questions about two of my baby chicks that arrived today

[anniemary]

I received 20 pullets and 2 cockerels from Ideal today. Yeah!!

One chick looks a little rough. Its neck has lost alot of down/feathers and which I think was due to being pecked while being shipped. Its head also looked like it was a little damp, not fluffy like the others. The others seem to be leaving it alone now that they're in the brooder as far as I can tell.

There was something on its bottom which I thought was pasting but then thought it might be the umbilical cord that had dried. I was able to clean the vent and it looked fine. I also took the damp cloth to its head in case there was dried something or other in the feathers.

Now checking it hours later, I thought I saw more build up of something on its bottom, so I tried to clean it again. When I clean the vent, there is a small red cherry thing that pushes out when the chick seems to bear down. I have also noticed its leg has a small wound like it had been pecked. What is going on with its vent? Is this a diseased chick?

Chick #2 had spraddled legs, so my husband and I used the band-aid method we found here. After we taped her, she had a harder time walking around and fell over sideways on the pine shavings. Will she get used to the taping? Do I need to worry about her getting food and water? Should we have just left her alone?

Thank you for ALL your help.

 

[faykokoWV]

I don't know the answers to these questions, but maybe by the light of day some of the experts will respond

 

[anniemary]

UPDATE:

I guess the group was not leaving that chick alone, so I've isolated her in a smaller box within the brooder. Her head feathers/down is still matted down and looks wet (like she has gel in it or something) Her underside is hard to see because there's gunk between her legs, but the vent looks open. Still has that bulging thing going on. I've noticed she's losing her down/feathers on her belly near her leg and skin is showing. She's eating better, though. I think I'll keep her there for a day or two.

I felt so bad about taping the spraddler that I took the bandage off. She looks like she's panting which she did after we taped her too. She can walk better, spraddled, but walking. And once she gets going fast, she puts her legs under her the right way. I see her by the food and water, so I think she's getting nourishment, the others are starting to get annoyed with her though.

Still wondering if I should go back to taping her??

Any thoughts would be helpful! Thank you for helping the newbie here.

 

[LauraSBale]

it sounds like she is stressed,
if you grind up some old fashions oat meal, mix with corn meal, and get some chick grit from Tractor supply, it has anise in which help sooth the gut.

mix 1/2 cup of each oat meal and corn meal, and 3 tablespoons girt,
and give it to her in another bowl with her feed,

plus give her electrolyte it her water, 1 teaspoon to a gallon of water

I always do this now when i get chicks in the mail, especially meat birds,

you can also put a little bag balm or triple antibiotic on her bum to sooth it.

i hope she gets better.

maybe you should put the bum leg girl with her to so she not alone and this way the bum leg girl wont be bummed around by the other chicks.

good luck