Yawning and scratching

[Bougiechicks]

my three day old little fiesty chick started yawning repetitively, stretching her neck, and scratching her neck aggressively and then falling/rolling over. I noticed it happened after she got her chest a little wet when drinking water. She has been doing this since last night, for about fourteen hours now. She is still eating, and running around, but is sleepier than normal. Is she okay? What do I do?

Added a picture. Her name is Yoda. We care for her deeply. She is an energetic little cutie.

 

[staceyj]

How is the poop looking?
Crop feel normal?
Are you feeding medicated chick starter or no?


Yawning is normal.
Also stretching out their neck while simultaneously stretching back one leg. (Like a wonky ice skater) You try doing that without falling over (unless you’re a yoga expert)!
It scared us to death when we had little bitties until we realized they all did it!
possibly it’s too warm in your brooder. Make sure there’s room for them to get away from the heat lamp or warmer that you’re using it.
They’ll seek warmth when they need it and move away if they are too warm.

Also check her over for any sign of creepy crawlies ETA: but I think as their feathers replace their down its kinda itchy.

 

[Bougiechicks]

Thank you for your response! Her poop is looking normal (small, but the same as the other two her age). She feels normal. They are actually on the last day of corid today because we had a suspected cocci outbreak with a few of the others before she moved in, so she will be on medicated starter tomorrow. Their light is on one corner of the box, and she moves to and from it. Today she seems much more tired than she did yesterday, so I was worried maybe something was stuck in her throat. I really don’t know.

How is the poop looking?
Crop feel normal?
Are you feeding medicated chick starter or no?


Yawning is normal.
Also stretching out their neck while simultaneously stretching back one leg. (Like a wonky ice skater) You try doing that without falling over (unless you’re a yoga expert)!
It scared us to death when we had little bitties until we realized they all did it!
possibly it’s too warm in your brooder. Make sure there’s room for them to get away from the heat lamp or warmer that you’re using it.
They’ll seek warmth when they need it and move away if they are too warm.

 

[Bougiechicks]

Some additional information:

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)

Silkie, three day old, she is not thin

2) What is the behavior, exactly.

Yawning multiple times a minute, stretching neck out, scratching neck, causing her to fall and roll over. She gets up quickly and repeats the process. Then sleeps. Then wakes up will eat drink run and do it again.

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Approximately 14 hours

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
She fell into the water halfway for a second, and her chest was wet.

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Organic chick feed, water with corid (others were possible sick so finishing up a treatment), and also giving just her a little bit of sav a chick electrolytes

8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Small, but normal

9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Tried to dry her chest and she was very squirmy, jumped out of my from about an inch high, then ran away and did the same things again

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
If we need to go to the vet, we will. But it will have to wait until Monday when it opens. We would like to seek treatment ASAP.

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
I will take a photo and post if I can catch in the act.

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Large cardboard box, light on one corner, paper towels with pins shavings on top, and some extra towels on top of that.

 

[staceyj]

Ok now that there are some more details, let’s call in some helpers!

The falling/rolling over concerns me a little. I’m wondering if it might need some vitamins. Do you by any chance have any nutridrench poultry vitamins or polyvisol human baby vitamins (no iron)

BUT, it’s chest getting wet AND it jumping from your hand do NOT worry me. AT ALL. So stop thinking that YOU did something.

 

[Bougiechicks]

Thanks again for your help! I worry so much with them... I just want them to be healthy and we lost a few last week so I’m overly nervous possibly... but nutridench was ordered and should be here Sunday! Hopefully she will be okay until then.

Ok now that there are some more details, let’s call in some helpers!

The falling/rolling over concerns me a little. I’m wondering if it might need some vitamins. Do you by any chance have any nutridrench poultry vitamins or polyvisol human baby vitamins (no iron)

BUT, it’s chest getting wet AND it jumping from your hand do NOT worry me. AT ALL. So stop thinking that YOU did something.

 

[staceyj]

It would be very helpful if you could take a video put it on YouTube, Vimeo or a similar video platform and post a link here.

seeing the chick in action speaks volumns.

 

[Chickassan]

Do you have any other silkie chicks in there to compare Yoda to or is she the only one?

 

[21hens-incharge]

The ONE thing that I am seeing is that she is on shavings.
if she ate some that would explain several things, small poops, neck scratching, extra stretching maneuvers to name a few.

One other thing that would make her sleepy, and the small poops would be if she is having trouble with the chick feed size.

I keep chicks under a week old on paper towels and I crush the starter to make it much smaller.

Just my thoughts.

 

[apryl29]

I agree with Stacey, the leg & neck stretching isn't unusual. Yawning is often them just adjusting their crop. The head scratching does seem odd, but a video will help us better understand what you're trying to describe.
Were you able to check for bugs on the chick? Having a 2nd person hold the chick will help free up your hands to part the feathers where it's scratching.