Help! Panting Chick has enlarged soft sac on chest (next to crop) -- failing health

[LingonberryJamster]

CHICK & INITIAL SYMPTOMS DESCRIPTION

5 day old Buckeye chick, smaller than its Buckeye hatchlings. (My first ever batch of chicks, all hatched by incubator).

Yesterday noon, I saw the chick standing, panting, eyes closed. I suspected a too hot brooder. No others have same symptoms (but I off'ed the space heater anyway leaving warming plate). I saw no injuries nor at the time noticed crop or this swollen "bubble" on chest.

The feed is standard chick starter. I have a heater plate so the chick may have stayed under so I didn't see it was smaller than others. Poop appears normal.

The 5/6 day old Chicks are in a baby swimming pool with heating plate and on demand feeder/water for baby chicks. I'm changing the puppy peed pad daily but it's a mess quickly so need changing more often. I have a lame Salmon Faverolle chick I have been treating initially, so I wanted a flat surface.


ADMINISTERED TREATMENTS SO FAR

I initially thought it was pasty butt but I was mistaken. Chick appeared in life-threatening crisis, so I administered sugar water by dropper to perk it then offered cooked yolk buts. This worked great. After reviving, chick obviously wanted to stay close (preferring my hand, then chest & neck).

At some point I did hear clicking with the panting. I'm hard of hearing so I was not sure.

At 6:30pm, I had to put chick in a prepared box while I fed pigs. I gave the chick a buddy buckeye in box. When I returned, the sick chick was highly upset and clung to me. I calmed it down but it began to deteriorate.

I administered more sugared water. I tried plain yogurt/feed mix but chick didn't take. Chick is weakening.


BUBBLE & HARD CROP DISCOVERED

At this point (10pm), I discovered a hard crop and on the chicks right breast a soft, filled bubble. Chick is panting and weakened.

I treated the crop with coconut oil and massage. It did not resolve at first so waited 30 min and repeated. I fell asleep but woke and settled chick in box for safety overnight -- fearing the worst to come.

Attached photo shows the chick moistened with coconut oil that dropped a bit during treatment.



STATUS NOW

Chick is alive! Panting, clicking sound clear, and weak however. I fear the sugar water &/or yolk as possibly harmful causing the crop issue.



INTENT

Treating myself. I live very rural and very is an hour. I have a bit of nerve but still not confident especially as new to chickens.

THANK YOU

I'm super grateful for this forum. It's such an important community solution for sharing wisdom.

I am really pleased this exists and hope more develop for many other social needs. I last saw one 15 years ago for human skin conditions and it was brilliant but was later made into a paywall and disappeared. Other topic forums are paywalled too which ruin! these forums and community. So thank you.

 

[coach723]

Does the bubble feel like it's full of air? (Assuming you are sure it's not the crop and the crop is a separate place). It may be a ruptured air sac, which can sometimes happen if they get banged around or run into something. If the chick is still alive, you can release the air with a sterilized sewing needle (which I would do if the chick is having trouble breathing). Dab some antiseptic on the spot, pinch up the skin between your fingers and poke the needle through just the skin to make a tiny hole. That should release the air and hopefully make it's breathing easier. You can dab a tiny bit of plain triple antibiotic ointment on the stick spot. Sometimes you may have to repeat if it fills up again. With the pressure released it allows the air sac to heal.

 

[LingonberryJamster]

Does the bubble feel like it's full of air? (Assuming you are sure it's not the crop and the crop is a separate place). It may be a ruptured air sac, which can sometimes happen if they get banged around or run into something. If the chick is still alive, you can release the air with a sterilized sewing needle (which I would do if the chick is having trouble breathing). Dab some antiseptic on the spot, pinch up the skin between your fingers and poke the needle through just the skin to make a tiny hole. That should release the air and hopefully make it's breathing easier. You can dab a tiny bit of plain triple antibiotic ointment on the stick spot. Sometimes you may have to repeat if it fills up again. With the pressure released it allows the air sac to heal.

Oh Coach, thank you for responding. This sounds very important to know. I looked online for photos and seems the best way to confirm it's not the crop is the location (not area where the crop is!).

As for me, I did end up taking to the vet 2 hours away. I had two birds with similar situations. Caused me to make that decision.

Ended up, the birds had underlying health issues causing their crops to be impacted. I didn't realize it WAS the crop. Vet said the impaction was not resolving so was causing distress. I saw the bird regularly fling it's little body around from the stress.

He said I could keep trying but he thought it was also reasonable to assist the bird to transition. The second chick I had suddenly died that morning. So I did in the end ask the vet to transition the birdie.

I am sorry to have lost the little chick -- it had been incredibly sweet. I have learned a lot.

Thank you again, very much!!!

 

[coach723]

I'm very sorry for your losses, it's always hard to lose the little ones. Sometimes issues with incubation or development can leave them with internal problems that are not obvious. Some of them just don't make it. So sorry. Hope the remaining chicks do well and thrive.