Baby chick sick

[ksblasco]

I am new to owning chickens. Our first batch is about 7 weeks old and doing very well. Our newest batch is about 8 days old (separate from the other flock in their own brooder box). There is one chick of these 9 new ones who had pasty butt. I panicked and did everything wrong. I soaked the baby chick in warm water. Of course she did not stay still so she was completely wet. Once most of the poo was removed, I continued to pick at a hard lump that I mistook for hardened poo. Turns out I was picking at her umbillical! She was weak and cold when I returned her to the brooder box (I had dried her with a hair dryer first).
She still has the pasty butt (the only one) and is now noticeably smaller than all the others. She is not eating or drinking so much and is sleeping more and is more lethargic than the others.
I feel beyond terrible for putting her through such unnecessary stress and probably pain from picking at her umbillical. Could she have a bacterial infection? Totally at a loss here

 

[gander007]

Alright

great to have you joining the BYC flock

BYC has a very useful learning center

Wow, alright you did the washing right and the hair dryer was also the right thing to do but you will find you will also need to repeat this process several times a day till you get it all off or a clean vent also a Q-tip swab with a little olive oil and just lightly dab the vent area when finished ....



You did not mention what you are using as feed or what you are putting in the water ......

One of the things I do is put Electrolyte and Probiotic in the water at the same time and both of these I purchase at the feed store ...


Here try this a hard boiled egg just remove the shell and mash up the egg and serve to your chicks it works very well and the egg has everything to make a chick so it is a natural medicine and it also helps to build the immune system with out using heave drugs .......


Oh before I forget when cleaning the vent area use a baby shampoo as the chick will pick at the area no matter what you do as it will itch ......









gander007

 

[sdm111]

Welcome, one thing we all learn is that natural selection is very prevalent in raising chickens and no matter what we do were gonna lose some. Not saying your chick won't make it but it does happen.

 

[ksblasco]

Thank you very much. She passed away. So sad. I had put organic ACV in water and feeding them chick starter feed.
So many helpful tips here, been trying to soak it all in. Our older girls are almost ready for the coop and we will all miss their peeps and curious faces every time we walk into the kitchen! The tips here helped us raise very social girls who are so happy to see any of us! I never imagined we would ever own chickens but it has been more rewarding than owning a cat or dog thus far and we haven't even reaped the added benefit of egg-laying yet!
Thank you so much for such a comprehensive and informative site!

 

[gander007]

So sorry about your loss wish you well in all your poultry ventures