4 week old chick ate 3+ inch piece of ribbon - HELP!

[HappyMo]

Hello!
I'm a brand new BYC member (and chickmom) - THANKS for having this forum!
Gertie (4 week old golden sexlink) ate a piece of ribbon (1/4 inch wide and maybe 3 or 4 inches long) at 11am PST. It is the soft, material type ribbon.
She has been eating, drinking, & pooping just like normal. I removed her from her 9 sisters so I could monitor her and make sure if the ribbon comes out with some poop one of the others (or she) doesn't eat it...
Her crop doesn't seem to be hard or poofy.
Do you think the ribbon will just pass?! One online source said normal food passes through in 4 hours. It has been about eight hours now...

Thanks for any advice. If it hasn't passed in 24 hours I was thinking of giving her some mineral oil.

 

[emvickrey]

have you tried to make her regurgitate? I would think it would pass eventually. Chickens are always eating things they shouldn't. Since it is soft I wouldn't worry about it. Maybe it got all dissolved or ground up during the digestion process. I"m no expert. Hopefully one will pass by soon and give you a hand.

I"m sure things will be fine.

 

[HappyMo]

I tried to pull it out, but it was too far down in when I discovered it and wouldn't come out. I figured letting her swallow and letting it just pass through was better than yanking it (and her crop) out. Yikes!
It's material so I don't think it will disolve.
Thanks for the reply emvickery even though you're not an expert. It's nice to have some encouraging words!!

 

[annek]

there was a post a week or two back where the bird swallowed a hair tie, I believe it is fine. Just keep an eye on for impacted crop it but it should be just fine.

 

[Judy]

I've read accounts on here of chickens eating pieces of string and such, and they all did fine. Don't know about the 4 hours thing. Not much to do but wait and see.

If you want to give her some oil, I would not give mineral oil, I would give olive or another veg. oil. A bit of bread soaked in oil might be good; it can help flush out a sluggish crop.

 

[HappyMo]

I saw mineral oil on another website, but would much rather use olive oil. Thanks for that tip!
Do you think I should just put her back with the other girls? I'm just worried someone else will injest if I don't retrieve it right after it passes. She's hanging out with me in my office right now... I can't wait up all night waiting for orange ribbon to come out though. Hmmmmm

 

[highcountrychickens]

My young gang found a spot where the clean-up from replacing windows was *ahem* less than stellar... The funny thing is that they snatch up the silicone strings like they were covered with chocolate, and parade them around as though they have discovered sunshine itself before gobbling them down (with me chasing them laughing too hard to actually have success catching them) but they won't touch worms with a ten foot pole. I was shocked that they didn't have problems, but they seem to be just fine. Incredible

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Well, it shouldn't be as appetizing to them after it comes out as it was before!

Not sure whether I'd put her back, or just stick her in a cardboard box with a bowl of water and go to bed. It's quite possible you won't recognize it anyway, after the gizzard gets through grinding it, and probably depending on what the material was.

 

[HappyMo]

Thanks again for all the welcoming and advice. I tried to reply sooner, but my broadband cuts off whenever it feels like it and then the computer froze. Ahhh, technology. I'm so much happier out with the chickens.
Her last bit of poop had some undigested moss (from the lawn) and something that may be thread from the ribbon... There was also a spot of blood. I'm going to keep her in the bathroom tonight and hopefully all will be well in the a.m.
It's great to have such wonderful support!!
How can I check out the past entries regarding swallowing string, hair ties, etc.? I'm new to forums/blogs, etc...

 

[Judy]

There is a search tab at the top of the page towards the left, and there is also a Google search feature on here on the right hand side, also at the top of the page. I'm no computer /forum/bog whiz either. Sometimes I find what I want first try and sometimes I just give up. But give it a try. In the left hand search feature, you may find it worthwhile to change the last dropdown to "show results as posts" instead of "show results as topics."

Good luck!