Help - Can't figure out what is wrong with my chick

[Back on the Farm]

Just got 8 chicks and brought them home 2 days ago.
Everyone was doing fine and then I noticed one chick last night- I think she is about a week old, standing off by herself leaning up against the side of the brooder. If she were human, I would say she had autistic behavior.

I was told by Southern States that she is a Plymouth Rock, however she is white and was in with the RIR... I'm thinking she is either a White Rock or a White Rhode Island (?)

She seems to be sleeping more than the others. She is eating and drinking and her poop looks normal. She will move around the brooder, but always goes back and leans against the side of the brooder. She trys to sleep standing up with her head down, and eventually will lay down to sleep.
I picked her up to look at her and noticed that her head/neck is leaning to the left - on the right side it feels like she has a lump under the skin. Eyes look clear, no discharge, no sneezing. Breathing seems normal and is in line with how the other chicks are breathing.

The other chicks leave her alone and don't pick on her.

My chicks are getting a medicated chick starter and I haven't given them any other food items. Bedding is pine shavings. Temp in the brooder is about 93-98, she stays in the warm areas of the brooder.

I've looked through the threads, checked on-line, and looked through my books but can't seem to find anything that fits her symptoms.

I've had a co-worker who raises chickens tell me to put her down because it sounds like she is sick. I don't want to do it if this is something that might be correctable.

I'm thinking about setting up another brooder just for her in case she is sick. I do worry that isolating her will stress her and make it worse.

Any help, advice, etc... please

 

[anaiyuk]

She does sound sick but as far as quarentine they have all been exposed. I don't believe it is contagious. It sounds more like sghe was hurt or born that way. I would say to just keep tending and caring for he.

 

[caddyeldorado2006]

I too, have a houdan baby chick, who I got yesterday with 5 other chickies. It was fine yesterday, TOday i went to pick it up and move it. and it was like it was sleeping, when you barely touch it it falls over, it cant stand on its feet kind of wattles, they are chickies, prob not even a week old. what is wrong with my chickie

 

[Miss Lydia]

2X what anaiyuk said, they are all exposed by now so just keep an eye on her and make sure the others don't begin to pick on it. if you moved her she would deff. need a friend or she would be stressed for sure.. as long as she is eating and drinking and poo looks normal then hopefully she'll pull through what ever it is.. the only other alternative would be the vet.. it could have been something that happened in the egg or after hatching, but the verse is true only the strong survive. hopefully both your chicks will make it through this but be prepared if they don't to know you did all you could for them..

 

[caddyeldorado2006]

Quote:
Well sad to say that I just had to say goodbye to one of my chickies, i wanted to check on it with the other chickies, and it was hard. So had to put it in a plastic bag tied, and put it outside in the trash. Dont want my house smelling like dead animals now do we.

 

[Livinwright Farm]

Quote:
Well sad to say that I just had to say goodbye to one of my chickies, i wanted to check on it with the other chickies, and it was hard. So had to put it in a plastic bag tied, and put it outside in the trash. Dont want my house smelling like dead animals now do we.

I know the loss... it stinks.

 

[RedneckChikns]

Sad part is...chicks die...you get chicks, some WILL ALWAYS die. Its just mother nature sorting the wheat from the chaff.

 

[spiritdance]

Back on the Farm, the "lump" under her skin isn't the crop, is it? If it is and it's hard, it may be impacted. Chicks can sometimes eat bedding or even just plain overeat and develop crop problems. I had a RIR do this as a 3 day old and he behaved very similarly to what you are describing, except he would lean on other chicks or the food bowl. If the crop is impacted, a chick will grow listless pretty quickly even if it's eating and drinking because no nutrition is actually getting through, and sometimes the impacted crop can cause discomfort when it lays down because on chicks the crop extends further down toward the chest/tummy than on older birds. You might try feeding the chick several drops of vegetable or mineral oil, then VERY GENTLY attempt to massage the bump. If it starts to feel grainy, then it's the crop and you are breaking up the impaction. Massage -again be VERY GENTLE- for a few minutes, then let the chick rest. Check again in an hour or so, and if necessary repeat the process. Just be aware, if it is the crop, chicks can get pasty butt after you clear it up because their body has to process through what was stuck in the crop, so keep an eye out for that too.

 

[Back on the Farm]

Thank you... I did some research last night and felt that it was her crop. I didn't realize that it could happen to chicks so young. Everything I read was about adult chickens. I did soak bread crumbs in oil last night and fed her a few, I also gave her very little plain yogurt and massaged the bump. It did begin to feel grainy. She perked right up. She still has a bump, but it isn't as large as it was last night. I think I'll have to get her some more oil today, massage, rest, repeat, and keep an eye on her.

Thank you very much.

 

[TajMahalChickens]

Yay for your chick! Hopefully she will continue to get better. Keep us updated!