Weird mushy "boil" on chick

[mountainme]

I have seven 5-day-old chicks, and I recently noticed that one has a dime sized bare patch on the back of his neck/shoulder area. I touched it, and it was mushy, like it was filled with something! I got these chicks from my farm store, and other than 2 chicks with pasty butt (thanks to the peeps here for some good advice on that), they have been doing good.

The chick with the boil thing is a black giant cockerel. I'm new to this so any advice will be appreciated!!

Thanks!

 

[mountainme]

Anyone...anyone?

 

[Imp]

Hmmm, I can't find any information describing this.
Is it definately swollen? are there any other symptoms?

My only guess at this point is, maybe are the other chicks picking the feathers? Some sort of wound? or defect?

But I'm really clueless. If it is acting fine, maybe watch and see.

Good luck

Imp

 

[mountainme]

The chick is acting fine, and when I watch them, there is no pecking....

Thanks for trying though!

 

[Imp]

If you really think it is a boil, You could try lancing it. or anti-biotics.
Could it be a breast blister? just not on the breast???



Breast Blisters All birds, more common in heavier breeds.

Sharp edges of feeder or waterers.

A blister on the breast contains clear or bloody fluids.

T-Drain with a sterile needle and rinse with Potassium.

http://www.welphatchery.com/poultry_health.asp

Imp

 

[HathawayHens]

If it's filled with fluid, pop it... that's my motto!

 

[wyanchick]

Quote:
Today we just got 8 one-day-old pullet chicks ordered from a hatchery through our local feed supply store. Seven seem fine. One has a dime sized bare pach on her right side near her shoulder/wing. It looks slightly yellow and you can see small veins. I assumed it was a hard lump, but I found that it was mushy -- I could press it in--not like a blister that would "want to pop" under pressure. What ever happened to your chick. Did it get sick? This one is behaving fine, except that it is quite upset that I've moved it to a separate box until I figure what this is. Could it be a disease? Birth defect? Chicks were vaccinated for Marek's. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks very much.

 

[redrocketrooster]

Are you sure it's not the crop? Sorry dumb question.

 

[wyanchick]

No, not a dumb question. I think you might be right. She was in a separate box during the night with food and water, but she was so upset about being separated from the others that she wouldn't really eat. This morning, I gave up and put her back with the others and checked her at that time and the lump was pretty much gone. You still can see a definite circular area with no fuzz/feathers, which seems different from the other chicks (and nothing I ever noticed on the chicks we hatched last year). I guess I'm going to just keep an eye on her; otherwise she seems healthy.

I tried to upload a couple of pics, but not sure if I'm doing it right.

Thanks!

 

[shellybean40]

I have a chick that got dry when hatching and lost a bunch of down on her head and back. Her bare patches look strange, but I am sure she will feather out okay. Maybe it is something like that?