Help - Can't figure out what is wrong with my chick

She seems to be doing better. I'm new at this, but I think I was able to get the stuff in the crop moving - bump went down and she is more active. She still likes to lean up against the side of the brooder and trys to sleep standing with her head down. Eating and drinking normally. I added starter grit to their food yesterday and the silly chicks thought it was a treat. It was cute watching them look at this new item and then work up the courage to try it - then as soon as one did the rest of them joined right in.

This is what I don't get - her neck is not straight, crooks to the left - like a human back with scoliosis (sp?). Crop seems to be emptying (not as large and isn't hard like it was, feels a bit grainy) is it possible that her crop issue actally caused a deformity in her developing neck? I believe that she suffered with the crop issue before I bought her. She is a few days older than the rest of the chicks I bought and seems to be a fighter. I can't feel any tumors or other issues and if she 'broke' her neck I would suspect it would have killed her. She walks, jumps, 'flies' like the rest of them, eats and drinks normally, chirps and seems active at times. She does tire easily, takes a nap, and then is back to normal. No missing feathers, no discharge or sneezing, eyes are clear, no scratching, seems to be growing. Other than the neck being in a different position I would think that she was a normal chick. I also find it interesting that the other chicks seem to mother her - they will cuddle with her when she sleeps. They don't pick on her at all and she doesn't pick on them. I would think that if she were really ill that they other chicks would have picked up on it an started picking on her - and they haven't. I'm wondering if this is just her 'normal'.

Anyone see this or know what it might be? I wish I could post a picture - hopefully, I'll reach that magic number of posts that will allow me to post pictures soon.
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My first thought when I opened this thread was crop. You probably don't have to do a thing. It will get pretty big by the end of the day and be small or flat in the AM. At this age they often eat during the night, which they won't do as a adults, so you may never find a flat crop for a while. She may still have been suffering from some shipping stress when you first identified a problem. Their ages vary a little so some will be hungrier by the time the feed store gets them set up with food and water, or she may have had trouble getting to them, no telling.

Lots of resources on this site that explain such things. Good luck!
 
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A chick's neck IS crooked - the crop is located to the right side of the body, so the esophagus cants right. It may be more noticeable on this chick because it is a few days older, but if you carefully check the others, you will also feel the cant to the right. I doubt it's actually a deformity, but even if the impaction did cause some deviation, it should correct itself as the chick grows. Meanwhile, just keep an eye out for any more problems with impaction. Some birds only have the problem once, while others seem to be prone to it.
 
I got a picture of her today... any ideas??? (I'm thinking either wry neck or injury)

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From above, the lump is not her crop - crop is normal, notice right wing lower than left wing.

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Left side... looks normal
 
could very well be a deformity and alot of chickens can make it with problems like this, it will be up to you as to how it will go, I'm with you if she was sick the others would be tormenting her, They see her as normal. hope it works out for all of you. continue with vits for sure it may take a while.
 
UPDATE & HELP... my chick is now about 5 weeks old. She is getting worse than she was before. She looks hunchbacked and can't stand up straight (like a chicken) she's hunched over and sits on the roost all day. Yesterday she fell over (I think she was trying to fly and can't) and it took her a long time to get back up. She has a hard lump on the right side of her neck (not the crop) and at the joint of her wing on the right side of her body. Her head feathers never came in - she still has chick fuzz on her head and her voice hasn't changed - still peeps, where my other chicks that I bought with her are starting to sound like chickens. I originally thought that she had wry neck and treated her with Poly vitamins w/o iron and after a week an a half with getting vitamins twice a day - no improvement. This was about 3 weeks ago.

Now her head is almost twisted down and up, like she is looking under her body. She is beginning to show signs of pain and being uncomfortable - peeps really loud if touched or moved. Closes her eyes like something hurts. Her feathers are all fluffed up and she is smaller than the other chickens in the brooder. When walking in the brooder - sometimes she walks backwards with the top of her head touching the ground other times she walks forward. The other chicks have never picked on her and both of my golden comets curl up with her to keep her company. First I thought wry neck and then I thought genetic deformatity, now I'm worried about Mareks... although Mareks doesn't usually strike at this young age, plus when we got her at a few days old, she had the lump on her neck. Eyes clear, no discharge from nostrils. Stands on both feet. She has always been more quiet/lethargic than the other chicks. I've seen her eat and drink in the past few days - although she doesn't eat or drink as much as the other chicks - by her choice as no one pushes her out of the way. Even my ducks leave her alone.

I didn't cull her when I noticed her lump/crooked neck because she was bright eyed, ate, drank, and no one picked on her... I figured that if that was the way she was and she wasn't in pain, then why not let her live. Now I'm wondering if I did the right thing. I almost put her down tonight - but something in her eyes kept me from doing it... so here I am on the boards trying to figure out what I can possibly do for her. I gave her Poly vitamins tonight to see if that will help and made sure that she drank water. I'm not sure if she ate or not, but she has access to food and water. Temp in the brooder is about 65-70, no light on the brooder, but there is a light in the room (I just started turning off lights and don't want to completely freak them out just yet - baby steps) They will go to the coop this week.

My youngest son even said tonight that she was going to die... (he's 7).

Ideas as to what is going on??? I've looked for pictures on the internet and can't find any that look like she does. I've checked some of the videos of Mareks and Newcastle on youtube - nothing looks like she does. I was going to take a picture/video - but the camera is out of batteries and I'm out of replacement batteries.

If it is the best for her, what is the best way to put her down? She's about 5 weeks.

Thanks... this if is my first batch of chickens and I'm new to this... not to farming and animals - just new to chickens and ducks.
 

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