A constipated, lonely chick. Advice, please?

[RedheadErin]

Our first broody hen hatched out her chicks over the weekend, but she rejected one. It had a stuck-up poopy butt. We took it to the vet and he got it cleaned up. Sent it home with us, and told us to keep an eye on it to see if it poops. We put it in a box with the proper heat, food, and water. We put a big stuffed chicken in there, that the little one just loves. It crawls under "Mama" and cuddles right up. I am going to put a hand mirror in there in a few minutes. I have Save-a-Chick mixed up and we have some chick starter. So far do good, right?

So now I have a couple questions. First, I know it needs friends. Should I just kidnap one of its siblings and bring it in? If this chick dies, what will become of the one we took from the mom? Will it be able to go back?

What if we rotate the buddy chick? Say, 3 times a day bring in a new pal and put the last one back out with mom?

I am trying to locate a few chicks from somewhere, but chick season is sort of over for this area. I even called the local egg farm to see if they had anything in the incubator, but no luck. Does anybody else have any ideas?

Also, this little chick seems strong and perky (although lonely--it peeps constantly!) but it does not eat on its own. It will take Save-a-Chick and mashed-up pureed food from a syringe. It opens its mouth just like a baby robin. How often do I need to feed it, and how much at a time?

Would it help to feed a little olive oil in the feed mix?

Also, how often should it be pooping? I don't think it has pooped once since it got back from the vet. I am concerned that it may have a congeital problem such that it just cant pass poop.


Thanks everybody!

 

[chirpingcricket]

Our first broody hen hatched out her chicks over the weekend, but she rejected one. It had a stuck-up poopy butt. We took it to the vet and he got it cleaned up. Sent it home with us, and told us to keep an eye on it to see if it poops. We put it in a box with the proper heat, food, and water. We put a big stuffed chicken in there, that the little one just loves. It crawls under "Mama" and cuddles right up. I am going to put a hand mirror in there in a few minutes. I have Save-a-Chick mixed up and we have some chick starter. So far do good, right?

So now I have a couple questions. First, I know it needs friends. Should I just kidnap one of its siblings and bring it in? If this chick dies, what will become of the one we took from the mom? Will it be able to go back? If you could place 1 or even 2 chickies in, it would be helpful. Mom, may or may not, but if 1 goes the other will have a buddy....

What if we rotate the buddy chick? Say, 3 times a day bring in a new pal and put the last one back out with mom? Might be too confusing...

I am trying to locate a few chicks from somewhere, but chick season is sort of over for this area. I even called the local egg farm to see if they had anything in the incubator, but no luck. Does anybody else have any ideas?

Also, this little chick seems strong and perky (although lonely--it peeps constantly!) but it does not eat on its own. It will take Save-a-Chick and mashed-up pureed food from a syringe. It opens its mouth just like a baby robin. How often do I need to feed it, and how much at a time? By adding 2 chicks, they could help teach the chickie to drink/eat. You should be able to feel the crop, area/pouch in front of chest, you will fill a slight/soft/mushy bulge...in order to determine adequate food intake. Should go flat again once food is digested. Olive oil will help with BM.

Would it help to feed a little olive oil in the feed mix?

Also, how often should it be pooping? I don't think it has pooped once since it got back from the vet. I am concerned that it may have a congeital problem such that it just cant pass poop. Give it a few days and see if things improve with new chickmates, etc. Keep us posted.....

Thanks everybody!

 

[RonC]

The sav-a-chick and starter sounds good. Might give it a little plain yogurt or a little scrambled egg. They usually poop fairly frequently depending on how much they are eating. Might give it a day or two and slip it back under mom at night. If she accepts it great. If not try rotating a buddy in with it for a day or so swap out the buddy at night when mom is asleep and she probably won't notice. I wouldn't hand feed it, just put some in a dish for it. Sometimes they just aren't meant to make it and mom can tell.

