Starved chicks... one dead and one with enlarged crop!!

[cluelesschickmother]

Checking in to hopefully hear she calmed down, digested her food and had a decent night.

Thanks for checking in! Yes, she seems to be doing great, her crop is almost entirely down. She actually fell asleep in my hand next to our low bed on a little blanket with a portable heater nearby so it stayed around 80 all night. I think being in total darkness really helped because she silently slept through the entire night and is now preening and drinking.

I know I sound crazy, but I tried leaving her in the brooder and she somehow kept flying out to try and find me and was screaming bloody murder (I have never had a chick been able fly out out of the tall brooder, let alone at 3 weeks!). She really is a miraculous strong little bird. We are picking up two of her sisters from the same hatch in a few hours so she won’t be alone for long

Hopefully she’ll continue to make progress and survive. I really appreciate all your concern and advice.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Thanks for checking in! Yes, she seems to be doing great, her crop is almost entirely down. She actually fell asleep in my hand next to our low bed on a little blanket with a portable heater nearby so it stayed around 80 all night. I think being in total darkness really helped because she silently slept through the entire night and is now preening and drinking.

I know I sound crazy, but I tried leaving her in the brooder and she somehow kept flying out to try and find me and was screaming bloody murder (I have never had a chick been able fly out out of the tall brooder, let alone at 3 weeks!). She really is a miraculous strong little bird. We are picking up two of her sisters from the same hatch in a few hours so she won’t be alone for long

Hopefully she’ll continue to make progress and survive. I really appreciate all your concern and advice.

Sounds like she is a real trooper! Might consider adding a wire cover to the brooder so she doesn't go wandering about where there isn't food, water and heat.

I am hoping having new friends helps her.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Wondering how she is doing now?

 

[FunnyfarmMidwest]

Wondering how she is doing now?

I’m wondering as well. Hopefully good.

 

[cluelesschickmother]

Wondering how she is doing now?

She’s doing really well!!! Thanks for asking! She’s SO happy to have two silkie siblings from the same hatch. At first she was a bit timid as the two black silkies ran around, devoured food and kicked up a ton of pine shaving (they are a lot more rambunctious than her).

Now they are all cuddling together, changing spooning positions every so often. It’s obviously adorable and makes us so happy to see she’s happy again (though I’m sure she still misses Baby)...

I was so nervous they wouldn’t get along but these are by the the sweetest chicks I’ve ever known.

I attached the best photo I could take with the red brooder light - plus the black silkies look like a pile of fluff anyways...

 

[Suburban-nite]

Happy to hear she made it. I am sorry you had this traumatic experience.

 

[cluelesschickmother]

HELP!!! One of the new 4 week old black silkie chicks seems really weak and near death. She doesn't move much when I touch her or pick her up and had her wings stretched out and legs splayed in the brooder before I grabbed her (eeek!! thats what happened to our last one before it died!). Worst of all her crop is MASSIVE and rock hard.

Let me start by saying she is REALLY fat, which doesn't initially seem like it would be a problem but may factor in somehow? She is twice the size of the other two, she eats and drinks all day. She really feels TOO fat for a 4 week chick...

I immediately reached out to the hatchery where I just picked her up from yesterday. He asked what her living conditions were and I told him...
- 80 - 85 degrees in the brooder, with warmer and cooler areas
- water fortified with poultry cell, B12, electrolytes and sugar
- chicken grit and chicken starter scattered throughout the pine shavings in the brooder
- full feeder of chicken starter

The guy at the hatchery said that the chicks had been outside with a flock of pullets for the last week or so and had access to grass, water, chicken starter and grit and only during the day. Its about 70º during the day and 40º at night where we live (which seems way too cold for a 3-4 week chick... but what do I know).

He assumed that the drastic temperature increase caused heat stroke in the chick, he also said giving young chicks too many supplements could do more harm than good. So he told me to turn off the brooder light, let the room cool down and replace the water with regular water. In regard to the crop, he said to remove the food for the night and put in more plain chicken grit. All good advice, which I followed.

After about an hour the chick seems to be coming back to life, she's eating the grit and drinking water, but is still very inactive and barely responds to my touch. Meanwhile, the other two, much leaner and smaller chicks (more normal sized chicks) are running around energetically kicking up pine shavings.

I wonder what could be going on? The heat stroke explanation makes sense but doesn't factor in the massive hard crop. I am telling you... its massive! Also, why is she so so fat?? I also checked, and she doesn't have any pasting.

From what I have read online, people say to put electrodes, sugar and B12 in the water for heat stroke... but what if an overdose on that is what's killing her?? Also, none of them are panting! During the summer my chicks would immediately start panting when it got too hot.

She seems to be doing better overall, but is fluctuating from walking around and drinking to laying completely still - to the point where I have to touch her to see if she's alive. They are all huddled in a pile in the dark and the room is around 65º now (I hope its not too much of a temperature shock for the original splash silkie I almost killed from starvation a couple days ago!).

I cant lose another chick! How is everything going so wrong! We raised chicks all summer and not one died!!

 

[21hens-incharge]

As long as they are active when the room light (not heat lamp) is on they are ok.
Piling up to sleep in a heap is normal.

Peeping loudly and constantly is a sign of distress. If they aren't hollering all is ok.

Pics of the new poorly feeling bird? Try for a pic of the whole bird standing or sitting on her own....not being held.
Pics of the crop that looks overstuffed too please.

Did we get pics of the brooder set up?

 

[azygous]

Please understand that coincidences happen, and it doesn't necessarily mean you've done anything wrong. It would be helpful to see a photo of this fat chick in relation to the normal size chicks.

I'm wondering if the chick is suffering from edema (fluid buildup) and isn't fat. The cause could be genetic and is only now manifesting. If so, electrolytes would be dangerous to give this chick.

If this chick only had the large, hard crop, I would suggest giving it some coconut oil for possible crop impaction and constipation. But it would be better not to add to the things at this time that this chick has consumed.

What I suggest is wait until morning, withhold food for tonight, and check the crop in the morning to see if it's still full and hard. Then treat with the oil if it is.

All chickens suffer when they experience temperature extremes that come on suddenly. Sometimes, it's unavoidable, but if possible, they need acclimatizing. Last month my chickens faced a temperature drop in just hours from high 90s down to low 20s. I stuck a heater in their coop for that night to mitigate the extreme temperature spread. Just something to keep in mind.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I also only add electrolytes to the water for 2-3 days for fresh shipped chicks. After that it is plain clean water.