Chick Swollen Underside

by Denise
(California)

Question:

Chick Swollen Underside: My Black Jersey Giant looked a little swollen when I got her home last weekend.

The swelling on her underside has increased and I looked closely, the skin is red and the area feels mushy.

She is walking like a penguin, has an excellent appetite, her droppings are fine, resting well, sleeping well, is inside in brooder and has been outside twice. She had a few crickets and a meal worm today.

Eating Purina Start & Grow. I have 5 different chicks along with her and they all get along fine, though they are different ages. I am not certain, but I think she is maybe 2 weeks old. She was pasty a couple days ago and I cleaned her all up.

Why is she swollen on her underside? I hope you can help before anything happens that I don't want to happen.

Answer
If you just got this chick with an already swollen belly, this may be a problem it's had most of its life.

This can be caused by poor digestion and solids and gasses building up in the intestines. She hasn't had a healthy start for some reason.

Giving her probiotics may help her process food better. The pasty butt is a sign of improper diet for her. Possibly she was raised from hatching with improperly balanced feed. Many chick feeds are heavy in corn content.

Corn is hard to process with little nutritional value. Balancing the diet with some fresh greens and fruits may help by giving digestive enzymes from fresh fruit and more fiber and other more natural nutrients than processed feed can offer.

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by: Denise

Well, sad to say, my Penny died just a few days after the original posting. I have no idea what was wrong with her.

I didn't autopsy her to see exactly what that lump inside was. I am too squeamish for that. Strange, it was sudden, my husband awoke and checked the peeps and an hour later I checked them and she was gone. ???
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by: Anonymous

So sorry to hear it. Sometimes there are internal disorders that just can't be found in time or treated without much expense. She may have eaten something that blocked her intestines.

Small chicks may consume wood shavings that they cannot digest. I prefer to use straw or hay bedding, or even paper towel for a small group of chicks.

With birds of any kind, by the time they are showing signs of a problem, there is a good chance that it has been going on for some time.

Often there is just nothing that can be done to help them without emergency veterinary care, and even still, the chances are 50/50.

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