Urgent! Chick got string around tongue.

[Meaghan]

We are having a bit of an emergency tonight. When changing out the water and food this evening, my SO discovered that one of our chicks had managed to get a string stuck on it's tongue. It was from the tarp that lines the large brooder box they are in, and it was not there at around 7pm when I brought our goat kids into the garage. However, by the time that he found the chick the tip was so badly cut off from circulation that it was already starting to necrose.

It was just the first few millimeters of it's tongue, so we made the snap decision to try and get the string off. When that didn't work, we were forced to cut the tip of the tongue off. Thankfully, we got the bleeding stopped but the chicks tongue is VERY swollen, to the point where it's having trouble breathing because it's blocking it's airway a bit.

We set the chick back in the brooder for a few moments while we got a separate box set up, and the chick managed to recover from it's gasping, panicked state and drank a bit of water and tried to eat. It's in a box without food or water by itself, but I don't know what else to do. It's too late to call a vet for advice. Help!

 

[paddock36]

Unless it's still bleeding I think I would leave it in with the other chicks, but if that's not possible I would definitely give it access to water or it will not make it anyway.

 

[Meaghan]

Is it okay for it to be pecking at the food? It wasn't a large portion of the tongue, but I don't want it to get infected either, or for it to choke on food because it's tongue is so swollen.

 

[justplainbatty]

Is it okay for it to be pecking at the food? It wasn't a large portion of the tongue, but I don't want it to get infected either, or for it to choke on food because it's tongue is so swollen.

Give it water with electrolytes tonight and see how the tongue is tomorrow. you can make a watery/wet mash of his food and dropper feed or see if he can eat it himself.

 

[Meaghan]

I guess I'm a little fuzzy with panic, sorry, but that question was in regards to putting it back in with the others. It already does want to feed itself, but I don't know if that's a good thing. I can get a small bowl of water and keep it in a box separate tonight, or I can put it back in with the others but it was pecking at food and I just don't know about how safe that is.

 

[justplainbatty]

I guess I'm a little fuzzy with panic, sorry, but that question was in regards to putting it back in with the others. It already does want to feed itself, but I don't know if that's a good thing. I can get a small bowl of water and keep it in a box separate tonight, or I can put it back in with the others but it was pecking at food and I just don't know about how safe that is.

Well, they should all be sleeping right? You can lift all the food for tonight, leave the water. Every one will be ok. See how he is tomorrow and feed him mash separately

. Or, feed him mash now then lift all the food, leave the water, let him stay with the flock.

 

[Meaghan]

Will do. The chicks do seem to eat at night sometimes, but perhaps they are just up earlier than we are. I hope it survives, stupid tarp!

 

[justplainbatty]

Will do. The chicks do seem to eat at night sometimes, but perhaps they are just up earlier than we are. I hope it survives, stupid tarp!

I hope so too! Do the best you can.

 

[chickenpatch]

Keep the chick separated. Watch the tongue closely and ensure it doesn't get infected. The chick needs to drink lots, give it water with electrolytes and see what happens in the morning. Also feed it soggy mash instead of dry mash. Keep us updated

 

[Meaghan]

The chick is doing better this morning, the swelling went down considerably but the tongue still looks off. It's discolored, not black just bruised looking, and still swollen. I definitely think it's going to need antibiotics, but I have no idea which would be appropriate. It's a 5 week old, DOH was February 6th.

I tried to offer a bit of mash this morning but it wanted nothing to do with it. It did, however, want it's regular dry food. It's been drinking well, too.