I got a few chicks at Tractor Supply a few days ago.
One of them has an odd injury, it looks as though it may have had a string wrapped around it's neck, to the point of cutting into skin!
The hardened scab was like a hard black choker collar, all the way around neck, and the growth of the chick's neck was restricted by the scab. I only noticed when she bobbed her head funny when pigging out eating. The scab blended well with her dark fuzz.
I gently removed it & applied Neosporin & reapply it 2x a day to keep it moist so it can grow as she grows without a choker scab forming again. It has improved in appearance greatly & now neck is growing along with the chick & she eats & swallows fine, no more bobbing due to a restrictive scab collar. The bird seems to have some slight swelling still on either side of the wound, and I hope it goes down more completely. Appetite & energy of this chick are great, a talkative little chirper, too. There seemed to be a slight air bubble by crop a few days ago.
I've put a little needle hole in subcutaneous air bubbles before on Homing Pigeons, to let the air out, but I haven't done that with a chicken...yet, anyway.
It doesn't seem to be air inside the crop, it looks subcutaneous, and she is digesting & pooping well. Sometimes the air bubbles need to be drained, but often when they're tiny they resolve themselves.
Anyway... I can't imagine what may happened to this poor little chick, how would a day old chick get something tied around it's neck?
The 1st 3 pics are 2 days ago when 1st saw this, I removed the scab, saw how red it was & applied Neosporin & you can see the air bubble.
The next 4 pics are today, just applied Neosporin, better skin color, less inflamed, healing & much less air bubble.
I've given probiotics & oregano oil in water, feeding organic chick starter. Digestion & poo looking good.
Any other suggestions or theories are welcome.
One of them has an odd injury, it looks as though it may have had a string wrapped around it's neck, to the point of cutting into skin!
The hardened scab was like a hard black choker collar, all the way around neck, and the growth of the chick's neck was restricted by the scab. I only noticed when she bobbed her head funny when pigging out eating. The scab blended well with her dark fuzz.
I gently removed it & applied Neosporin & reapply it 2x a day to keep it moist so it can grow as she grows without a choker scab forming again. It has improved in appearance greatly & now neck is growing along with the chick & she eats & swallows fine, no more bobbing due to a restrictive scab collar. The bird seems to have some slight swelling still on either side of the wound, and I hope it goes down more completely. Appetite & energy of this chick are great, a talkative little chirper, too. There seemed to be a slight air bubble by crop a few days ago.
I've put a little needle hole in subcutaneous air bubbles before on Homing Pigeons, to let the air out, but I haven't done that with a chicken...yet, anyway.
It doesn't seem to be air inside the crop, it looks subcutaneous, and she is digesting & pooping well. Sometimes the air bubbles need to be drained, but often when they're tiny they resolve themselves.
Anyway... I can't imagine what may happened to this poor little chick, how would a day old chick get something tied around it's neck?
The 1st 3 pics are 2 days ago when 1st saw this, I removed the scab, saw how red it was & applied Neosporin & you can see the air bubble.
The next 4 pics are today, just applied Neosporin, better skin color, less inflamed, healing & much less air bubble.
I've given probiotics & oregano oil in water, feeding organic chick starter. Digestion & poo looking good.
Any other suggestions or theories are welcome.
