Chick swallowed a string

[HyLinda]

My 2wk old keet swallowed a string from a feed back. I couldn't pull it out so I cut the string off at the mouth. Don't know how much is inside. Will he die? Is crop surgery advised?

 

[boogiedog]

Wait and see; how long was the string? Hopefully it will pass easily. Keep and eye on her eating, drinking and pooping.

 

[my first peepers]

This once happened to one of my chicks and the vet did surgery. There was way more string in the crop than we expected. Good luck!!

 

[HyLinda]

I cut the string off as close as I could. After several days all is well.

 

[welovechickens]

Those little stinkers will eat ANYTHING that is long and thin! Give them some cooked spaghetti and watch what happens.

 

[elabell]

My mom brought home two chicks that had been hatched in her preschool (she is a preschool teacher). The first day home, I was watching them and happened to be facing the back-end of one. She started pooping, but instead of being a quick poop, like usual, it kept going. It ended up being a rubber band! Yuck! I'm glad I was right there, because the second it was out, the two of them started fighting over it. Not surprising, rubber bands look just like worms. I was able to snatch it from them. I have no idea how many cycles through it made.

In my experience, I have found baby chicks are quite resilient. While you want to keep them as healthy and happy as possible, sometimes they find a way to get into things they shouldn't. But often they will find a way to work it out.