I have no idea...molting? crop?

[jellyroll]

Okay, question about another 8 week old chick.
She's been stumbling around like she's drunk. Barely able to walk and just finds a place to lay down and then doesn't want to move.
Trying to pick her up she gets real upset when I grab her around her chest. Looking at her chest, it looks like new feathers growing in........so not sure if she is molting and if she's just very sensitive.
Is this behavior a sign of molting?

I've looked at her crop, it appears impacted........but I must not be looking at the right location of the crop. There's something large, round, and hard about an inch below her mouth. I believe the crop is to the right of their chest and lower???

I've got her separated and inside and she's just laying there where I put her.......she doesn't care to move at all and slightly puffed up.

Chickens seem a whole lot easier to cook than to raise.......sorry, just frustrated.

 

[jellyroll]

So I've had a chance to sit and think about what's happening after my "reactionary" post above. I apologize if I've broken rules of engagement on BYC.......I've lost 2 more chickens last week and obviously for reasons I am clueless about. And, these are my wife's chickens, but she has been working out of town for the last 6 weeks (and we got these 8 weeks ago).....so all responsibility falls on my shoulders.

All of our chicks are 8 weeks old......got them on August 26. Started with 24, down to 19.
There has been "extra" feathers in the coop this past weekend after a cleanup, but thought nothing of it (it didn't look like a fight.....just 19 chicks loosing feathers).
Noticing this hen now, and her reaction of holding her.........I think she's in a molt (or in period of growing back feathers??)....not sure of the correct terminology here. The feathers on her breast are new........but there hasn't been a huge "balding" effect with this hen. When picking her up around her breast, she gets very irritated VERY fast. Placing her on her back, same thing. I haven't looked at her back feathers as all of this is now just sinking in. But, she is not calm on her back at all.
I have separated her and she's inside a cat kennel inside the house. While outside one of the 8 week old roosters was getting his "practice" in while she lay there motionless..........
So, I figured get her inside where it's calm and she can relax. In the kennel is water, bowl of a scrambled egg, and she does not move at all. She is sitting with her wings slightly outspread and was slightly chirping earlier. There is not any sign of breathing difficulty or anything like that.........moving appears to be either difficult or painful.

The crop thing is frustrating for me as I have no idea what I'm looking for..........hopefully I didn't massage an important organ last week on a young'n that died the next morning..........

This past week we finally got out of the mid to high 80's during the day and mid 70's at night to low 70's during the day and mid 50's during the night. Not sure if the temp is affecting her, or if this brought on the molt, or what could be happening.

Anyway, could molting or perhaps growing of new feather be affecting her like this and also at this age?

 

[lovingmyhens]

I’m no expert by any means but I’ve read chickens usually have their first molt around 2 years of age so yours would be quite young. I know from experience that chicks get new feathers as the baby feathers fall out. That’s what mine are doing and the are about 8-9 weeks old.
I know anyone with any experience with these kinds of matters will want to see any pics you can get so they can get a better idea of what you’re talking about.
@KikisGirls @Eggcessive
Can anyone help?

 

[Kiki]

She's been stumbling around like she's drunk. Barely able to walk and just finds a place to lay down and then doesn't want to move.

What do you feed her?


Are you in the US?
If you are losing 8 week old chicks (the dropping of feathers at this age is normal and nothing to think twice about) I am going to suggest your get some Corid asap.

 

[jellyroll]

In the US........Texas.
Still feeding starter medicated feed.......crap, forgot to post all of this important stuff.
Do you think this "stumbling" effect is molting or coccidiostatis?
I have some Corid from the previous situation, so should I give her a dose?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

another 8 week old chick.

She's been stumbling around like she's drunk. Barely able to walk and just finds a place to lay down and then doesn't want to move.

gets real upset when I grab her around her chest. Looking at her chest, it looks like new feathers growing in

I've looked at her crop, it appears impacted.

There's something large, round, and hard about an inch below her mouth

I've lost 2 more chickens last week

When picking her up around her breast, she gets very irritated VERY fast. Placing her on her back, same thing.

While outside one of the 8 week old roosters was getting his "practice" in while she lay there motionless

sitting with her wings slightly outspread and was slightly chirping earlier

moving appears to be either difficult or painful.

How many cockerels do you have? They need to be separated to their own space.

Photos of this sick pullet and her poop would be helpful. A picture of what you feel as large round below her mouth would be good too.
Where are you keeping them?

The crop is located on the right side of the chicken at her breast. If it's impacted and she's not eating/drinking, this can cause some of the symptoms you see.

Photos and feel the crop - let us know what you find - then we can help you better.

https://the-chicken-chick.com/chicken-anatomy-crop-impacted-crop-sour/

 

[jellyroll]

I'll try to get some photos. This one isn't being very cooperative while trying to fish through her feathers, but I'll get one tomorrow. I'm certain I'm incorrect in what I believe to be the crop location. Big time rookie here.

But she did take a dose of Corid quite easily. I tried holding her, but no way. I placed her on the table and she calmed down completely........gave her a syringe and she drank it willingly. Thought water might be needed and she took it well too.

 

[Eggcessive]

Pictures would help. I agree that Corid might help, but it may be a crop impaction or something else. Here is a picture of a normal full crop in a baby chicks:

 

[jellyroll]

Well, i've located one issue this morning. She keeps on her right side while laying down. I had her out trying to give her more Corid when I noticed her foot. One of her toes looks either dislocated or broken. It's completely twisted back towards her heel. Not sure if the photo gives a good look at it.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

Two of my chicks had toe/foot/leg problems early on. My jersey giant chick has a toe that’s bent in the wrong direction at the joint. She is fine now, but will probably have arthritis in that joint later. The light Brahma chick had a dislocated hip at about two-weeks old and is fine now. Your chick’s toe could be dislocated or broken. I’m sure folks on here can tell you how best to splint it so it heals correctly.

In regard to your young cockerel “practicing,” we had to build a “juvie jail” for ours as he was way too much of a horny teenager for the pullets.