chick choking on mucus

[taprock]

I have a chick that we picked up on Wednesday, still has egg tooth so it's young. It has been eating, drinking and pooping fine. About an hour ago I noticed it was holding it's beak slightly crooked and thought it looked strange. After checking her out she has clear mucus in her mouth and is having trouble breathing through it. If I open her beak it stretches and covers her open mouth. She also had some dried on the corners of her mouth. She sits with her eyes closed but still seems strong when I pick her up and can really peep when I look in her mouth. Any ideas on what is going on? I separated her from the other chicks but am not sure what to do to help her. She hasn't wanted to eat or drink since I have been watching her. She is still pooping.

 

[Celtic Chick]

Can you clear the mucus with a paper towel or kleenex?
Make a slurry of chick feed, preferrably medicated feed, and some warm water & try to get her to eat that.
Also get some Sav-A-Chik or other vitamin/electrolyte solution & put it into her water.
It is important that she gets food & water.
Good luck.

 

[taprock]

After I posted I took a q-tip and cleaned out her mouth and the mucus in it. I swabbed her mouth a second time and a couple small pieces of what looked like seeds or hard pieces of feed came out. It was like an instant change in her. She started drinking water and eating. Her eyes are open and she is running around preening and scratching. She also went frantic to get back with the other chicks. After watching her for a few minutes I put her back with them and she is acting normal. Could the seeds or what ever they were have caused the mucus and choking?

 

[theron]

yes it could have. I had a chick who ate to many seeds and was choking on them along with some mucus build up. Thankfully I was there and I was able to save it.

 

[Celtic Chick]

Oh, thank goodness for that. I am so glad she is doing better.

 

[taprock]

It is totally amazing! She is still doing fine. They are all napping now but she has been eating and running around. Her beak is closing properly again. I was sure she was a goner and sad because her coloring is great. Her colors right now are Lemon and Blue - which I love. I can't wait to see what she ends up looking like.