What is causing this - 5 day old chick hatched with 1st graders

[mpechacek]

My first grader hatched this chick in her class. Feed store said ring worm. No kids (so far) have gotten ring worm yet though. Any suggestions on what this might be from? This has happened to several of the chicks.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. I do not think that is ringworm, but I would wonder if it could be mushy chick disease, also called omphalistis, which is an infection in the umbilicus from hatch. I hope I am wrong, since those chicks do not live. Hopefully someone else will chime in.

 

[mpechacek]

Thank you for your response!


This was the same chick just the day before. It happened over night really. The chick seems ok otherwise.

 

[Eggcessive]

Most of the pictures I have seen of omphalitis have involved the abdomen with swelling near the umbilicus. Another possibility might be a leaking air sac. Do you feel anything under the skin like air? A leaking air sac, from trauma, can be helped by inserting a hypodermic needle just under the skin, and pressing out the air. But if the chicks are acting normal and not suffering respiratory distress, the air can re-absorb on it's own eventually without treatment. I am all for not treating unless necessary.

 

[mpechacek]

Hm I haven't felt any air that I can tell. And this has happened to 4 or 5 of the 9 that were hatched at the school.