PLEASE help, my chick just ate a hair tie.

[cmlew99]

Please help, I'm such an idiot! I was letting my chicks play with my little hairband, thinking there was no way they'd swallow it. Eventually I decided enough was enough and tried to grab it but all of a sudden my 15 week old pullet swallowed it! It had a metal connector. What should I do? Please help me. I'm devastated and ashamed and so so stupid. Should I feed her a lot of grit? Please help. I posted this in another forum, but I haven't gotten any responses.

 

[tracytheone]

gees animals dont half eat some weird things keep a eye on it and keep it on your own so you can watch if it comes out in the poo if poss. hopefully it will if not depending how much money you have it may be a vet job but i think it will pass kids and animals of all species eat daft things but they usual manage to poo them out x

 

[cmlew99]

Thanks traceytheone. She is acting normally, eating, drinking, dust bathing, clucking.

 

[cmlew99]

Also, her crop isn't firm in one spot near the bottom. Is this very bad? How do I help?

 

[cmlew99]

Anyone out there?

 

[Krissilpn]

I'm out here and wish I could help. Mine got a hold of Styrofoam and ate it like candy. Luckily there were no ill effects. I would keep a watch on her and start calling around to find a vet that will accept care of her in case she starts to show symptoms. Hopefully she will poop it out!

 

[Krissilpn]

Forgot to mention not all vets treat chickens. Depending on where you live they may be considered exotic. ? Go figure. Ask your local feed store for a good vet.

 

[cmlew99]

Thanks Krissilpn. I have a list of local vets that treat chickens, but I don't my parents will spend money on her. They've already had to spend loads on my dog

. My fingers are crossed that it will come out in her poop. What if it doesn't? How long do you think it will take? A day? two? I have to go on vacation on Monday and Tuesday with my family.

 

[Quailsong]

14 weeks...is not a baby chick. She should be fine. Just watch her poop for any signs of distress & make sure her crop doesn't look sloshy or too thick.

Just to be sure, how big is the hair tie? Like those thin little elastic ropes?

 

[cmlew99]

@Quailsong I know 14 weeks isn't a baby chick (though part of me misses those days a little bit). Just to clarify, I placed this thread here because I wasn't getting a whole lot of responses from the thread I wrote in Emergencies/Injuries and I was desperate.

Thanks for the advice! No, it wasn't very thin at all (curse my ridiculously thick hair). Here is a picture