EMERGENCY - CHICK BRAIN OUTSIDE OF HEAD??? PLEASE HELP!!

[StaciaLynne]

Ok I don't even know what to call this... Brain disease?? It seriously looks like this chicks BRAIN is outside of its head. I'm pretty sure I know what needs to be done but am really hoping someone can tell me that whatever this bubble thing is on top of this chicks head will go away... It's fleshy to the touch and looks like it has a vein or blood spot on the back of it... I tried to take good pictures but it's hard to take a picture of something that is moving all over... I really don't want cull it if I don't have to...

 

[Chick Charm]

The nice thing to do may not be easy for you. But consider the CHICK.

Wish ya the best.

 

[Kelsie2290]

So sorry about the chick , I do agree the kindest thing to do for him is to euthanize him.
There have been a number of threads on BYC about chicks like this with pictures that looked about the same as yours, I don't remember any of them making it very long, even when people tried. If you do decide to keep him alive, I would be very careful about putting him with other chicks since they will probably pick on the exposed portion.

 

[StaciaLynne]

That's my biggest fear... currently he's in his own little container... happy as a clam too... ugh. Any ideas on what would have caused it?

Searching on the site, the ones I've found with this issue have all been Cochin's and that's what this one is as well... I would think maybe something genetic or environmental but we have 45+ others that have hatched in the past 3 days with no issues...

 

[Kelsie2290]

With only one affected chick out of that many, hopefully it was just bad luck, just some unfortunate accident during its development. Cochins are so popular that if it was a genetic problem in the breed you'd think you would see a lot more of it, and if it was environmental, you'd think you would have more than one in the hatch?
I've also known of silkies with the same general sort of thing. With the silkies I always thought it was more genetic in that it was related to the head shape and the skull not closing/forming right.

 

[StaciaLynne]

I still don't really know what to do... he seems so happy and normal besides the lump on the head... I've seen him eat and drink so I know he at least has that going for him... I think I'll give it a day or two to see if anything changes before I make any kind of decisions...

 

[Chickens6]

i am very very sorry about your chick!! =[ its hard loosing chicks or chickens!!!=[ If the chick isn't in pain why would you have to kill the poor chicky!!!={

 

[Shark Akhrrana]

If its not in pain I don't think there is a reason to kill it. Good that you have it separated. Hopefully it will grow out of it.

 

[Kelsie2290]

I guess my response to an abnormal chick is always a combination of what can I do with the chick in the long run, and what is going on with the chick right now.
From what I can see Best Case scenario is that the chick has some type of cyst on its head that might just gradually be absorbed and heal. But it does mean the chick will have to be kept separate from other chicks until the lump is to the point they won't pick on that, and then do I keep the chick as a pet?, can I sell it / give it away? what is the future outlook of the chick, does it have any long lasting effects from that? I have no idea. But as long as the chick is eating and drinking and acting normal, keep it, raise it and well, so maybe I just have another pet chicken.
Worst case is that it is some sort of exposed brain tissue/ the skull is not normal, and I don't see any way that will end well.
I've never really figured out how to measure the pain level of a chicken. I've seen chickens with some pretty horrific injuries running around and just acting like a normal chicken. Do they not "hurt" like we hurt? I'm sure we have all known people with different responses to the same type of pain/injury. In chickens is it that prey response of I have to keep acting normal so something doesn't single me out and eat me right now?

 

[StaciaLynne]

Well, Brainy didn't make it... one minute he was fine and the next he was gone... :~(