Feed store rescue

[Citychick]

I rescued two chicks with poopy butts from feed store, One was so plugged up he died as soon as I got it home the other i cleaned up but it is still crying not eating and stomach is slightly firm. Any suggestions as to what to do now?

 

[Silkie Sue]

Hi,
I think it sounds like he is dehydrated and constipated
I would get some electrolytes and mix them with water and if you can get a small syringe and give him those fluids also put his bum in warm water to get the cake off.
Good luck!!

 

[Citychick]

I soaked his butt and he has gone once on his own. I have offered water several times and he drinks great when I dip his beak in there. I don't have any electrolytes and can't go back. My DH was MAD that I took these two home. He said I can't save every sick animal I come across. There were three more that probably weren't gonna do to well but the lady had scooped these two up and was sending them out back to be killed. So I took them home and said I would try to save them.

 

[peepkeeper]

Do you have a heat lamp? Put a heat lamp where the chick can warm up when he wants to and get out of the heat when he want to.

If you don't have electrolytes, try a little sugar in the water for energy. Don't try to force feed a chick, they can't swallow like we can and you'll choke him. You're doing all that can be done, the rest is up to him. Good luck!

 

[jjthink]

Thank you so very much for trying to help these poor chicks (your DH should be proud). So sorry the one never had a chance to experience your good care and I hope the other thrives.
JJ

 

[Citychick]

Well he is doing better. Up and poking around eating and drinking. I put him in with my one week olds and watched really close for awhile. He scooted up under my BO and went to sleep. After the initial HEY who are you? They don't seem to mind the extra body. The kids named him "Lucky" I was just so disgusted that no one seemed to want to do anything for them. I know it's a feed store and they are there for them to sell. But those poor chicks have to die over something that is such an EASY fix. I grabbed one of the others that wasn't quite as bad off and pulled the whole chunk of dried feces and a few rear end feathers off and the poor thing yelped and then when off in the corner and just kept pooping. What an awful way to die! Sorry theres my rant. I just can't stand to see animals suffering.

 

[fourfeathers]

Good for you. I took 3 the other day with pasty butts, but unfortunately, it had gone on too long and they passes a couple hrs after getting them home. Got them under a heat lamp and on a blanket rather than the wire cage, cleaned bottoms and gave them water and electrolytes by tb syringe. You can get them to drink if you stimulate the response, but very slowly. I also soak some chick crumbles in a syringe and give them that as the next step. It is easy for them to aspirate though if you do it too fast or angle it wrong. For bottoms, I warm water and very gently soak the bottom area to get the poo to come off so as not to stress too bad, then put a little vaseline back there to make things slide a bit easier coming out. I usually check several times a day to make sure they don't paste up again. These were the first that I have lost to this, guess I was too late or they were too weak and stressed. Sad, such a simple thing to do, but often they are so overcrowded and it is so dirty with so many in a cage at the farm stores. Good news though, one that had limber neck that was on its way out is doing great so far. Another with a broke leg or slipped tendon, not so good (post under Chick with Hurt leg). She and I will go to the closest poultry vet tomorrow to see if anything else can be done to save her, but most likely not. Glad your little one made it!

 

[SpottedCrow]

I posted earlier, but it went into cyberlimbo...

I can't believe that anyone would just take the chicks "out back" to be killed for something so easily fixable...
I've handfed birds, I've dangled pinkies in front of starving snakes,,what?!is wrong with people!

I do thank the both of you for at least trying to save these little chirpy beings...

 

[Flufnstuffs~FluffySilkies]

GOOD SAVE!