2 week old cornish cross chick with swollen vent.

[cattanna]

Hello,

I have a cornish cross chick that's almost two weeks old, who's vent is protruding outward and has been swollen for almost 6 days. This chick has not been growing as quickly as the other chicks but still eats and poops regularly. The poops do not look abnormal but end up getting all over its little belly. I have been cleaning it off twice a day by soaking it in an epsom salt solution with a couple drops of tea tree oil. Once dry, I have been applying hydrocortisol cream. It chirps a lot, which seems to add pressure to the vent as well.

I have been switching between adding apple cider vinegar and chick boost electrolyte/probiotic powder it's drinking water.

Is the treatment I have been giving it along the right lines? How long does it typically take to see a reduction in the swelling?

Please note, I put some blue coat on it's backside because it was picking at itself.

Thank you.

 

[cherrynberry]

Hello,

I have a cornish cross chick that's almost two weeks old, who's vent is protruding outward and has been swollen for almost 6 days. This chick has not been growing as quickly as the other chicks but still eats and poops regularly. The poops do not look abnormal but end up getting all over its little belly. I have been cleaning it off twice a day by soaking it in an epsom salt solution with a couple drops of tea tree oil. Once dry, I have been applying hydrocortisol cream. It chirps a lot, which seems to add pressure to the vent as well.

I have been switching between adding apple cider vinegar and chick boost electrolyte/probiotic powder it's drinking water.

Is the treatment I have been giving it along the right lines? How long does it typically take to see a reduction in the swelling?

Please note, I put some blue coat on it's backside because it was picking at itself.

Thank you.

Sounds like pasty butt…and maybe an infection. Do you have photos?

 

[cattanna]

I put some blue cote on it's backside because it was picking at itself, so it looks dirtier than it actually is

.

 

[cherrynberry]

I put some blue cote on it's backside because it was picking at itself, so it looks dirtier than it actually isView attachment 3035547 .
View attachment 3035545

I would put some original neosporin with NO pain killer around the vent.

@Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive should be able to help you better though!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have been cleaning it off twice a day by soaking it in an epsom salt solution with a couple drops of tea tree oil. Once dry, I have been applying hydrocortisol cream. It chirps a lot, which seems to add pressure to the vent as well.

I have been switching between adding apple cider vinegar and chick boost electrolyte/probiotic powder it's drinking water.

I would give the electrolytes, but make plain water available as well.
Is the chick moving about, able to walk and eating/drinking on it's own?

Can we see the abdomen? Is it swollen up?

Personally, I wouldn't add the tea tree oil to the epsom salts soak. Just epsom salts, keep the vent cleaned and apply triple anitbiotic ointment or the anti-inflammatory cream.

I wonder if the chick has a yolk sac infection. Could be failure to thrive.

 

[cattanna]

Got it, no more tea tree oil and I'll start using antibiotic ointment.

It has plenty of energy and eats and drinks normally. The stomach does appear a bit distended and hard. The chick will be 2 weeks old tomorrow and isn't showing signs of lethergy or weakness.

Just a sore butt that gets covered in poop. The poor thing!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Eating/Drinking and Active is good!

Hopefully the neosporin will help her heal.
If you need to, spread the neosporin, some vaseline or coconut oil around on those bare areas to help keep poop from sticking so much and burn the skin. Poop can sure make the skin raw.