Baby Chick No Vane in Feathers

[krissyweso]

I have a 2 and a half week old chick I (happily) accidentally hatched. I have hatched other black silkies before, and she is just not growing like the others, and, a couple days ago, she has started exhibiting upper-respiratory and rear-end issues.

I was up with her until 3am last night because I was convinced she was going to die. But shes still kicking! She's definitely not in the clear, though, so I'm trying to put together a treatment for her.

Her growth has stunted. She is VERY small... about half the size of the other day-old silkies I got to grow up with her.

However, the wierdest part is that she is not growing feathers. She only has the rachis part of her wing feathers, and no vane. I have attached a diagram of a feather below if you are unfamiliar with feather jargon (as I was before a couple days ago).

She also has very little other fuzz or feather on her body.

She was gasping for air for a bit last night, and I gave her VetRX, and it has just about stopped. There is some clicking, though.

Her rear end and vent seem swollen, but Im not sure if that's just from the runny poop irritating her rear.

She is eating and drinking and running around, and she is strong enough to get away from me when I am trying to soak her in epsom salt baths and clean and put ointment (coconut oil/aquaphor/regular neosporin) on her rear.

She IS on medicated chick feed.

Any ideas?

I do have liquid Corid, but I'm afraid to use it in her water because I know amprolium blocks absorption of vitamin B, and this girl needs all the vitamins she can GET. Any thoughts on that from a pro?

Also, I do have tylosin and smz/tmp I could give her, but I'm nervous since she's so little. I've never had to give a chick antibiotics. Any thoughts on that from a veteran chick keeper would be greatly appreciated, as well.

I will upload pics and a video of her later, but I just got home, and I have "beginning of the school year 4th grade teacher brain" right now.

TYIA!!!!

-Krissy and Teenie (placekeeper name)

 

[krissyweso]

Took some videos.

She is outside with her adoptive mom (Purd, the mom, was broody, so I took this egg that had been on the counter for two weeks to put under her because I feel bad when they sit on nothing. I checked it and nothing was growing, so I forgot about it. Then, SURPRISE! This little thing came out.) and four adoptive siblings (they will be silkies, satin silkies, showgirl silkies, and/or satin showgirl silkies. But I think you can tell which are the showgirls. Lol.). She is very obviously the very tiny black one.

The other 4 I got the day she hatched. They were also day-olds or two-day olds except for the big one. He's gotta be older. But they were all about the same size at first, and they have all been getting along. Everyone is able to get to the food and water. No fighting or trampling (I'm with them CONSTANTLY, so I'd know if there was any of that.).

This one is of her wing and vent (beware, there's a full on butt shot). Her vent looks weirder in the picture than irl. Thre looks like there's a worm or something below her vent, and that's just a little tuft of hair with poo on it. Its just bare and swollen, though.

Thank you all, again!

 

[krissyweso]

Boosting because I still need advice on antibiotics and corid for baby chicks.

 

[NatJ]

Unfortunately, I have no idea why the feathers are like that (but it looks like no-one else has any ideas either.)

She IS on medicated chick feed.

Any ideas?

I do have liquid Corid, but I'm afraid to use it in her water because I know amprolium blocks absorption of vitamin B, and this girl needs all the vitamins she can GET. Any thoughts on that from a pro?

Just an observation: the medicated feed probably has the same active ingredient as what Corid has (amprolium), just a smaller dose. (Check the label to be sure, but that is the most common medication in chick starter in the USA.)

So you might want to treat with corid (if you suspect coccidiosis), or switch to a non-medicated feed (if you do not think she has coccidiosis, and want to be sure she absorbs all vitamins to the maximum possible extent.)

Also, I do have tylosin and smz/tmp I could give her, but I'm nervous since she's so little. I've never had to give a chick antibiotics. Any thoughts on that from a veteran chick keeper would be greatly appreciated, as well.

Boosting because I still need advice on antibiotics and corid for baby chicks.

@azygous are you able to give advice on the health/corid/antibiotics questions? That is an area I don't know much about.

 

[azygous]

It's a major plus that the tiny thing has such a high activity level. Hold onto that. It means the chick isn't sick. Yet, at least.

All of the other abnormal aspects, size, feather appearance, poop issues, point to genetic abnormalities. We usually lump such chicks into a single category called 'failure-to-thrive.' But usually by two weeks FTTs are beginning to get sick. They often have underdeveloped organs, do not process calories and nutrients efficiently, and are often huddled under the hen or a heat lamp in lieu of normal activity. By two weeks their wings are usually jutting out beyond their rump due to their wings growing faster than their bodies. They are also usually fighting constipation and pasty butt. (The swollen vent is likely from cleaning her so often. Try to go easy.) Use cortisone cream to reduce pain and swelling.

The medicated feed is fine, and I'd use it because the chicks are on local soil. It will help them develop resistance to local coccidia. No need to use a coccidiostat as no one is showing signs of illness.

I'd just give her the care she requires, as you've been doing, and wait and see how she develops. If it's a "she". Keep up what you're doing. It's working.

 

[krissyweso]

It's a major plus that the tiny thing has such a high activity level. Hold onto that. It means the chick isn't sick. Yet, at least.

All of the other abnormal aspects, size, feather appearance, poop issues, point to genetic abnormalities. We usually lump such chicks into a single category called 'failure-to-thrive.' But usually by two weeks FTTs are beginning to get sick. They often have underdeveloped organs, do not process calories and nutrients efficiently, and are often huddled under the hen or a heat lamp in lieu of normal activity. By two weeks their wings are usually jutting out beyond their rump due to their wings growing faster than their bodies. They are also usually fighting constipation and pasty butt. (The swollen vent is likely from cleaning her so often. Try to go easy.) Use cortisone cream to reduce pain and swelling.

The medicated feed is fine, and I'd use it because the chicks are on local soil. It will help them develop resistance to local coccidia. No need to use a coccidiostat as no one is showing signs of illness.

I'd just give her the care she requires, as you've been doing, and wait and see how she develops. If it's a "she". Keep up what you're doing. It's working.

Yea, I thought it could be FFT. But it's just so odd to me that she'll go from gasping for air to running around and eating and drinking. Every other chicken I had with pneumonia or some sort of respiratory illness was totally weak and incapacitated by the time they started in on the gasping phase. This one goes in and out of it.

Thank you for the reassurance, @azygous . I'll fight for as long as she will... so long as she seems mildly comfortable.

 

[krissyweso]

Unfortunately, I have no idea why the feathers are like that (but it looks like no-one else has any ideas either.)


Just an observation: the medicated feed probably has the same active ingredient as what Corid has (amprolium), just a smaller dose. (Check the label to be sure, but that is the most common medication in chick starter in the USA.)

So you might want to treat with corid (if you suspect coccidiosis), or switch to a non-medicated feed (if you do not think she has coccidiosis, and want to be sure she absorbs all vitamins to the maximum possible extent.)




@azygous are you able to give advice on the health/corid/antibiotics questions? That is an area I don't know much about.

Thank you so much for your help, @NatJ . It was crickets over here until you showed up!