Chick has bony bump on chest, sibling died hours ago with same thing?!

[chicksinspace]

Please help me out! I have a 9 day old baby chick who has lost two friends in the last 24 hours. Both of the dying chicks were ok, then became weak with heads drooping forward, eyes closed. They would get up occasionally to drink, but nothing else. When they passed, it was awful. Pulling heads back, gasping a little, rolling over, righting themselves and doing it again. It was AWFUL. I noticed that the last one kept grooming his breast area which I had never seen him do before. Now the 3rd is doing it and has a similar bump. It's not soft like a crop, it's bony.

I don't know what to do!

 

[BigSkyChickens]

I'm sorry you lost two chicks. Not sure I have any advice to offer, but I can offer moral support.

I have some chicks right now, and one thing I noticed about them is that I can feel their breast-bone when I pick them up. So I think it is normal to be able to feel the breast-bone in chicks because they have not had time to develop and put on any muscle yet.

I'm sure others will have more knowledgable advice......

Good luck.