuddle with her inside tonight. They are curled up in the box in my office. Hope that gives her some comfort. She is still chirping but doesn't seem as bad right now.
Lynn

 

[rosco]

what did you clean the nostril out with? i need to remove much mucus from our sick chicken
it had a horrible sinus infection and literally blow out one eye socket