Page 29 - Hand rearing birds second

10 Hand-Rearing Birds

the bird is extremely young or debilitated, a feeding or two once it is warm and rehydrated may be
beneficial before bedding it down for the night. Freshly hatched chicks have the benefit of a yolk
sac that may continue to provide nutrition for 12–24 hours after hatching.

­ Physical­Examination

Each chick should receive a complete physical examination once it is warm, and exams should be
repeated regularly during care in order to spot problems before they become serious. Exams should
be performed in a habitual, systematic manner to avoid missing subtle problems possibly missed if
distracted by glaringly obvious abnormalities. With practice, a complete physical should only take
a few minutes.

Visual­Exam
A visual exam should include the container in which the chick arrived. Any droppings, blood,
parasites, or food should be noted. Assess the chick’s general posture and attitude: Is it alert or
depressed, standing or prone, showing normal movements or convulsing, open‐mouth breathing
or regurgitating? Is the head drooping or held tilted or straight? Are the wings symmetrical? Does
it have an obvious fracture? Is the chick abnormally unsteady when walking or trying to perch if it
is old enough to do so? Is it dragging any limbs? Limping? Are there visible areas of swelling? Are
there signs of bleeding or disturbed areas of feathering? Are there any unusual odors? What is the
species and age? Is the chick covered with food? If so, what kind?

Hands-on­Exam
Restrain chicks carefully for a full physical examination. Be as gentle as possible and do not allow
the chick to become chilled again. The exam can occur in numerous short periods spread out over
several hours if necessary. If the chick shows any open‐mouth breathing during handling, stop and
allow the chick to rest and become calm before further handling. If a major injury is found imme-
diately, stop active bleeding and then complete the rest of the physical examination, evaluating the
major injury last. Prognosis for recovery from a single severe injury may be good; multiple serious
problems hold a much graver prognosis.
Skin Tone: If the chick is unfeathered, what is the color of its skin and flesh? Although skin
color varies, most altricial chicks should be pinkish. Although some species may have black, green,
or yellowish skin, white and gray are not often normal colors for the flesh of young birds. With a
modicum of experience one can spot a bird that is pale due to anemia or poor perfusion.
Ectoparasites are a common cause of anemia.
Eyes: Is the chick old enough to expect the eyes to be open? If so, are they open? Any chick fully
feathered or old enough to stand should have its eyes open. Are they caked with food? Wild chicks
that have been fed by the general public often have food in their eyes that requires irrigation with
ophthalmic saline solution. Are the eyes symmetrical? Is the bird tending to hold one eye closed?
Check pupil size and response to light, although this may be difficult to interpret in young birds.
Birds have voluntary control over iris muscles; hence, a lack of pupillary light response does not
mean the bird has a vision problem. Are the pupils dilated or constricted? Look for lacerations
and scratches, hemorrhage, conjunctivitis, discharge, or swelling of the eyelids. Are there any
cloudy or opaque areas to the lens or cornea? Is there blood visible inside the eye? Is the third