Weird exaggerated yawn / stretch thing

[Creteloc]

I have three of my seven babies (3 Wyandottes/4 Speckled Sussex) doing this weird exaggerated yawn coupled with a one-legged back stretch thing that has me concerned. I looked it up on here and I found the yawn (possibly fuzz in their throat/gapeworm/overheated) but not at the same time as their leg stretching back. I only have three that do it. I'm not near a farm vet. These chicks were born on Thursday the 11th. I got them from a reputable source.

I have a webcam available if someone would please take a look at my brooder. It's PTZ so you can move the camera left and right to see the entire brooder. I can't see it being over heated. Under the heat is 100 degrees but the entire structure is 4 feet long so they can easily move out from under the heat. One bucket has water and one has an electrolyte/acv mixture.

Anyway, if someone can take a look, I'll PM you the webcam info. Maybe you can see something wrong?

 

[K3nzi3]

How old are the chicks? Do they have access to grit? Can you feel their crops for any obstructions? What are they fed?

 

[Creteloc]

5 days old. Yes, they have chick grit. They are being fed DuMOR chick starter. Their crops are soft.

 

[lazy gardener]

They are simply adjusting the contents of their crops. As for the back leg stretch, yep... they are stretching. Seen them take a dust bath yet? Almost every year, there is a thread in the emergency section b/c someone thinks their birds are having a seizure! Give those babies some grit, or preferably a plug of sod from an untreated yard. They'll get: grit, minerals, seeds, insects, greens, first dust bath, and infinite play value. That sod will also give them beneficial bacteria and fungi to jump start their immune systems and their gut flora for improved digestion.

 

[K3nzi3]

I agree with lazy gardener here. They are fine. Many baby birds do this. I know my ducks did it!

 

[sourland]

Normal behavior - just stretching and adjusting.

 

[Creteloc]

Whew, thanks I had one of my adopted pullets do this the night before all three of them died. It has me gun-shy.

 

[Creteloc]

Oh, and the dust-bathing is hilarious.

 

[staceyj]

Yawn/backward leg stretch = chick yoga.
Totally normal. You'll miss it when they grow up and stop doing it.

 

[FluffehChick]

the leg stretch is literally ADORABLE! staceyj is right, you will miss it when they grow up.