Can Chick Recover or is it time to Cull?

[Roosters Crow Farm]

I need your help. I adopted 3 Faverolles chicks. Upon bringing them home, I saw that one had both pasty butt and a twisted foot. I cleaned the bottom and built a boot for the poor thing. The foot straightened out after 3 days. And pasty butt cleared up. However, as pasty butt cleared up the chick continued to have problems going potty. The chick got VERY smelly, like a sickly sweet, rank smell. I researched and started treating it for vent gleet. I clean it 3 times a day and apply athletes foot cream. I added apple cider vinegar to the water and give it kefir with its food daily. The smell has gotten a little better after a week. But the chick now seems to have trouble pooping. It gets all bloated in the abdomen and full and tight around the vent. When I clean it up, I am able to massage the area with warm water and help to excrete the poop (lots of it). I have been doing this for days. The chick is able to get out small amounts of poo in the form of diarrhea. But it seems unable to push out any solids without help. In addition, the chick has developed a funny way of walk-hopping. I am guessing that the abdomen full of poo is putting pressure on the legs and causing problems. I have been trying to save this chick for 2 weeks. The chick hatched on January 14. Can this chick recover? Or is it time to Cull? I am out of ideas. Thank you for ANY and ALL help/advice!

 

[FrostRanger]

I don't have any advice per se, but it does sound like that chick might have an internal birth defect. Whether the chick will improve enough to live a normal life I can't say. It's also possible that the chick may have other stuff going on too. No matter what you decide I wish you the best

 

[Roosters Crow Farm]

Thank you, Frost Ranger. That is what I have been considering all week. I like to give everyone a fighting chance, but I can't continue to go on like this indefinitely either. I appreciate your honesty.

 

[Eggcessive]

You might try giving some slightly chilled coconut oil to help lubricate the digestive tract. Mineral oil also works, given in a bit of egg yolk. Is the chick’s belly swollen or bluish?

 

[Roosters Crow Farm]

Thank you, Eggcessive. Yes, I have been giving it chilled coconut oil with egg all week as that has helped in the past. Thank you for the suggestion. There is a little bit of blue on the belly. Not a lot. I know some conditions could have caused others which is why I haven't given up on him yet. But I can't see myself massaging a grown roosters belly and bottom 3 times a day to help him poop

 

[Eggcessive]

I was concerned about mushy chick disease.

 

[Roosters Crow Farm]

Thanks Eggcessive. I read about Mush Chick Disease. I did not hatch this chick, so I don't know what it looked like at hatch. But I did research Mushy Chick and I can't see any solid evidence of it. I think the chick is simply lacking the muscle strength and control to move things along. I know things are connected because I am able to help move his stuff out with gentle massage. But he continues to really strain on his own without success. I think I will wait over the weekend to see if he makes any improvement. But I am feeling less hopeful as time progresses. Thank you for your suggestions. It helps to make these hard decisions if I know that I tried everything I could. I really appreciate your ideas. Thank you.

 

[2 Acres]

Could it be as simple as dehydration???