2 week old chick with pasting problem!

[Tammy Alexander]

Hello Everyone,
I'm hoping someone can give me some insite. I have a 2 week old partridge bantam chick that has had pasting problems since I received it from the hatchery, it seems now to have a really hard time going to the bathroom and is swollen and red at the vent area. What can I do for this chick, I try to keep it clean so that that is not a problem? Can someone please give me your insite if you have encountered this sort of problem? I've tried mineral oil, water on a papertowel, anti-biotic ointment...

 

[Gold Griffin Chicken Mom]

Have you tried trimming the fluff away from the vent? I had one little chick (chicken) that kept pasting up. We called her Miss Naked Butt for a few days, but she seems to be better now.

I recall reading on one of these threads that if the baby is really pasty, that you might have to help them get some out by gently squeezing them. Not trying to be gross or inappropriate, but let's say if a human were constipated, the beginning would be very hard and the later "stuff" would be softer. The hard "plug" or "cork" needs to come out before things return to normal.

Have you tried mixing some olive oil with the baby's food? We had a sick (adult) hen and she really enjoyed the starter crumbles with olive oil and yogurt. We figured it would oil her insides and the yogurt would help return function to normal. I don't know if you want to try both at the same time for a two-week old.

Hope this helps! Let us know how the little one does!

 

[wolftracks]

Try a teaspoon of ACV in a quart of water.
Also I had that happen a lot with shipped chicks. I find that they don't get it as often or actually here at all, since I grind the feed for the first month.
I've never squeezed a chick. I'd probably kill it, so that's not something I would be comfortable with.
Try the ACV and grinding the feed. That should help clear him out.

Good for them too!



BTW

 

[Nut Lemon]

wolftracks,
what is ACV??? I am new to chickens, and I don't have this problem, but this question is just in the case that this happens to me.

 

[bietsch624]

ACV is apple cider vinegar

 

[wolftracks]

Apple Cider Vinegar. The kind you get from health food stores with the "Mother" included. Brand off top of my head.......Braggs

 

[sharol]

Hey, hey, hey (as my dog says). Grinding feed? That is the first I've hear of that. Tell me more. How fine? With what, a food processor? Want my babies healthy, if that will help, I'll do it.

 

[Tammy Alexander]

I've tried trimming the fluff away and it worked for another chick in the same batch, but it hasn't worked for this one. I haven't tried grinding the starter feed or ACV or yogurt yet but I'm willing to try it to save this little one. Thanks for the advice, it's very frustrating to hear him in pain.

 

[wolftracks]

Blender, food processor, coffee grinder.......whatever you have. Heck a hammer and a paper bag works.

I start out grinding pretty fine and everyweek I do it less and less.

LMAO! Hubby wants to know where I
ve been grinding and can he watch.....Ok never mind.

I add ACV about 3-4 times a week to the water for all my birds. Dogs get it too. I need to stock up on it cause when I used it for myself I was thinner! Also help arthritis among about a million other things.

I use anywhere from 1 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons per quart and 1-2 tablespoons per gallon.

 

[bonder]

What about a nice soak for the chick's bottom in a dish of warm water? This works for human babies and it worked for one of my pasty chicks. Stuff started squirting out like crazy in the warm water. I think it relaxes the muscles and softens the hardened poo. Maybe add some oatmeal to the water to help with the swelling? Also what about adding some oatmeal or something with fiber to it's diet? I'm new to chickens, so this may be terrible advice...but it works for people, why not chickens? I guess you probably don't want to change too many things in the chick's diet at once, he/she might get an upset stomach.