Chick can't poop! Swollen abdomen!

[coach723]

Constant peeping is a sign of distress.
Give the chick some coconut oil. You can refrigerate til firm and then break into pieces and put in the beak and let it swallow. If the chick is constipated that will help get things moving, if it's not too late. Try to get about 1/2 tsp. in it. Also try to get it to take fluids. If you hold it in your hand with the beak resting in the crease of your finger you can drip water down the crease and it will run into the beak and it will swallow. A little time consuming, but works well. I would give as much fluids as it will take every 1/2 hour or so. Hopefully things will get moving. Apply some vaseline gently around the vent with a q-tip, that will help lube the outside and help keep droppings from sticking there. Always be gentle, the tissue there is very fragile.
Check your brooder temperature with a thermometer under the warmest part. It should be 95 degrees the first week, and then drop by 5 degrees each week. And plenty of room to get out of the heat. Being too warm or too cold can contribute to this.

 

[Eggcessive]

Make sure the vent has an opening. Try inserting a QTip moistened with vaseline or vegetable oil just barely into the opening. Get it drinking water by dipping it’s beak. How hot is the brooder with a thermometer? Give the chick some tiny pieces of coconut oil or a little olive oil into it’s beak. Molasses is good as well.

 

[Birdie mom]

Make sure the vent has an opening. Try inserting a QTip moistened with vaseline or vegetable oil just barely into the opening. Get it drinking water by dipping it’s beak. How hot is the brooder with a thermometer? Give the chick some tiny pieces of coconut oil or a little olive oil into it’s beak. Molasses is good as well.

I am not sure how hot it is exactly in their brooder but all the other 8 chicks I have are fine and not shivering.

 

[Birdie mom]

Thank you guys so much! I will try doing all those things. Wish me luck!

 

[coach723]

It really is best to check with a thermometer. Just like people, they can have different immune systems and some are more tolerant/hardy than others.

 

[Birdie mom]

It really is best to check with a thermometer. Just like people, they can have different immune systems and some are more tolerant/hardy than others.

Will do.

 

[Birdie mom]

Is about 3 ml a lot of water to a chick? Cause he just drank that much.

 

[coach723]

As long as it drank it willingly, then you are fine. Just offer it every 30 minutes or so and give as much as it will take. If it's dehydrated then that will just make things worse, so getting the chick hydrated may help immensely. Let it rest between times.

 

[Birdie mom]

How can you know if a chick has a fever? When ever people get bad fevers they are in a sort of place between sleeping and wakefulness. that is where Harry is right now. He is still peeping, like he is having a bad dream.

 

[Birdie mom]

And how on earth do I get him to eat the coconut oil? He won't let me open his mouth and the coconut oil keeps melting!