Lethargic chick, neck bulge

[emmapal]

Our chick hatched Wednesday, 3 days ago, and this morning is very lethargic, sleeping, lying on her tummy, one or both legs limp out to the side or behind her. Her vent is clear, but she is under a broody hen who may be caring for it.

I mixed up some vitamin water: filtered water, sea salt, sugar, baking soda, a few chick crumbles to dissolve into the "tea," and ACV for probiotics with a touch of fresh ginger in case of infection, and drinking that seems like it is helping slightly. She can stand slightly, but quickly tips to the side and lies down. She has vomited several times a clear mucus substance, the first time with a tinge of pink in it.

In this photo, she is wet from the water dripping on her while we dipped her beak in it, and we noticed that huge bulge. Is that juts normal crop? It seems watery, not solid.

No opportunity to go to the farm store today, so is there anything else I can do for her? We lost one a day after hatch Thursday to a similar mystery lethargy, but this is the first time I've tried homemade electrolyte water.

Thanks for any help!

 

[Eggcessive]

She sounds pretty weak. That looks like a full crop to me, although chickens can get bulges under the skin from an air sac leaking, but that looks like a crop. From what you have said about her vomiting, her crop may be full and not emptying. It doesn't sound like she will make it, but I hope so. The electrolytes will help, but she may have other problems you can't fix.

 

[emmapal]

she didn't make it. I am wondering if the hen pecked her because this morning my son pulled out another that she was pecking. They were introduced and she accepted them easily, but maybe she is singling them out now ???

 

[BantamLover21]

she didn't make it. I am wondering if the hen pecked her because this morning my son pulled out another that she was pecking. They were introduced and she accepted them easily, but maybe she is singling them out now ???

I'm sorry for the loss of your chick.

Hopefully your other chicks will be all right!

 

[emmapal]

lost another one today

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for the losses. The broody hen may be pecking them because she knows they are weak or defective, and she is trying to cull them.

 

[emmapal]

That is what I was wondering because originally she accepted them with her own chicks no problem. I watched her bed down tonight, and she was perfectly the same with her own chicks and the 3 remaining hatchery chicks, tucking them all in under her. So maybe it was some sort of disease or defect rather than her hurting them. Is there a 24hr guarantee on hatchery chicks?