Cant poop!!

[Windala]

I have a sick Ameraucana girl. We got her last Saturday, so we have had her a week now, and shes having a really hard time. The 2 sisters we got with her died a few days after getting them, all from the same place. Today we got medicated chick feed, no one told us that was a thing... and probiotics/electrolytes mix for their water. She is getting scrambled egg now too. She has been thin from the time we got her, smaller than her brooder sisters. The last few days we have been giving her the water mix with coconut oil to help her poop. Some said to stop using coconut oil, now it looks like she is having a hard time pooping again. I did notice a day or two ago her vent has a white hard ring around it, hard and scabby feeling. Why is there a white ring though?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Where did the chicks come from and how old were they?
How many did you get and did you already have other birds?
I can't tell you about the white ring but I add probiotic powder to chicks first water and periodically after that. I haven't had a chick with pasted vent since I've been doing so.
I don't know what benefit the coconut oil would serve.
If they haven't been exposed to coccidia, there isn't a need for the medicated feed but it can't hurt.
Just plain starter feed and plain water with the probiotic powder.
Any idea why the other 2 chicks died? If any more die, it would be best to send one to your state poultry lab to find out what killed it otherwise you'd just be guessing.
What state or country are you in?

ETA
This is the probiotic powder I add to the water.
http://www.gro2max.com/
If you are using city water with chlorine or chloramine, I would remove that with an aquarium dechlorinator before using the probiotics, otherwise it could kill the friendly bacteria.

When chicks are weak, undernourished or stressed, I add some NutriDrench to their water.
http://www.nutridrench.com/

 

[PD-Riverman]

I have a sick Ameraucana girl. We got her last Saturday, so we have had her a week now, and shes having a really hard time. The 2 sisters we got with her died a few days after getting them, all from the same place. Today we got medicated chick feed, no one told us that was a thing... and probiotics/electrolytes mix for their water. She is getting scrambled egg now too. She has been thin from the time we got her, smaller than her brooder sisters. The last few days we have been giving her the water mix with coconut oil to help her poop. Some said to stop using coconut oil, now it looks like she is having a hard time pooping again. I did notice a day or two ago her vent has a white hard ring around it, hard and scabby feeling. Why is there a white ring though?

Medicated feed is NOT a thing---only for some. I never use it and I have raised more chicks than some-----not that I think its bad. I am a Duplicator---I try to duplicate a broody hen that raises her chicks and seems to have no problems other than predators. I have never seen her give them ACV, coconut oil or even probiotics(I use this rarely)--never seen her cook them a scrambled egg.(If I was feeding them things besides factory feed I would for sure be giving them grit to help their body grind and digest it) I am not saying any of that is bad I am just saying I never use it. I rarely have a problem and not very many chick deaths with sometimes as many as 25 brooders going at one time with 100's of chicks in them. I do not know about the white ring---if its hard it might be got the chick closed off----I would take a few minutes and dampen it and see if it will soften up and fall off??

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I agree with PD-Riverman. I try to replicate nature too. The reason I add probiotics is that chicks with a mother hen will get probiotics from eating some of her feces. A chick in a brooder doesn't have a source of good bacteria and yeasts.

 

[Windala]

Medicated feed is NOT a thing---only for some. I never use it and I have raised more chicks than some-----not that I think its bad. I am a Duplicator---I try to duplicate a broody hen that raises her chicks and seems to have no problems other than predators. I have never seen her give them ACV, coconut oil or even probiotics(I use this rarely)--never seen her cook them a scrambled egg.(If I was feeding them things besides factory feed I would for sure be giving them grit to help their body grind and digest it) I am not saying any of that is bad I am just saying I never use it. I rarely have a problem and not very many chick deaths with sometimes as many as 25 brooders going at one time with 100's of chicks in them. I do not know about the white ring---if its hard it might be got the chick closed off----I would take a few minutes and dampen it and see if it will soften up and fall off??

We are first time chicken parents, but my aunt helped us get set up and tips and info, she started her chicks a few weeks before us. I'm on a facebook backyard chicken group and a few people have recommended different things. Online research and picking the brains of people that work at the local farmer stores. Iv had some tell me medicated feed is awesome, and others say its pointless if they had shots. A few people said it wouldn't hurt, so I'm just doing everything I can. I will say this, being a first time chicken mommy I did not know that they were that sick when I got them. The local feed store did not have their chicks in the best brooders. Kinda dirty and was open to big drafts. So 2 out of 3 we got from that store are dead. Just woke up and one was dead. The next day another one, but it was showing signs of weakness, not wanting to eat or drink. My sick chick is fighting, we just gave her more oil water, warm wet paper towel to her vent for a few minuets and then put more coconut oil on it, lady on facebook who has chickens said its okay to keep her vent moist that way. She seems to be perking up some today after eating raw scrabbled egg with apple cider vinegar and electrolytes. Some would give up on her, but these are pets and layers. And she has such a spunky personality now, little girl is tugging on my heart strings. If I have to wash her vent, and apply oil, and feed her oil water a few times a day to help her get over this I will. I just wont get much sleep. I know nothing about reporting sick chicks. I live in California. If she doesn't make it I will send her in I guess. If someone could link me the info that would be great.

