Please look at photo and advise!

[loralei]

My little golden polish arrived Monday. The other chicks tried to drown her. My husband, a country boy, said it was because she was weak. I have kept her separate and have been feeding her with an eyedropper all week. Yesterday she seemed stronger so I put her in with the others. She held her own for several hours, even ate quite a bit and just really perked up but then I found her in the drinker again… just standing there but cold and wet. I warmed and dried her, separated her again and resumed hand feeding since she would not eat on her own again. This morning she was up hopping around a bit but I noticed this large bubble like think on the back of her neck. Its soft to the touch and does not seem to cause her pain when I touch it but she seems to be declining. She is a third of the size of the other chicks I received Monday. She lays face down much of the time but when she hears my voice she gets up but sits back on her heels like she’s having trouble balancing. My questions:

1. What is it?
2. Can it be cured?
3. Could I have done something to cause it? Prevent it?
4. Is it an injury from the other chicks?
5. What do I do? Will she make it?

I’ve lost 4 of my 34 babies and cant stand to lose another. Please help!

 

[ArizonaNessa]

I put marbles in the water so they can't lay/drown in it. I usually leave the marbles in the water until they are about a week old or better. I am sorry for your loss and your little one. The other chicks are probably not intentionally drowning the other one. Sometimes chicks will just lay in the water for some reason and marbles seem to prevent it. If they get too wet they will lose body heat and that will cause them to die.

Edit to say that I am sorry I can't offer any help with the "bubble" because I have never seen anything like that but hopefully someone will chime in soon to help on that.

 

[thewarriorchild]

1. What is it? I dunno
2. Can it be cured? Best try :0 ) She is hanging in so I guess she is up for it.
3. Could I have done something to cause it? Prevent it? Don't think anything you could have done about bubble but keep her seperated
4. Is it an injury from the other chicks? ???
5. What do I do? Will she make it?

This is what I would do. Keep her in a heated cage, medicated water, poly vi sol vitamins without iron, continue hand feeding but try yogurt and scrambled eggs. Keep her seperate or add another tiny friend as long as they play nice.

As for the bubble...is there a scab or something on it? Can you move the feathers and take another pic?

 

[loralei]

Sorry... the pic I posted is the best I’ve been able to get. I think I was too aggressive with the eyedropper feedings and inadvertently got food/water into her lung! If I caused this and she dies I will never forgive myself. I love animals so much that I don't eat them. I thought chickens would be fun but I have never felt so helpless and frustrated. My husband has forbidden me to take her to the emergency vet. Last weeks injured turtle was the final straw.


Please! Please! Please! What do I do?

*me having a melt down!*

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
loralei (i love that name, by the way)

first, breathe.

you are loving this beautiful little animal the best you can...and probably as well or better than any of us would. just love on her and care for her the best you can. if it weren't for you, she would've died at the first drowning attempt. you can't tell the future, and no one can expect you to. some things just need a little time.

and you'll be able to care for her better if you don't totally melt down.

blessings to you.

we're all rooting for you.

 

[sammi]

how old are the other chicks?
how old is the Polish?

what is she doing that makes you think she aspirated?
wheezing? gurgling?

best to not pour liquids into the mouth..
they have a little hole at the back of the tongue that leads to the lungs..you either have to use a syringe and get it past the hole..
or give by drops on beak..
with food, you can moisten it with warm water, and put teeny dabs at tip of mouth..let her swallow it on her own.

check the lump and see if there is a peck mark that might be infected.
it might be an injured air sac.(but it's on the BACK of the neck?)
its hard to tell by the photo what it is.
hopefully it will go down on it's own.

no point in beating yourself yourself up..
if liquid and food did get into the lungs, I'm not sure there is much you can do..
sorry.

are you using chick vitamins?
if you don't have any on hand..you can use Poly-vi-sol liquid baby vitamins, Enfamil brand if possible..no iron..
give 3 drops on beak once a day for 3 days..
then 2 drops for 4 days
then taper off for another week.

what bedding are you using?
what are you feeding them?
what temp are you keeping them at?
describe the droppings..color and consistency (of the Polish and the others)

if you can get to a pet/bird supply store you can get Kaybee baby bird feed..might help the Polish..

 

[rooster-red]

The bubble looks like the aftermath of a ruptured air sack. The air from the air sack migrates to the surface under the skin.

You cak take a small needle and gentley pierce it to release the air, then it can heal on its own.

I had a chick with this last year, used a needle and now she is a very healthy hen.

 

[loralei]

Thank you Beth! Your kind words are greatly appreciated! And thans to everyone else as well! I will provide more info soon.

 

[sammi]

Rooster..you're probably right..the air might have migrated to the back..
Loralei..here's some info and a pic:

http://fowlfacts.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=afflictiondiseaseff&action=display&thread=1552

 

[kycklingar!]

Hi! Welcome to the forum!
That air sac is a common stress response in birds. If you puncture it with a pin to release the pressure on the neck, it will heal within a day, and won't even bleed. You should be just fine with this one. Keep her warm and dry and separate from the others.
Good advice about the marbles in the water! In the meantime, instead of giving this one her own water dish, mix her crumble with water to create a mash. Then, put bits of it in her mouth, and the swallow reflex will kick in instantly if she's still healthy. Rub under her beak, in the direction of the crop to help the food down if she's having trouble.
This way you avoid aspirating her (getting water in the lungs), but you still give her the water and nutrients she needs. Good luck!