Newbie needs help...

[TobyMGF]

Last week I purchased what was supposed to be a Cornish Rock pullet from TSC. We noticed it was eating and drinking just fine. About 48 hours later we noticed the body seemed to be swollen from the chest to the anus. The skin seems to be redder than the other Cornish Rock pullets we got. Within another 24 hours we saw its legs were also swelling. I looked on the internet for chicken diseases and nothing seemed to come close to the "symptoms".

This poor chick can barely walk, lies around, has continued to eat and drink well. Is very alert, shows no signs of breathing issues, no discharge from nose, beak or obvious odd stools. Jumps up when I go in to clean (is still in the brooder under lights), jumps up to go to the food, then immediately lies back down.

Yesterday I went to the local farm store to purchase some more variety of chicks and mentioned this all to the young lady who was assisting me. She busted out laughing and swears that I don't have a Cornish Rock, but a broiler of some sort. Could this be possible? It is over a week with us, doubled in size. No other chicks that are with it have shown similar signs (swelling, redness, laying around).

Could this be a broiler? If so, what can I do - as in my 7 yr old is freaking out that he doesn't want Mommy and Daddy to make a dinner with this chick. DH says we can give it a reprieve, but can we do that given it can barely stand?

Any advice would be appreciated! Also, how do I identify it as being a broiler if it IS a broiler?

 

[Zach123]

I do not know what could be the problem, a week seems a bit young, even for a broiler, to be balooning like that, plus, swollen legs, to me would point to some kind of issue. But, unfortunately I do not know. What I do know, and why I am posting, is that a cornish rock is a broiler, so you need to go back to the feed store and pop that gal one for being so ridiculous.