Doesmy new baby have mushy chick disease or something else?

[JenE]

I was wondering about the gizzard because it seemed awfully big for such a little guy..and made a lot of noise when a palpated it. When I opened it up, the pieces of grit seemed kind of large to me. I'm wondering if it was impacted. It was about the size of a marble...maybe a little bigger.

 

[silkiechicken]

If you could touch it without opening up the chick, that was the crop. That can be marble sized no problem. A chick that dies within the first week is nothing to worry about since they can survive on what the yolk gave them for 3 days, and if some food trickles though a possible underdeveloped digestive system, it may pull them though to a week old before failing to thrive.

 

[JenE]

No, this was at necropsy that I actually felt it and opened it up. I'm just hoping I didn't euthanize her too soon.

 

[silkiechicken]

I'm sure the chick wouldn't have made it else wise and culling now was better than it slowly dying. The crackling near the rear, perhaps it was fluid in one of the air sacs. If I remember right, birds have 4.

 

[JenE]

Thank you, I'm feeling better about the whole ordeal!