I have a chick with a swollen head neck and back

lacymorgan

Songster
5 Years
Jan 21, 2015
627
116
128
Kingman AZ
I need help with figuring out what is wrong with my chick. It is only a few weeks old is still very active and very fast it was hard to catch it. It has no discharge from the eyes or nose. I have been giving it fresh water daily and medicated chick feed. I did kill three black widows in the brooder area over the last two days. No other chick shows any signs of swelling there is little fuzzy left in the back of the neck but there are hard pin quills coming in . I was wondering if maybe it got bit by a spider or might have an ingrown feather.

Here are a couple of photos of it the swelling is on the back of the neck and between its wings on its back too


 
It could be a spider bite especially if you have seen them, but I would feel it to see if it could be a leaking air sac. Does it feel like swelling or air under the skin? A leaking air sac, also know as wind puff or subcutaneous emphysema, can be caused in chicks from a injury. Do you hear any clicking when the chick breathes? Is it in any distress, breathing or otherwise? Here is some info on treating subcutaneous emphysema:
http://ijasvm.com/ijasvmadmin/upload/IJASVM_5113cbc51d31b.pdf
http://www.pjbs.org/ijps/fin1339.pdf
 
It could be a spider bite especially if you have seen them, but I would feel it to see if it could be a leaking air sac. Does it feel like swelling or air under the skin? A leaking air sac, also know as wind puff or subcutaneous emphysema, can be caused in chicks from a injury. Do you hear any clicking when the chick breathes? Is it in any distress, breathing or otherwise? Here is some info on treating subcutaneous emphysema:
http://ijasvm.com/ijasvmadmin/upload/IJASVM_5113cbc51d31b.pdf
http://www.pjbs.org/ijps/fin1339.pdf
Ty it does feel puffy like it has a bunch of air under the skin. I have needles from when I worked in the doctors office. I will go get some antibiotics and then see if I can extract some of the gas/air out of the neck and back. Will post the results later today after I see what happens. The poo looks regular and the chick is active. There was slight click but not constant so hopeful this is what this is.
 
It could be a spider bite especially if you have seen them, but I would feel it to see if it could be a leaking air sac. Does it feel like swelling or air under the skin? A leaking air sac, also know as wind puff or subcutaneous emphysema, can be caused in chicks from a injury. Do you hear any clicking when the chick breathes? Is it in any distress, breathing or otherwise? Here is some info on treating subcutaneous emphysema:
http://ijasvm.com/ijasvmadmin/upload/IJASVM_5113cbc51d31b.pdf
http://www.pjbs.org/ijps/fin1339.pdf
Ty it was just air under the skin I used a needle and syringe to get it out and have it on antibiotics
 
The air can re-accumulate sometimes, and might need to be withdrawn again. Apply pressure to the site with Neosporin Ointment and gauze for a few minutes if you have to repaet this.
 
The air can re-accumulate sometimes, and might need to be withdrawn again. Apply pressure to the site with Neosporin Ointment and gauze for a few minutes if you have to repaet this.
okay it looks like we are going to have to do it again. I have antibiotics in the water. I can add amoxicillin if it might heip. My hubby said to make a small snip in the skin to release the air I said no
 
I have a chick doing this.. there is clicking when she breathes. Is this something that can be corrected or should I cull?
 

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