Two nights ago I went out to check on our chicks and found the eldest of one clutch lying flat on the floor of the nesting box. I took her out to check what was wrong with her and noticed straight away that her neck was tilted at a funny angle. She was holding it that way and wheezing a lot like she was trying to get something out of her throat. She didn't have any food in her crop but the other chick was full to bursting. The hen hadn't been neglecting them, but it seems that the baby couldn't swallow any food. She was just over tree weeks old and a beautiful green opaline. She had mucus coming out of her nostrils when she breathed and could hardly move. Unfortunately she died about twenty minutes later.

 

Could this have been due to her throat being blocked and not being able to breath or eat properly? She was completely healthy that morning, but obviously deteriorated fast over the course of the day while i was at school. If anyone knows what could have happened PLEASE PLEASE tell me what to do if it happens again, I would hate to lose another of my beautiful babies, especially as this was the hen's first clutch.

Two nights ago I went out to check on our chicks and found the eldest of one clutch lying flat on the floor of the nesting box. I took her out to check what was wrong with her and noticed straight away that her neck was tilted at a funny angle. She was holding it that way and wheezing a lot like she was trying to get something out of her throat. She didn't have any food in her crop but the other chick was full to bursting. The hen hadn't been neglecting them, but it seems that the baby couldn't swallow any food. She was just over tree weeks old and a beautiful green opaline. She had mucus coming out of her nostrils when she breathed and could hardly move. Unfortunately she died about twenty minutes later.

 

Could this have been due to her throat being blocked and not being able to breath or eat properly? She was completely healthy that morning, but obviously deteriorated fast over the course of the day while i was at school. If anyone knows what could have happened PLEASE PLEASE tell me what to do if it happens again, I would hate to lose another of my beautiful babies, especially as this was the hen's first clutch.

Hi, I don't know much about what this could be. If chick was 3 week's old it would nearly be ready to feed itself a bit so maybe it could be something else, the mucus sounds a bit suspicious. I'd be keeping a look out for other signs of illness in the breeding box. Others might be more help but it might be some sort or respiratory

bug.

On a rare occasion I have witnessed the odd chick in a nest ends up with a broken neck due to aggressive feeding action of the parents....sounding very much like your chick. Perhaps same thing in this case ?