 

[PD-Riverman]

We are first time chicken parents, but my aunt helped us get set up and tips and info, she started her chicks a few weeks before us. I'm on a facebook backyard chicken group and a few people have recommended different things. Online research and picking the brains of people that work at the local farmer stores. Iv had some tell me medicated feed is awesome, and others say its pointless if they had shots. A few people said it wouldn't hurt, so I'm just doing everything I can. I will say this, being a first time chicken mommy I did not know that they were that sick when I got them. The local feed store did not have their chicks in the best brooders. Kinda dirty and was open to big drafts. So 2 out of 3 we got from that store are dead. Just woke up and one was dead. The next day another one, but it was showing signs of weakness, not wanting to eat or drink. My sick chick is fighting, we just gave her more oil water, warm wet paper towel to her vent for a few minuets and then put more coconut oil on it, lady on facebook who has chickens said its okay to keep her vent moist that way. She seems to be perking up some today after eating raw scrabbled egg with apple cider vinegar and electrolytes. Some would give up on her, but these are pets and layers. And she has such a spunky personality now, little girl is tugging on my heart strings. If I have to wash her vent, and apply oil, and feed her oil water a few times a day to help her get over this I will. I just wont get much sleep. I know nothing about reporting sick chicks. I live in California. If she doesn't make it I will send her in I guess. If someone could link me the info that would be great.

I know you hear so many things and if nothing else I want you to read this---If you add food other than factory feed to your broodered chicks(not on the ground) You Gotta add Grit---some sand or some kind of grit---or they can not digest some of it---They will die unless they can get enough grit out of the factory feed to live.

I know some chick sellers do not sell healthy chicks, then some buyers have no idea how to brood them. Example I sold 10 to a lady and told her they had to be under heat--about 95 degree's. She called the next day and said they were all dead---I said did you have them under heat? Yes she replied--my house is heated to 72 degree's and I kept them in the house in the bathroom, in the tub??? The 95 degree's went over her head. OK, 72 degree's standing on a metal cold tub----what should she expect----she did not know!! One lady had a 250 watt red heat lamp and said her's died---even looked dried she said----she had it so hot in the whole brooder that they were like in a dehydrator dead and dried up.

A brooder to hot or to cold is a big problem. A brooder that is heated from one end to the other can be a problem.

I wish you luck and hope this chick gets to feeling better.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

We are first time chicken parents, but my aunt helped us get set up and tips and info, she started her chicks a few weeks before us. I'm on a facebook backyard chicken group and a few people have recommended different things. Online research and picking the brains of people that work at the local farmer stores. Iv had some tell me medicated feed is awesome, and others say its pointless if they had shots. A few people said it wouldn't hurt, so I'm just doing everything I can. I will say this, being a first time chicken mommy I did not know that they were that sick when I got them. The local feed store did not have their chicks in the best brooders. Kinda dirty and was open to big drafts. So 2 out of 3 we got from that store are dead. Just woke up and one was dead. The next day another one, but it was showing signs of weakness, not wanting to eat or drink. My sick chick is fighting, we just gave her more oil water, warm wet paper towel to her vent for a few minuets and then put more coconut oil on it, lady on facebook who has chickens said its okay to keep her vent moist that way. She seems to be perking up some today after eating raw scrabbled egg with apple cider vinegar and electrolytes. Some would give up on her, but these are pets and layers. And she has such a spunky personality now, little girl is tugging on my heart strings. If I have to wash her vent, and apply oil, and feed her oil water a few times a day to help her get over this I will. I just wont get much sleep. I know nothing about reporting sick chicks. I live in California. If she doesn't make it I will send her in I guess. If someone could link me the info that would be great.

This is your poultry lab. Necropsies in California are free. If you contact them they'll give you a shipping label and tell you how to pack the bird.


California

California Animal Health & Food Safety Laboratory
University of California, School of Veterinary Med
620 West Health Science Drive
Davis, California 95616
Phone: 530-752-8709
IAV-A, ASF, CSF, CWD*, FMD, ISA*, ND, PRV*, SCRAPIE, IAV-S*, VHS*

I still don't know what coconut oil given orally would do to help a sick chick.

I know you hear so many things and if nothing else I want you to read this---If you add food other than factory feed to your broodered chicks(not on the ground) You Gotta add Grit---some sand or some kind of grit---or they can not digest some of it---They will die unless they can get enough grit out of the factory feed to live.

I know some chick sellers do not sell healthy chicks, then some buyers have no idea how to brood them. Example I sold 10 to a lady and told her they had to be under heat--about 95 degree's. She called the next day and said they were all dead---I said did you have them under heat? Yes she replied--my house is heated to 72 degree's and I kept them in the house in the bathroom, in the tub??? The 95 degree's went over her head. OK, 72 degree's standing on a metal cold tub----what should she expect----she did not know!! One lady had a 250 watt red heat lamp and said her's died---even looked dried she said----she had it so hot in the whole brooder that they were like in a dehydrator dead and dried up.

A brooder to hot or to cold is a big problem. A brooder that is heated from one end to the other can be a problem.

I wish you luck and hope this chick gets to feeling better.

Referring back to your philosophy (similar to mine) of trying to replicate what a mother hen does. When brooding, a mother hen doesn't heat all the ambient air to 90F.
She provides a warm spot 100F and lots of cool space. So when artificially brooding, we need to provide a warm/hot spot and lots of cool space sot the chicks can find their comfort zone. I started off using the big Ohio brooders that will take care of 100+ chicks. I now brood smaller numbers each month so I use Premier 1 heat plates that are much more energy efficient but they still provide the same conditions.
I once decided to try using a Rubbermaid tub to brood a few chicks. I hung the 250W heat lamp on the side and before I put the chicks in, I put a thermometer in there and it exploded because it was so hot. For the few times I brooded in one of those things since then, I just used a 75W ceramic heat emitter in a droplight.