 

[RedheadErin]

Well, some good news:

The little chick is walking, standing, and eating on its own, although we are still giving it Save-a-Chick and a mash made out of chick starter regularly, just to make sure it is getting enough food. I was concerned for the development of strength in its legs, but today it is walking more and even climbed up on top of the stuffed mama chicken we put in its box. The first pin feathers came in today.

On the other hand, if this chick survives it is going to be ALL KINDS of special. Its long middle toes are bent, one almost all the way back. (I just found the thread about the chick with the curled toes. Think I might try to splint the feet.) One of its wings is a little bigger than the other. It has a couple of disturbing bald spots on its rear, which I really hope are the result of the large poop-smear that was all over it when we found it,and which I hope will grow out in time.

Strangest of all is this chick's head. There is a long scar down it, just to the left of center, from beak to the back of the cranium. It looks like somebody gave it a side part! I'm not entirely sure if this is real or just an optical illusion because of this odd part, but it sure looks like the head is crooked (like a new human baby that was delivered with forceps and the head looks a little squished for a few days) and it seems like one eye is higher and bigger than the other. Poor baby!

We toyed with the idea of bringing in one or two of the chicks from outside, but this is Mama's first brood, and she is doing so well with them we hate to disturb anything. I am going to buy it a couple of buddies from a farm and put them together tomorrow.

If this thing survives, I am going to name it Reba if it is a girl (for her song "I'm a survivor" with the lyric "the baby girl without a chance") or Nemo if it is a boy (For the movie, because he had a gimpy fin). What a great ambassador for my "happy chickens make better eggs" ad campaign!

 

[chirpingcricket]

Well, some good news:

The little chick is walking, standing, and eating on its own, although we are still giving it Save-a-Chick and a mash made out of chick starter regularly, just to make sure it is getting enough food. I was concerned for the development of strength in its legs, but today it is walking more and even climbed up on top of the stuffed mama chicken we put in its box. The first pin feathers came in today.

On the other hand, if this chick survives it is going to be ALL KINDS of special. Its long middle toes are bent, one almost all the way back. (I just found the thread about the chick with the curled toes. Think I might try to splint the feet.) One of its wings is a little bigger than the other. It has a couple of disturbing bald spots on its rear, which I really hope are the result of the large poop-smear that was all over it when we found it,and which I hope will grow out in time.

Strangest of all is this chick's head. There is a long scar down it, just to the left of center, from beak to the back of the cranium. It looks like somebody gave it a side part! I'm not entirely sure if this is real or just an optical illusion because of this odd part, but it sure looks like the head is crooked (like a new human baby that was delivered with forceps and the head looks a little squished for a few days) and it seems like one eye is higher and bigger than the other. Poor baby!

We toyed with the idea of bringing in one or two of the chicks from outside, but this is Mama's first brood, and she is doing so well with them we hate to disturb anything. I am going to buy it a couple of buddies from a farm and put them together tomorrow.

If this thing survives, I am going to name it Reba if it is a girl (for her song "I'm a survivor" with the lyric "the baby girl without a chance") or Nemo if it is a boy (For the movie, because he had a gimpy fin). What a great ambassador for my "happy chickens make better eggs" ad campaign!

Wow, what a chickie! Glad it is improving, congrats!!

 

[Fancychooklady]

Great news! I would be adding 1/2 a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the water, just to keep ahead of pasty butt.

 

[RedheadErin]

half a teaspoon of ACV to how much water?

 

[Fancychooklady]

I don't usually measure it out, but I'd say 1/2 teas to a cup of water. I boil barley, turn it off and pour in a good a cup to be soaked into the grain for my older chickens. Apple cider vinegar is a good thing to have around.

 

[RedheadErin]

I sent my husband to pick up a couple of friends for it; he came back with 5. So now I have some Columbian Wyndottes to add to my mix. I reallydidnt need the extra work this summer.....*sigh*. They are a bit older and bigger than my baby, so we are doing supervised "playtime" together for a few days until I dump all of them in together. This is more work than a puppy, which my son is getting on Sunday. Ohhhhh.... what have I got into?

 

[Fancychooklady]

At least your little guy won't be lonely. I have 3 columbian Wyandotte 's , they are cool little guys.