Constipated Chick?

[LittleCinna]

I have a week old chick that I believe is constipated. It all started with me thinking she may be starting to get a prolapsed vent, but as I was treating her swollen vet as a prolapsed vent, I noticed she was struggling to have a bowel movement.

She was straining while I was doing a warm epsom salt compress on her vent, she strained several times while I messaged the vent she was able to pass a rather long amount of fecal matter. I know her swollen vent is not going to be getting better if I don’t deal with the constipation issue.

How can you help a constipated chick? I’ve been treating her swollen vent with warm epsom salt compresses, witch hazel, and Preparation H. She also has access to plenty of water, chick grit, is on medicated chick starter, and I use a heat plate instead of a lamp.

 

[Smileybans]

Giving her small amounts of coconut oil is recommended often. It can help get things moving inside. When I had a chick that was constipated the hardest part was getting him to pass the stuff right at the vent. Massaging under the vent, on their abdomen/ tummy area, can sometimes help them to pass what is there.

 

[Eggcessive]

The coconut oil can be chilled and cut into tiny slivers for her to eat. Is she drinking enough water? If not, dip her beak often. What is the temperature of the warmest area of her brooder? Does she have a cooler area to get into to?

 

[LittleCinna]

Giving her small amounts of coconut oil is recommended often. It can help get things moving inside. When I had a chick that was constipated the hardest part was getting him to pass the stuff right at the vent. Massaging under the vent, on their abdomen/ tummy area, can sometimes help them to pass what is there.

Yeah I notice she was struggling the most with the first bit. After we got that out the rest flowed easily.

 

[LittleCinna]

The coconut oil can be chilled and cut into tiny slivers for her to eat. Is she drinking enough water? If not, dip her beak often. What is the temperature of the warmest area of her brooder? Does she have a cooler area to get into to?

Okay, I hope she’ll eat it! She’s not to keen of me at the moment with how much I’ve been fussing with her. I’ve seen her drink water but I don’t know if it’s enough. And she’s still eating as well. The warmest spot is under the heating plate which would be about 90 or 95F I believe. She can wander out to the rest of the brooder which is around 60-70F the last few days depending on how cold it is in the garage. It’s supposed to be 26F out tonight so the brooder may drop into the upper 40’s.

 

[Eggcessive]

That sounds too cold to have a heat plate outside tonite. Heat plates work better where the room temperature is in the 60-70’s range. Cold as well as too much heat can add to pasty butt. Shipping stress can cause it for up to a week. You can dip her beak repeatedly for a half second letting her swallow between drinks to get some fluids into her. Moisten her vent inside and out with a QTip and some vaseline or vegetable oil.

 

[The WinterWolf]

i just posted a thread about this. check it out!