baby chick sick

[amos58]

Hello,
I have a 3 week old silkie chick, she started this past weekend sitting around with eyes closed. Doesn't move around. I have hand fed her water with antibiotics and give her vitamins. Sometimes she perks up a little but sits under the lights. Sometimes she eats alittle not much. I have noticed her crop is a little bit hard and also today noticed a very soft puffy spot in the front(crop area) and after I give her water and pick her up sometimes some of the water comes up as saliva (thicker and bubbly). Does she have sour crop? Or any suggestions on how to help this little thing? The other chicks are fine.

 

[easttxchick]

What kind of bedding do you have them on? Is it possible she ate some shavings or something she shouldn't have?

 

[amos58]

That is what I am thinking, we have shavings in there. What is the solution now, I pushed on the crop this morning and water came out, but I had to leave, so don't know if I should continue to do that. Suggestions are welcomed.

 

[chickintexas]

My ditzy chicks were eating the shavings at one point and one of them started behaving "off" too. Cover the shavings with paper towels so they can't get to it. I'm not sure what everyone else's protocol is here but after I covered the shavings, I offered barely wet medicated feed. It made the crumbles much smaller for them to eat and they gobbled it down and perked up afterwards. She had the same issue as yours with the squishy crop full of water. She's now my biggest and happiest bird! Good luck and I hope yours pulls through.

 

[amos58]

Thank you for answering, I felt her/his crop tonight and it was a little hard then tried to give her water and olive oil, she/he didn't like that but took a bit the crop felt squishy afterwards, I tried to massage it, it is large, poor thing. I don't think she is eating much though. I can try to cover the shavings and see what happens, hopefully they don't eat that too...