Sick Chick

[Salamander1914]

We recently hatched two buff orpington chicks. One we called Kelloggs and the other Cornflake (apologies for the terrible names)
Kelloggs sadly died due to the fact he ate something too big for him and it got stuck in his throat. We couldn't get it out in time. The other one has been fine up til now. He is putting his head down and rolling over, and at first I though it was Wry Neck. We gave him vitamin E and egg but he just seems to be worse. What makes things worse is that the mother hen will be alone if we take this chick inside to look after, or if it dies.
I've just caught sight of what looks like swelling on his neck.
Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Cyprus]

You may be seeing his crop.
Could you include a picture?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

We recently hatched two buff orpington chicks. One we called Kelloggs and the other Cornflake (apologies for the terrible names)
Kelloggs sadly died due to the fact he ate something too big for him and it got stuck in his throat. We couldn't get it out in time. The other one has been fine up til now. He is putting his head down and rolling over, and at first I though it was Wry Neck. We gave him vitamin E and egg but he just seems to be worse. What makes things worse is that the mother hen will be alone if we take this chick inside to look after, or if it dies.
I've just caught sight of what looks like swelling on his neck.
Anyone have any ideas?

Can you post some photos of the chick?

Mother hen will be o.k. if you separate the chick from her, it sounds like this baby needs help.
How old is the chick?

What are you feeding? Does the chick have grit available free choice?

Putting the head down and rolling over sounds neurological. The swelling of the neck? Not quite sure about that...a photo would help. Is it the crop? What does the swelling feel like and where is it located?

Is the chick pooping?

 

[Salamander1914]

Sorry, I can't include a photo. I realised just before seeing your comment that it IS the crop. It's getting weaker and weaker, it's not able to even stand now. No, it hasn't had grit. We have been making our own crumb, thinking it would be for a day or so, but we're unable to buy it from the shop until now. The chicks were an accident so we werent as prepared as we could have been.

 

[Salamander1914]

I did offer them a little sand because I heard that I could use it as grit but they didn't seem interested

 

[Salamander1914]

Sorry about not having a photo.. I'll try and explain best I can... It's literally putting its head right down, til it's beak is at its feet and falling. Now, when we try to get it to stand, it's feet aren't spread out like they should be. They're almost closed. It almost seems paralyzed from the neck down
Earlier it was still pecking what we gave it but now it won't
We're just cuddling it now, we don't want to stress it too much.

 

[Salamander1914]

Oh and sorry, the chick will be two weeks old on Thursday, and the feed we were mixing was oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and dried split peas, grinded up.
It's pooping, almost too regularly and they are wet and very warm.
Maybe an infection?

 

[Cyprus]

Oh and sorry, the chick will be two weeks old on Thursday, and the feed we were mixing was oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and dried split peas, grinded up.
It's pooping, almost too regularly and they are wet and very warm.
Maybe an infection?

What you are feeding is very unfit for a chick or really any chicken. Far too much fat and not enough protein.
You should be feeling that chick a complete feed labeled "chick starter/grower" that comes in crumble form in the feed store.

 

[Salamander1914]

No, we have it now. Our grown chickens have proper food, but because we weren't prepared for the chicks and therefore had no food, we had to give them something. We couldn't get any feed until now

 

[Salamander1914]

I think I may have found what it might be: Avian Encephalomyelitis. Very similar symptoms