When I went to check on my birds this morning I found a foster chick (been fostered for a few weeks now from a lutino pair) laying on it's back in the nest box very cold legs outstretched and hardly moving with a crop full of air, at first I thought it was dead but when I touched it it moved slightly.

I quickly brought it inside and held it in my hands to warm it, it started to move a bit after awhile and then to cheap a little, as it got warmer it started to move more and more and then it wriggled and pooped and at the same time all the air in it's crop went out.

I made some warm sugar water and gave it some and it seems to be moving okay now as well as opening it's eyes however it's crop seems to keep on becoming inflated.

I was planning on hulling some sunflower seeds and grounding them up to make a mixture to try and give it a feed but what can I do to stop it's crop inflating??? It's inflated and deflated a few times now it cycles very quickly within a few minutes.....

 

Pics

 

Just after the 2nd crop deflation (this time not linked with bowel movement)

 

 

A few seconds later crop starting to inflate again

 

 

and again

 

 

Resting now in a seemingly stable condition, seems very red.....

 

 

A picture of it's 2nd bowel movement..... if it helps....

 

 

 

Other chick in nest 100% no issues.....

I really don't know what it is but I would say it was dying when you found it, the poop doesn't look normal. I have had some that have had air in thier crop but they survived. sorry I can't help. Sometimes you are better letting nature takes it's course.

Sounds like the air sac is ruptured.

Do chicks ever recover from a ruptured air sac?

 

I fed him the sunflower mixture and he ate vigerously and is now back in the nest box with mum, the crop seems to have stabelised.... I'll be checking up on him in a bit.

I dont know the prognosis for ruptured air sac....just know what it is when I see it. Time to google.... and fingers crossed.

From what I found an rupured air sac takes 2 weeks to heal/repair itself and until then you need to aleviate the pressure (release the air) as required. This can be done either by gentle pressure applied by the thumbs (kind of like a forced burp) or by making a small hole in the skin with a needle (scissors were also mentioned but I don't think any scissors I have would be suitable).

from what i found an rupured air sac takes 2 weeks to heal/repair itself and until then you need to aleviate the pressure (release the air) as required. This can be done either by gentle pressure applied by the thumbs (kind of like a forced burp) or by making a small hole in the skin with a needle (scissors were also mentioned but i don't think any scissors i have would be suitable).

Thats what i thought. I have had the odd adult with it and they didnt do too well. Make sure when you do the forced burp thing they are vertical or they can aspirate.

Edited May 22, 201014 yr by KAZ

i hope everything will be okay

Well it's been around 7hrs now since I found the chick near death and it's still alive but has been relocated along with his whole family to my loungeroom. I figured it's better to keep him with mum as long as possible. I'll probably be taking it up to Sydney with me for the week though when I leave for work (if he's still alive) as although my partners prepared to feed them for me burping is a bit much.

 

Although it seems in reasonable condition it has seemed to have lost motor function of it's right leg...