Mouth injury to 8 week old chick

[Chick jokes]

I noticed one of my chicks had something stuck to it's mouth. When I tried to help her get it off, she shrieked and I realized it was attached to the inside of her mouth. I picked her up and noticed she had some blood around her mouth. I smelled blood. Pictures are attached. What should I do about this? Is it something I can snip off? Will it heal on its own? Is this actually something else stuck in her throat?

 

[coach723]

I really can't tell what I'm looking at. Have you opened the beak and looked inside the mouth and throat? I would do that first, and if you can possibly get pictures it would help. I wouldn't cut anything off until it's been positively identified. It may have swallowed something or gotten something wrapped around it's tongue.

 

[Chick jokes]

I can't get a good picture of the inside of the mouth right now. I did see in there. It looks like the tongue is white. Maybe it's thrush?

 

[coach723]

Do you see lesions, clumps or masses of anything, or is the tongue just pale? Getting a thread or string around the tongue does happen, and then they swallow the rest of the string so it can be very hard to see. It may be best to get someone to help so you can use both hands to try to look. Look way back at the base of the tongue, even a long hair can get wrapped around and cut of circulation. The blood is what is making me think something like this rather than thrush or canker, but if you see lesions or plaques, then those would be more likely.

 

[Chick jokes]

The tongue is just pale. I didn't see anything lesions or plaques. I am having someone help me hold the chick to get a closer look today. Could it be bacterial at all?

 

[rayrose]

Looks like it might be a piece of wood or some other foreign object that she got a hold of and it stuck in her mouth.

 

[coach723]

Anything is possible, but the blood makes me think either tongue or it swallowed something else. Take your time when you get the chance to look, the chick probably won't like it much, but you are trying to help. If you do find something wrapped around the tongue, then some tweezers may help to loosen it, and a pair of tiny embroidery scissors if needed to cut it off. Just be very careful not to cut anything else. Look as far down the throat as you can, and check the choanal slit in the top of the beak, make sure nothing is lodged there.

 

[Chick jokes]

Thank you! I checked in her mouth today with the help of a friend. Her tongue is pale and it looks purple underneath her tongue. She also appears to have what looks like a cut on the side of her tongue. There is some blood on it still. I didn't see anything else.

 

[Chick jokes]

Also, the bloody tissue that was coming from her mouth either fell off or she scratched it off.

 

[coach723]

Then it sounds more like an injury, whatever happened or got in there is gone. Purple may be bruising. Is she eating and drinking? If so then I would just keep an eye on her and hopefully it will resolve.