Is This An Infection? Can I Save Her?

[AmyJane725]

Hi guys,

I have my little weak chick here that had another topic about her. I've been watching her closely. She's eating and drinking and still has a clear vent, but I'm noticing in the area of her shoulder where the baby fluff is stuck together it's looking worrisome to me. It used to just look like skin, but now it's like a raised yellowish bubble. Looks grainy inside. Is this an infection? What should I do. I feel like this chick is going to die, but I really don't want it to.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[cleoandtheflock]

@casportpony @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is her crop full? It could just be the topside of the crop. I would watch to see if it increases/decreases as she eats/drinks and poops.

 

[AmyJane725]

Is her crop full? It could just be the topside of the crop. I would watch to see if it increases/decreases as she eats/drinks and poops.

Ok. I'll check her tomorrow morning when it should be empty and see if it's still there.

I'd really love to give her a bath and get her feathers fluffed up so she can regulate her body temp better and be a less obvious target for the other chicks, but I'm worried I'll kill her just by stressing her out too much. Ugh. Feel so helpless.

 

[chickendreams24]

If you decide to wash her use a blow drier to fluff her up and prevent a chill. Be careful not to burn her.

I agree it looks like her crop.

 

[AmyJane725]

If you decide to wash her use a blow drier to fluff her up and prevent a chill. Be careful not to burn her.

I agree it looks like her crop.

That would be a huge relief if it was her crop. I didn't realize it was up by the shoulders though. I thought it was kind of on the front of the chest.

Would it be better to blow dry her or just let her air dry on a heating pad and soaking up excess water with kleenex? I don't want the noise from the dryer to freak her out. Newborn chicks dry in the incubator right? I've been trying to spot clean her but it's proving difficult. If half or all of her gets wet is that really bad? I don't want to overdo it.

I did the final butt bath on my pasty butt hamburg today and put him under the warmer and his butt looks perfect now.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Ok. I'll check her tomorrow morning when it should be empty and see if it's still there.

I'd really love to give her a bath and get her feathers fluffed up so she can regulate her body temp better and be a less obvious target for the other chicks, but I'm worried I'll kill her just by stressing her out too much. Ugh. Feel so helpless.

I would not give her a bath. If you feel she needs to be fluffed a little bit, take a soft bristle toothbrush and very gently brush/fluff her fluff.
In the photo, I really don't see anything wrong with her fluff

Let us know how she's doing.

 

[AmyJane725]

I would not give her a bath. If you feel she needs to be fluffed a little bit, take a soft bristle toothbrush and very gently brush/fluff her fluff.
In the photo, I really don't see anything wrong with her fluff

Let us know how she's doing.

She seems to be doing a bit better today. And I think you guys were right about the crop. I looked at her early this morning and I didn't see the bump. Her fluff is looking a bit better today too. I'm not sure if she preened it or what.

As far as what I was seeing before with it, there are a couple areas where it's like if you got ketchup or something in your hair and let it dry. Just stuck together and hard and not covering the skin. I'm not sure if that's just egg goo that didn't get cleaned off or whatever, but she had definite crusty patches. They're still there, but less bad today somehow.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She seems to be doing a bit better today. And I think you guys were right about the crop. I looked at her early this morning and I didn't see the bump. Her fluff is looking a bit better today too. I'm not sure if she preened it or what.

As far as what I was seeing before with it, there are a couple areas where it's like if you got ketchup or something in your hair and let it dry. Just stuck together and hard and not covering the skin. I'm not sure if that's just egg goo that didn't get cleaned off or whatever, but she had definite crusty patches. They're still there, but less bad today somehow.

It's probably residue from hatching. If there's just a couple of crusty places, I would leave them be, they will wear or be preened off in no time.

 

[AmyJane725]

It's probably residue from hatching. If there's just a couple of crusty places, I would leave them be, they will wear or be preened off in no time.

Ok. It just makes me nervous cause I feel like if the others see the skin through the crusty areas they'll peck it. To their credit though, all of the older chicks have been very nice to the new babies. I was worried they'd be picked on but there have been no such problems. So proud of my girls/boys