constipated, compacted vent 6 week old chick

[earthfriendlyfarm]

My 6 week old chick came with pasty butt and I have given her molasses drops and oatmeal to try and regulate her bowels. I have washed her butt (and blow dryed her) about 6 times now.

Her energy and eating and drinking is all normalish, she will hunker down and chirp,chirp,chirp and nothing comes out. Yesterday was the worst...the poop was like a hard cement marble (big) stuck in her butt and I soaked her butt in really warm water and then had to dig it out along with pieces of grass or straw and it feels sandy or gritty. I have had to dig out two more times hard poop, and using a syringe put some warm water in her booty to help soften it up. Sweet little girl knows I am trying to help.

I have given her a 2 day dosing (along with the other 13 chicks we got) of antibiotics in their gallon of water. That is when it seemed to get worse. She eats starter food along with meal worms, earthworms, vegetable scraps and grass and flowers. A couple of the chickens got into our whole corn. I dont know if she ate any or not.

I want her to get healthy. Am I doing the right things? Should I put some organic apple cider in her water? Any suggestions

 

[LynneP]

She's too young for treats and should be on starter crumbles only. Some come with grit, others require you to use special baby chick grit. I think the variety of foods is too hard on her system and that it may return to normal by offering her only the starter blend. Watch for trouble in the others too. The only other thing that may help your chick is a little yogurt mixed with the crumbles, to settle her gut.

 

[earthfriendlyfarm]

I have also noticed her crop is sort of soft. Is this normal? and she is eating her feed now and singing and very happy, cuz she is pooping out some dark stink poo. But feeling much happier. I had been putting molasses in her water. Should I switch to apple cider vinegar to help with soft crop, or keep with molasses for softer poop? Thank you for your reply. I also help with feral cat colonies here in my city.

 

[LynneP]

She sounds better. Soft crop a good sign...
Just be careful about treats.
I use ACV in my hen water at all times as a preventive for crop issues after dealing with a hen who gorged on grit. There's always something...

You work with ferals too? I'm so thankful our barn is a colony site- no rodents whaever~!

 

[chickensioux]

I have used soapy water in a 1cc syringe and given a little chick an enema before. You have to be very careful and only very small amount of water is needed. Squirt slowly and gently. It worked wonders and the poor little thing did a massive poop and was fine there after. Hope yours will be alright.

 

[earthfriendlyfarm]

Little Eagle is what we named her for her courage and bravery. I did not use soap thought warm fresh water with a little "bach flower remedy" would help lots. I put it in the bath water, in her enema water and even in the olive oil i put on her butt at the end. Although I think I will change that next time to corn starch to prevent more stickie butt. I trimmed her butt feather area and am continuing to keep a little bit of molasses in her water. Now she is in there singing and chirping and pooping (although it is still sticking to her butt area) and eating and drinking really well.

Thank you both for taking time to help me. I learned an incredible amount from this BYC forum. I have never owned chicks before but looked at your sites to see your hen houses. We just did a similiar thing and took the one of the old horse barn stalls and put small wire ALL OVER IT. It has two cement retaining walls so need to dig down and put heavy wire to prevent digging under a pretty difficult area to dig under, but I worry. and we build a chicken tractor my partner calls his chickshaw. It is a work of art.

We TNR'd 21 cats last year and moved several up to the farm and kept them in a cat room for 3 months so they would get accustomed to their new homes but only 3 stick around. Atleast the others are fixed and rabies shots. I miss them. Had high hopes of a colony here too. But will work on that more. Chickens now.

Are all your cats fixed?

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Good job! Sounds like lots of treats and the whole corn got her. I wouldn't be afraid to resume treats when she gets straightened out, just keep them to a small percent, like 5%, of her intake, so she mostly eats starter feed.

Her irritated butt needs lubrication. A vet here once recommended vaseline for this. But any kind of oil or grease will help, or even KY or Neosporin, whatever you have around.