Gleet? Sick 5 week old girl PLEASE HELP!!!

[JAZsMom]

On Saturday I noticed that one of my almost 5 week old girls seemed to have a white belly, but we were having a big party that day/night, so didn't pay much attention, thought it was probably just her changing feathers, etc. Had a great party, but my two 6 month old hens and almost 5 week old girls were super stressed out with all the people wanting to hold them and running around the yard...didnt help that my brother and I sat by the fire pit until dawn talking (real close to coop). Apparently all this stress caused the hens to turn on the girls and attacked most of them, causing a few bloody cuts and lots of missing feathers (this was their 4th night together, the first 3 were great)....

Well, Sunday while inspecting the girls and cleaning/treating wounds I noticed Audrey's bottom. It looks as though her vent was pecked and a chunk taken out of it...it's also swollen and bruised. BUT, she also has a lot of white goop dripping from her bottom...and then I remembered her bottom was getting nasty the day before (I THINK). Thus, I don't know if her vent was pecked or not!

No poop is sticking to her, just the white goo. I suspect she's constipated, but nothing is visibly stuck in her vent. She's eating and acting normal. I assume she's drinking, but I haven't seen her.

Thus far I have given her daily epsom salt baths and cleaned off her bottom/feathers, fed her (and the other girls) chick feed sprinkled with my probiotics, fed all the girls plain greek yogurt with probiotics and added ACV to their water. I've also been applying antibiotic ointment and anti-fungal cream. During one of her baths she had a HUGE poop, that seemed quite hard (she has a history of pooping in amusing ways, that I now realize was probably due to having trouble pooping) and the swelling around her bottom/vent area went down quite a bit.

HELP?!?

Every description and picture I've seen points to gleet, but I'm not sure? I'm 95% sure its not a prolapse. THANK YOU in advance!!


ETA (a post further down)----
If not gleet, then what white, sticky, liquidy gunk would be dripping from her vent and sticking to her bottom and under belly? These are my first babes, so I've done so much dang reading I'm going blind!

On a positive note, her bottom looked better today.

Still had to clean up and pick off some white scum, but her vent wasnt as swollen and there wasnt as much gunk. She also made a HUGE poop after her bath. After looking at the other girls' bums I do think the hens pecked off a chunk of the skin at the top of her vent...I wouldn't be able to poop if that happened to me either, so I think the baths are helping with that. BUT, I'm still trying to figure out the white good oozing from her vent....

Still have been using anti bact oint and anti fungal cream. I doubt she's getting much probiotic, but a bit. Doesn't ACV help them poop? Seeing as I think she's constipated, wouldn't it be wise to continue? Thanks!

 

[Mountain Peeps]

I'm sorry! I don't know much about these things but know I'm praying for you!!!

 

[JAZsMom]

I'm sorry! I don't know much about these things but know I'm praying for you!!!

Thank you.

 

[JAZsMom]

Bumping. Please, can anyone help????

 

[Eggcessive]

I would doubt that a 5 week old would have vent gleet, but perhaps there was damage done to the cloaca when she was pecked. White in droppings is urine or urates. The epsom salt soaks are good, but don't let her drink it because it is a strong laxative. I would make sure she gets the probiotics, and only chick feed, no treats, scratch or corn. Stop the yogurt as it has too much calcium for chicks, and you are using probiotics already. Probios Dispersible Powder 1/4 tsp per gallon of water is a good one to use. Also stop the ACV--chicks don't need it, it may irritate the intestines, and if you must use it do it once a week.

 

[JAZsMom]

If not gleet, then what white, sticky, liquidy gunk would be dripping from her vent and sticking to her bottom and under belly? These are my first babes, so I've done so much dang reading I'm going blind!

On a positive note, her bottom looked better today.

Still had to clean up and pick off some white scum, but her vent wasnt as swollen and there wasnt as much gunk. She also made a HUGE poop after her bath. After looking at the other girls' bums I do think the hens pecked off a chunk of the skin at the top of her vent...I wouldn't be able to poop if that happened to me either, so I think the baths are helping with that. BUT, I'm still trying to figure out the white good oozing from her vent....

Still have been using anti bact oint and anti fungal cream. I doubt she's getting much probiotic, but a bit. Doesn't ACV help them poop? Seeing as I think she's constipated, wouldn't it be wise to continue? Thanks!

 

[Eggcessive]

Vent gleet is supposed to smell very bad, and causes bald areas around the vent that have inflammed tissue with white or yellow patches. Apple sauce may be good for constipation, but she may need to be drinking more water. Could you put an extra water station in the coop or brooder? Could you post a picture of the white under her vent?

 

[JAZsMom]

Yep, I've been meaning to take a pic. Will post one tomorrow. I'm certain she has constipation...probably since she was born.

Her vent is bald and has no fluff like her her sisters. No rotten smell that I've noticed. Their whole coop smells nasty, but I doubt it's because of her. I keep a water station in the run, in the coop and outside. I'm concerned she might not have figured out the whole nipple thing.

Funny you mentioned apple sauce- my little one opened a single serve tonight and didnt touch it. Now I know where it's going. I've tried to feed her alone, but she flips out if her girls arent around. Wouldn't touch treats, food, water, etc while in the run alone...just tried to find ways to escape. Other then some loose stool, Im guessing itll be ok for all the littles?

 

[Eggcessive]

If you think she is not drinking enough because of the nipple system, I would put a little waterer out for her. She should get the nipple system figured out , but I have never used those with chicks or olders. Lack of water or too much heat is a prime cause of constipation in chicks, barring some internal issue. A few drops of molasses can also act as a laxative, but be careful doing this too much, as it will become an ongoing problem with diarrhea, then constipation...

 

[JAZsMom]

Didn't take a picture today. She is looking SOSOSO much better! The white gunk has just about stopped coming out her vent (there were only a couple tiny crusties today), the swelling of her vent has gone down and the chunk of skin that I think is missing is still missing, but no longer seems infected and is healing nicely. I'm so relieved. I also saw her drinking from the nipple today, so that's a relief, too. (I kept a chick waterer in the coop for those who hadn't caught on yet). Her bottom certainly isn't like my other barred rock, but it's getting there.

I'm still concerned about her pooping 'skills'- I think she has a constipation issue (which I brought up in another thread as I wanted to address that separately).

Thank you so much for your help!! I'm hoping we're in the clear for this issue. I am worried she's going to have ongoing issues, but for now she's still happy and active and is mostly healed.