Chick with belly sore and lumps. Poor Dot.

[ButtermilkMama]

When I brought my week old Buff Orpington chicks home on the 28th and checked them for caking the first night, one of them had poo stuck to its belly. It came unstuck with a wet washcloth and I found a pinky-nail-sized raised sore under it. Now clean, I let her be and the sore was smaller and drier in the morning. I wiped her down again that morning and evening. Yesterday afternoon, she was obviously sleeping more than the other chicks and kept getting disturbed by pecking, so I isolated her in a little cardboard box inside the brooder and put Bag Balm on her sore. Next to it, I noticed a soft lump under her skin. She was able to get more rest and seemed perkier this morning. This evening, I put her back with the other chicks for a short time, but she started getting pecked and I put her back in isolation. I also noticed a second, larger soft lump under her skin next to the other one. The lumps are on the right side of her belly. Do chicks get hernias? This is my first experience with chicks and I have no idea what is wrong with Dot. Do you?

 

[chookchick]

Another BYCer had a chick with a hernia, used a bit of preparation H on it, and it healed up fine. I would keep her separated until she is completely healed up. Keep any pasty butt cleaned off with warm water (no pulling) and then dab on vaseline. You could make a semi-circle at the side of the brooder, part of it under the lamp. Give her her own water and feed dishes, and a stuffed animal or feather duster. That way she can hear and see the others and won't be lonely.

 

[ButtermilkMama]

Thank you for the suggestions. I put Big Bird in with her and she seems to like him. I don't think Preparation H would help as the lumps are under the skin and not exposed.

 

[ButtermilkMama]

 

[chookchick]

That's so funny! I had a rooster named Big Bird, so that was the vision I had until I saw your picture, how cute! Could it possible be the umbilical stump that hasn't healed up yet? Hope she is doing better!