Punctured lung?

[newkfarm]

We had a terrible accident yesterday. The wind switched directions and caught the chicken train and rolled it over 2 or 3 times. The floor of the coop opened up and the chicks all were exposed to our three dogs. We lost six. Two of the other meat chicks have some superficial cuts and are separated so they can heal. The black pullet was found laying next to a dead chick, presumably dead as well until my husband tried to pick her up.
She's alive and inside, but not very active. I think it's a very real possibility that she has a punctured lung. Under her right wing there is a bubble of skin that is very soft and malleable. Every once in awhile I can hear a slight wheeze. She won't stand up, but can move both legs. She's eating and drinking, but very mellow. She'll flap her wings if moved around or startled.

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So I guess I'm wondering if there's any chance she'll survive this? My 9 yr old named her Belle and is determined to "make her better".

 

[Eggcessive]

Oh no, I'm sorry that you had such a catastrophy with your chicks. The air bubble could be a leaking air sac, also called subcutaneous emphysema. You can take a large sterilized sewing needle or 18 gauge hypodermic needle, and insert it just under the skin and deflate it. It may have internal injuries or be in shock. Offer it water, if it is alert, and if you can get electrolytes such as SaveAChick to put in it, that would get good. Or give a ml of Poultry NutriDrench daily plus water. Dip it's beak for a second into the water in a small bowl, letting it swallow. If it seems well enough, offer it some egg yolk to eat. Later watery feed would be good. I really hope you can revive her. Let us know how she is doing.

 

[newkfarm]

Deflating it seemed to make her more comfortable. I'll be keeping an eye on her and keep it deflated. I was given some advice from a friend of a friend on how to care for her as well. For the moment she's comfortably resting on my daughter's lap.
I'll have to go to the store and get some of the additives you mentioned @Eggcessive

 

[Eggcessive]

Oh I am so glad it helped. I have only had to perform that once on a 2 week old chick with a leaking air sac from an injury. She survived after I had to deflate it a couple of times. I am so hoping that she will survive.

 

[newkfarm]

Well we tried. She passed away overnight, buried with a prayer this morning.

 

[Eggcessive]

Well we tried. She passed away overnight, buried with a prayer this morning.

I am really sorry. Chicks are very fragile, and are easily injured internally. Are you going to get some more chicks locally to start over with egg layers? I have tried using a small coop for a few birds in the past, and they will easily turn over with strong winds. Even the roof would fly open, so I have to keep large cinder blocks on it. We have larger coops that are sturdy, but the little coop was good for breaking broody hens or for separating a sick chicken.

 

[newkfarm]

We still have several left. 9 meat chicks and 23 layers, 1 roo. (Some of the layers may still prove to be roos as well, they're still young.)
We are working on a larger coop with permanent fencing and the small coop was going to be for the meaties to feed out in. The coop had been through several wind storms already, but the wind had always been from the south. We had the enclosed and facing south so it blocked the wind. The other day the wind came in from the north and made the enclosed end act as a parachute. We knew the bottom was starting to fail and had everything planned to resecure and fix it, but kids and life schedules had it put off till this weekend. We were a few days too late. It's all resecured and staked and tied down now to keep it from happening again. Lessons learned, painful lessons.

I am really sorry. Chicks are very fragile, and are easily injured internally. Are you going to get some more chicks locally to start over with egg layers? I have tried using a small coop for a few birds in the past, and they will easily turn over with strong winds. Even the roof would fly open, so I have to keep large cinder blocks on it. We have larger coops that are sturdy, but the little coop was good for breaking broody hens or for separating a sick chicken.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thanks for posting. It really helps others to see what can happen. I have lost countless expensive patio umbrellas and a canopy shade tent to high winds in spring. We even had to replace siding on our house once when the EZ up canopy flew into a telephone line. Umbrellas go up only when I am there watching them, then get put down.