Hey all, I was on this board a long time ago when we first got our baby ladies and they are doing great..We have lost a few to unrelated causes but otherwise we have a small diverse flock of two Australorps, 1 Americana and 1 Gold Laced Wyndote. I love reading the posts and I learn a ton so I decided I better get busy posting again. We decided, well my son decided it was time to get a few more baby ladies. We wanted to get Easter Eggers but decided to go to our local feed store and get the Black Sex Links they had. Well we got them home and one is super small and came with a very poopy bottom. I cleaned her off but she is really laboring and I am not sure she is going to make it. Another one has a huge bump on her neck. Now this is the first time we bought from this feed store as we usually go to our other local feed store but they didn't have any chicks in. I am thinking the poor little girl will die and I am wondering if the one with the bump is going to be alright although she is acting fine along with the other two.. Are bumps on chickens normal and should I be worried about the others getting sick??? I am worried about all of them now.. Thanks a bunch! Marney
Hi, and welcome back to BYC! I have not heard about chicks with bumps on their back/neck so I'm not sure how to help there. Hope they do alright.
Sorry about your new babies. Not all chicks make it to adult hood, so all you can do is give them the best that you can. I would add about 1 heaping tablespoon of sugar to one quart of water. Sugar does wonders for weak babies. If this one with the pasty butt is still really slow, you can also put this one in another brooder with more heat. 3 or 4 degrees higher than the others. Sometimes some babies need more of a boost than the others. You can also offer this little one some chopped up hard boiled eggs. Egg is emergency food for all birds, especially babies and when babies are sick, sometimes they don't eat. But they usually will readily eat hard boiled eggs. Be sure to clean up what he doesn't eat right away as the heat of the brooder can cause it to grow bacteria. As for the one with the lump on the neck, I have no idea. As long as he is acting completely normal, I wouldn't be concerned about it. He may out grow what ever that is. Good luck with your new babies and enjoy BYC!
Thanks everybody!!! It is great to be back. We do love our chickens! TwoCrows that is great information we will give it a try hopefully she can pull through...
I was thinking a full crop also - could you post photos please. Were you able to clean off the other one with the poopy butt. If they are unable to poo, they can die from that.
I got the poop cleaned off but she is just sleeping .. She doesn't want to use one of her legs either. I gave her more sugar water and she drank that but she hasn't eaten. I will try to get a picture, it's tough because you can't see the bump very well unless she stretches... I will try...
