Constipated Chick? UPDATE

[Rootball]

This chick had some pasty butt a few days back but it was taken care of quickly and it was defecating normally afterwords. I also applied some olive oil to the vent. Anyway I have witnessed him/her doing a little back up dance and trying to poo, straining a bit and then peeping a lot but having little success. A small turtle head will appear but it looks like mostly urea and it doesn't seem to come out.(the chick is a rumpless(and tufted) Araucana so I have a pretty good view of the vent)

Other than that the chick seems healthy, drinks normally, eats normally, isnt listless, but has normal chick interests(preening, pecking, scratching etc.)

I administered yogurt the other day and the other chicks seem to be benefiting but this one seems a bit constipated.

Is there anything else I can do? give it a couple drops of oil orally etc?


P.S. The chick is 1 week old

 

[faykokoWV]

Well, if it was a human, I'd say give it some fruit, I'm not an expert but I think chicks can eat fruit. Possibly another serving of yogurt too.

 

[Rootball]

This has been going on for 4, or 5 days with little change.

The chick still seems in pain when it tries to poo, and it looks like there is some internal blockage.

I've been giving it enemas with an eye dropper, the little end just slips into a chicks vent. At first it worked great, but now the biggish blockage seems to have hit the end of the pipe. Is there anything I can give it? Or should I just wear the lump down with enemas?

 

[faykokoWV]

sorry, I wish I knew the answer. Has it not pooped at all in 4 days?

 

[LauraSBale]

Give the chick by dropper or syringe, some olive oil and if you have fresh pineapple juice, and if you have a health food store by you see if they have a phslluim,
mix 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
1/4 teaspoon phsillum husk

or just use what you have

the olive oil will coat and soft the digestive track.
pineapple juice will break the poop down and make it easier for him to poop
and the physillum will jellness coating and make the intestines contract so its easier for him to poop, and rub a little olive oil or bag balm on him bum to it soft to.

feed him some of that 3 to 4 times a day, about 1/2 teaspoon each time.
plus give him some electrolyte in his water. to keep him hydrated.

after you give him it, rub his tummy and the softly work your finger down is tummy to his bum, this will help with getting things moving.


((some info on Psyllium:
Chronic constipation; disorders in which easy bowel movements with a loose stool are desirable,
psyllium regulates the amount of time waste matter takes to transit the colon. . In constipation, the same fibers add volume to the stool and make it easier to pass through the colon.
Research studies show that psyllium seed is more useful than wheat bran for treating constipation caused by irritable bowel syndrome. The dosage of psyllium seed required to treat the condition is half the dosage of wheat bran, and psyllium results in less bloating and more frequent bowel movement.))

best of luck
Laura

 

[Jccatcher]

Its called pasting up. My chicks had it to, I let it pass by itself. but you could put some gloves on and well...... carefully pull it out every day

 

[Brassmaster]

I had an issue with a chick recently and got some advice on here that may have been the answer I was looking for.

Someone suggested getting a small tuft of sod and placing it in the brooder so they can pick at the grass and even get some of the grit (dirt). Along with that add some molassis (<spelling?) to the water.

I put the chick I was having trouble with in a box along with one other to keep it company. In it we put chick food, the grass and the water. It took about a day and my chick passed a seemingly enormous poop. Within a couple of days it was doing fine and is now back out with the rest of the chicks. I don't know if the grass or special water was what did the trick but I am not going to discount it either.

 

[LauraSBale]

you all so may want to add chick grit to his diet.

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
I always give my new chicks & keets a daily handful of clover/grass that I cut up with scissors---they love it and rush to eat it, ignoring their normal feed until all the "greens" are gone.

 

[Rootball]

Thanks for the posts.


This is definitely NOT pasting, it is internal. The chick has a clean vent but cannot go.

Im trying the pineapple/olive oil/psillium (I had plenty around), but Im still concerned. The chick seems to be making it, but it isnt growing. Its hard to compare because it is with 3 brahmas and it is the only Araucana, but it seems like it is not growing even though it eats/ drinks with gusto.

I wonder if it has a twisted gut or some sort of internal congenital defect. It has been this way for nearly 10 days now. It gives me hope, because its still alive. All I can do is stick with it.