chick that will not lie down

[samsr]

I have a chick that will not lye down, She is sleeping with just her head down. She is still on her feet with her head on the ground when she sleeps. The other chicks lie down normally. This one when I got her had pasty butt and still does. we are taking care of it as it happens. Could she be constpated?? Unable to poo. Is there anything I can do?

 

[tdgill]

good that you are taking care of pasty butt. I had a chick that slept standing up alot and I never considered constipation. Interesting. I will do some research with you. Make sure that little bottom is actually cleared.

 

[tdgill]

is the chick drinking? There are lots of posts on pasty butt...

here is a copy of Davaroo's posts I think it is very helpful and covers things I wouldn't have thought of...

Heres one for you from Bob Plamondon, a guy who knows chickens for sure...

Pasty butt is the result of chilling and too much soy in the feed, fed too early in life. With shipped or store bought chicks, the chilling and stress that results from their first day or two of life compounds the issue.

Following his advice, I give NO food for 72 hours. After that, I give only hard boiled egg, mashed with a little fine milled oat or crumbled cornbread for 2-3 days. In the first week they get zero chick starter. I begin to wean them onto it once they are on their feed well, in incremental doses.

I also keep them warm with infrared light under a small hover. I put a small white night lite over the waterer only - so they can find it. I use half -strength Gatorade the first day - after that straight water.
No glaring, white light in their faces and little to no disturbance...

- No inquisitive kids
- Cats and dogs are barred from even looking at them
- I stay away from the brooder as much as possible, too.

In essence it's a quiet, warm, soothing red life they live for the first 5-7 days.

Guess what - little to no pasty butt.

CAUTION - PONTICIFICATION AHEAD
Many problems arise from a lack of disicipline in their feeding. We want to shove anything and everything down their throats as soon as possible. But think about what they get in Nature; it's precious little at first. Considering this you will see the wisdom in being prudent, even Spartan, in their early feeding regimen.

I will try some sand this time around. Never needed it, but it couldn't hurt and the logic is sound.

 

[samsr]

She is drinking and eating as much as the others. She just doesnt act the same as the others while trying to sleep and has pasty butt. I thought about giving some oliv oil to help her pass what is stuck in her digestive track. She seems to be pooping as much as the others also. Its just perplexing.

 

[samsr]

I can tell this poor litle chick is trying to poo. She puts her little butt down and then pushes and pushes. She cheeps loudly while trying. I have put some olive oil in the vent area and in the vent in hopes of trying to free up whateverr blockage is there and fed her some olive oil also. Not too much. Just a drop or two. Is there such thing as a chick laxitive. At this point i have done what I can. I sure hope it passes. She doesnt seem to be eating much but is still drinking at this point. A white substance is coming from the vent if anyone knows what this is please chime in.

 

[gmabry75]

Wish I could tell you what to do, but I lost one of my chicks Sunday night after the same kind of symptoms. She just could not poo. By the time I realized there was a problem she was just laying there breathing heavy and trying to poo. She was about 5 days old. She also had an almost liquid white substance coming from her vent. Wishing you better luck than I had.

 

[samsr]

I changed out their water last night with some fresh water and put 1/2 TBS of ACV in with it. The regular stuff as I didnt have any raw ACV. The waterer is a 1 quart system. I had also given this chick some olive oil yesterday both orally and through the vent. I now have a chick that actually poo's YAY

I will give it a few more days, but I think she is out of the woods on this one. Time will tell. Oh and no more pasty butt.
I will report back here in a few days and let everyone knows what happens to poo r"constince". Yup thats what we named her, for "constipated"

 

[Hotelclepto]

Yay!! good for u. I was going to suggest baby food prunes. After u check if u can give chicks prunes. Not sure if it would even work but its worth a try.

 

[tdgill]