HELP, Chick is barely hanging on (graphic img)

[Raptorsgocluck]

5 week old silkie chick. Eyes closed, still breathing, peeping occasionally. Can't walk or lift her head. Can I save her? What can I do to try to save her? Back story and more info to come...

 

[Raptorsgocluck]

Yesterday I found (what I think were mites) on her. I washed her with a little dawn and warm water and a few hours after she dried she took a dust bath in dust I got for treating bugs and mites cut in a lot of normal dirt dust. Last night she still had all her feathering and was running around normal before she went to sleep. This morning I checked on her and she was napping with the other silkies so I didn't bother her. Found her about an hour ago covered in flies and unable to get up or lift her head and with no feathering around her crop (which feels very very full) and the little egg looking things in her neck. I carefully removed the eggs. Tried to get her to drink and she wouldn't. She is inside now in a box on a little towel. Is there any hope of saving her?

 

[Wezdin]

I would try to keep the exposed tissue clean. @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock @staceyj

 

[Raptorsgocluck]

I have not had this sort of issue before and can't tell if she is in pain or not. I want to do anything I can to save her but idk if it's a lost cause and I should cull her. As much as I hate doing that it is so much worse too see them needlessly suffering. I just don't know what is wrong so I can't tell if she can be saved or is just going to suffer and die anyway.

 

[danceswithronin]

I have not had this sort of issue before and can't tell if she is in pain or not. I want to do anything I can to save her but idk if it's a lost cause and I should cull her. As much as I hate doing that it is so much worse too see them needlessly suffering. I just don't know what is wrong so I can't tell if she can be saved or is just going to suffer and die anyway.

I wouldn't give up yet, not until we have a better idea what's going on.

First off I'd make sure to sterilize that wound as best you can, and make sure there are no more maggots anywhere that you can see. Then slather her down in Neosporin (no pain meds added). Try giving her some NutriDrench via dropper by beak to keep her going until she can gather a bit of strength to eat.

I'm really concerned about that swollen crop. Can you get a better photo of the wound once she's cleaned up? Guys, any suggestions on how to get that crop down?

I think she's definitely got an impacted crop, not sure how she had maggots spring up so quickly though if she was only injured in a single day. I a pecking wound that introduced the maggots. Do you have the chicks with older chickens?

For crop: Try getting the chick to ingest a little bit of olive oil and massage the crop gently to try and loosen the blockage.

 

[Raptorsgocluck]

I wouldn't give up yet, not until we have a better idea what's going on.

First off I'd make sure to sterilize that wound as best you can, and make sure there are no more maggots anywhere that you can see. Then slather her down in Neosporin (no pain meds added). Try giving her some NutriDrench via dropper by beak to keep her going until she can gather a bit of strength to eat.

I'm really concerned about that swollen crop. Can you get a better photo of the wound once she's cleaned up? Guys, any suggestions on how to get that crop down?

I think she's definitely got an impacted crop, not sure how she had maggots spring up so quickly though if she was only injured in a single day. I a pecking wound that introduced the maggots. Do you have the chicks with older chickens?

For crop: Try getting the chick to ingest a little bit of olive oil and massage the crop gently to try and loosen the blockage.

There are no open wounds. That's her crop that's all exposed like that. She had a wound that's healing nicely and is almost completely closed from getting pecked. She was among the older chicks until she got pecked and now they are separated from the adults in a look but no touch setup. Will try and get a better pictures of the crop.

 

[cleoandtheflock]

@casportpony

 

[cleoandtheflock]

Can she stand?
Post pictures once the wound washed off a little

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry about your chick.
How long has she been like this/that tissue exposed?

She has maggots in the wound. You can try saving her but it's hard to know if the maggots have entered inside the body. Any idea how she was wounded at all?

It's hard to know which direction to go. I'm not there to see, touch, so can only go by photos. The chick is in rough shape, so personally, I would consider culling.

Now, if you want to try to save her.....Those maggots have got to go. Flushing out those wounds and removing all of them is needed. The flushing may put her over the edge just so you know. She needs to be brought in, get your area that you are going to work on her in warm. Have a hair dryer ready. Use warm water with dawn or epsom salts to flush the wounds, pick out all the maggots you can. Dry her well, use a hair dryer to get her dry. Keep her warm (75-80F). Apply triple antibiotic ointment to the wound. That skin is rolled back, so make sure there's no maggots in there too.

Once you have the maggots off, she's warm and dry, try to get some fluids into her. Poultry Nutri-Drench if you have it. Room temperature Gatorade for the first 24 hrs if you don't have those -use sugar water. Don't push food on her, she needs fluids, then if she perks up a bit you can offer some wet chick starter.

Once you get everything flushed and cleaned and her stabilized, more photos would be appreciated.

 

[casportpony]

Wow, she is in bad shape for sure. Getting the bugs off was a good start for sure. If she were mine I would place her in a hospital cage or room heated to no less than 80 degrees, then I would give her an hour and re-check.