sick three week white leghorn

[shelleypiat]

So my three week white leghorn has always been very spunky and loves to fly at me for treats when I open up the brooder with the other three chicks. She was great this morning and when I came home this evening she had no interest when I opened the brooder top while the other chicks went crazy. She was pretty much alone and falling asleep standing up. I picked her up and she kept falling asleep. She has eaten a little that i have seen and did drink some water. She is just acting strange. I just checked on them and they all 4 are perched together sleeping. I am new to chickens so does this sound normal? I am around them so much that I feel like something is wrong. No other symptoms. They do have runny brown poop every now and again that is smelly but I have been told is totally normal. It happens more when they are excited to see me. Any advice?

 

[Eggcessive]

Whenever young chicks act ill, puffed up, lethargic, or have loose stools, I would treat for coccidiosis with Corid (amprollium) in the water. Corid is a cattle medicine at feed stores. Dosage is 2 tsp of the liquid, or 1.5 tsp of the powder per gallon of water for 5 days. Treat all chicks. If they don't take the water they must be fed with a dropper.

 

[shelleypiat]

So good and bad news. I just checked on the chicks this morning and the white leghorn is acting normal but I picked her up and she has a huge bulge at the bottom of her throat and upper chest on the right side. The left is completely normal. It looks like a tumor. What is this? Help please!

 

[StarFox7585]

I may be wrong but I believe the crop is on the right side. It can get big especially when they've eaten a lot of food.

 

[shelleypiat]

What do I need to do? Take her away from food for a bit? Thank you!

 

[StarFox7585]

Check out this page, it explains to you about a chicken's crop and problems associated with it. Have you started treating for coccida yet? I wouldn't take her food away. If you are concerned about her becoming "crop bound" (food gets stuck in there and can't pass) then just take the food away at night. In the morning her crop should be smaller, soft and squishy. If it's still hard and big then you have a problem.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2014/06/chicken-anatomy-crop-impacted-crop-sour.html