Chick has inflated on one side like a balloon. BIG

[GodofPecking]

Here is a really strange one, and I feel for the poor little thing, though it doesn't seem in pain, not much, but then chickens do not show pain. I could not help but notice one day that the poor thing had inflated on one side, the skin separating from the muscle beneath across a vast area of it's body from tail down one side along the torso to a point far in front of the knee.

I gave it a great deal of thought, wrapped the little thing in a towel and made a hole in it's skin with scissors. A bubble was followed by partial deflation. It was a gas.

But how ? if it was a rupture to the digestive tract, it would have been dirty inside the body, but I didn't see anything like that, perhaps a ruptured lung ? or a gassing bacteria ? any ideas ? Chick is about the size of an orange.

 

[Eggcessive]

That is known as a leaking or ruptured air sac, also called subcutaneous emphysema. It is usually caused by a bump. Taking a hypodermic needles and syringe, one can withdraw the air from under the skin. A sewing needle or the tip of a sharp knife may also be used, and then the air is pressed out. The air may re-accumulate, and need this repeated. The skin should be disinfected before this, and a dab of plain antibiotic ointment can be put on the skin afterward. I also would put some pressure on the site, just as you would to stop a cut from bleeding. Hopefully, the chick will recover. Here is a video:

 

[GodofPecking]

Thanks, seems legit. I shall let the little blighter go on without further care and see how it does. Things usually heal up by themselves, but ointments, especially commercial ones, always seem to do harm and slow the healing process at the very least.

Also I would say it was probably more than a bump. I put them out into a cage on their own for 20 minutes or so in the morning while all the chickens get their grain. The roosters are going into the freezer this week I hope, because they are nothing but fripping trouble I tellz ya !!!!! trouble !!!!!

They attack the little ones with intent to kill and reduce the population. They often succeed too.

So there'd be damage to the lung ? and it's the chicks breath which fills the void ?

I don't think I'll be able to get the air out. I thought of those kitchen appliances for vacuum sealing food into plastic bags and that sort of thing, I really don't think the chick would be into it to be honest. It does seem happier with the large reduction in volume though.

I didn't use a needle, just very sharp scissors in an attempt to make a tiny cut, then the tip of the scissors in a stirring motion in the tiny hole formed. Seemed to work so far.

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like you need to separate all of the roosters for the protection of your chickens. Antibiotic ointment could help prevent infection if you didn’t disinfect the skin before. There is not damage to the lungs. There are multiple air sacs throughout the body and are involved in the breathing. Here is a good article with pictures and explanation of the air sacs:
https://thisnzlife.co.nz/understand...There are four pairs of,the front of the neck.

 

[GodofPecking]

far out, thats cool. I knew they had two brains and all that, nice to learn more. will look.

naa, not into the antibiotics, can't get them for chickens or for me. Would like to get some colloidial silver though, that would be the nuclear option, if I could get it, for me though, I think chicken will be good, they always seem to heal up really well by themselves. You know, if they don't totally die that is.

 

[GodofPecking]

sheesh, I hope I did not put a hole into it's "left abdominal airsac" that's about the size of the inflation, although the inflation was way big. Also alarming to read they are like plastic, there was that bubble that came out a little. Oh well, I hope it'll be alright.

 

[GodofPecking]

Thankyou btw.