Bloated chick

[rir264]

I have a 6+ weeks old and I was watching her and she went to poo and nothing came out when I caught her she packed with dried poo so I cleaned her off really well but she felt like she was really bloated, she is eating and drinking fine and does not act sick. Does any one think that the bloating in lower abdomen is a problem, should I be worried? Any thoughts?

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like she may be constipated or not drinking enough liquids. If the poop doesn't get removed, she may mot be able to poop. Clean her off and wash her bottom. Put some probiotics in her water or give he a tsp of plain unsweetened yogurt daily. Do you have any molasses, mineral oil or karo syrup, where you could give her 1/4 tsp of one of those to act as a laxative. Is she still in a brooder? If so, are you still using heat? Too much warmth can cause constipation and straining.

 

[rir264]

Sorry about not replying earlier but my internet went down. she was in the coop with the other babies are, no heat ( I am in Fl. so it is pretty warm), I mixed the molasses in with her baby food that I mixed with warm water to hopefully get her to drink more. Has anyone given an enema to a chicken using epson and water solution to try to break up or liquidity the stool? if so what it the ratio or is it mixed as per the direction on the salts?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would just make a point of giving her the molasses water for about 4 hours. Molasses is a laxative in chicks. There should be a reason for the constipation, whether it is dehydration, or possibly from eating sand or something stuck in the crop or gizzard. . How does the crop feel? Most chicks have a prominent crop at that age. I would not reccommend giving an enema. The vent or cloaca contains the junction both for the large intestinges, and the egg canal or oviduct. Inserting anything in there could flush bacteria up into the oviduct. Mineral oil 1/4-1/2 tsp is very good to use once. It is found in the laxative aisle, is very cheap, and can also be used to refurbish your wood cutting boards.

 

[rir264]

She pooped last night but is was kinda white looking also from her vent there was a long white stuff, could this be a yeast infection?

She is so bloated that she walks like a little penguin instead of a chick
Her croup feels small she is not eating very much but she does like the molasses. She feels a little warm and her breathing is labored I am getting ready to give her a warm bath maybe that will move something at the very least she will have a clean bum

 

[Eggcessive]

I am not a vet or really an expert on this sort of thing, but her white poop can be a sign of dehydration or sometimes a kidney problem. I would put some chick feed in a little bowl with a lot of water. Other things like chopped or raw egg, and a little plain yogurt mixed in to tempt her to eat, would be things I would try. Once she starts pooping regularly (hopefully,) I would stop the molasses if you are still using them. Electrolyte and vitamin water would be better for a couple of days, until she is getting plenty of fluids. Keep in mind that she may have some internal problem that we don't know about, something that is preventing her from thriving. I hope she improves. If you go to the store, look for mineral oil.

 

[rir264]

A pic of how bloated she is

I have never had a baby do this, however it may be more worthy to say that she is behind in growth then the others a 7 weeks she is very short legged and just her overall appearance is different than the other five bought at the same time. They all have feathered out this little on has not and she is a lot smaller than the rest. I just want to help her as much as I can

 

[Mama_in_the_Dell]

A pic of how bloated she is

I have never had a baby do this, however it may be more worthy to say that she is behind in growth then the others a 7 weeks she is very short legged and just her overall appearance is different than the other five bought at the same time. They all have feathered out this little on has not and she is a lot smaller than the rest. I just want to help her as much as I can

Did you ever get a confirmation of what caused this? I’m dealing with three chicks outside with their mamas like this. I’ve raised so many chicks this year without issue but all a sudden this started. I’m trying to figure out if it’s cocci or intestinal worms or parasites.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Did you ever get a confirmation of what caused this? I’m dealing with three chicks outside with their mamas like this. I’ve raised so many chicks this year without issue but all a sudden this started. I’m trying to figure out if it’s cocci or intestinal worms or parasites.

This thread is from 2017 and I don't think the OP has been on since 2018.

If you would - please post some photos of your chicks, their poop, age - any other info that you may think is pertinent.
We'll be glad to see if we can make some suggestions.