Sick chick

[Agilityscots]

One of my Wyandottes appears to be sick. I just went downstairs to check on them, and she's got her feathers puffed up, her eyes are mostly closed, and she is sticking her neck out and opening her beak repeatedly without making any noise. She's also sometimes making a gesture that looks like she's swallowing, smacking her beak several times in succession. As I fed the others, she didn't come anywhere near, but stayed off to the side, puffed up and sleepy, and doing that weird thing with her beak. Six hours ago when I went downstairs, she was fine. All 5 of my chicks are 4.5 weeks old and the others are all healthy and active. What's going on with this little girl?

Amy

 

[Frozen Feathers]

The only thing that comes to my mind is maybe she swallowed a piece of food that was a bit too big and it wasn't going down her throat to easily?? Wish I could be more helpful....

 

[Agilityscots]

Well, this morning I did give them a plum; I had eaten most of it, and they have fun tearing away the remaining bits of flesh and skin. Do you think that could have caused it?

Amy

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Possibly. Do they have grit as well??

 

[Agilityscots]

I just gave them some grit last night; I haven't left it out free choice. I just tried offering her some while holding her and she wasn't interested. She was very limp in my arms and only made one or two weak peeps in protest. I can't believe how different she looks from this morning and I'm worried that she's really sick.

Amy

 

[MissPrissy]

Did you find the plum seed?

 

[Agilityscots]

Yes, the plum pit is in there. It's enormous, way too big for them to swallow or even get anything off of it. I did hear some puffy little breaths occasionally, like she was breathing funny while I was holding her...and also while she was in the brooder. Should I isolate her from the others?

Amy

 

[Wolfpacker]

Sounds tough. Hope she gets better. It does sound like she's choking on something.

 

[Agilityscots]

Okay, now here's the weird part. In between posts I am running down to the basement to check on her. And I noticed just now that she is eating and drinking...but not at all normally. She is GUZZLING water. She is sitting at the waterer for 2-3 minutes at a time, drinking and drinking and drinking. Then she goes right over to the feeder, and eats and eats and eats. This is definitely not normal behavior for her, or any of them for that matter. When she drinks, I do hear little puffy sounds once in a while, like air puffed out through her nose. ???

Oh, and I forgot to add...I can't get her to eat any grit. But I did sprinkle some in every hole of the chick feeder, so since she's gobbling food, she might be able to get some in. I felt her neck and I don't feel anything sticking out anywhere.

Amy

 

[dlhunicorn]

how old is your bird??? Have you looked inher beak...try that and look to see if there are plaques or anything to be seen at the back of her throat...