Help! 3 week old chick with impaction

[Djmiller012]

I can get the poop off, but its there the next day, and its two of my chicks....any advice on how to keep it from happening?

 

[Laura F]

Poop Report: Bill, thanks for your info. I know how tired I was after just the two chicks I de-pooped, you really get a lot of credit for helping 15 of them!

Last night I had another chick to take care of. This one survived the night, but I think there are more problems than just pasty butt.

First, when I got it wet in its bath, I noticed a huge air bubble just under the skin on the right side of its upper chest. I say it was under the skin (and not in the crop) because of the thinness of the skin. Also, it was not fluid filled. Any ideas what this is? I don't know if any of the other chicks have this because I only noticed this when this chick was wet.

Second, I was able to remove the poop (bobby pin, neosporin ointment, water, etc) like the last chick, but the second one never tried to poop on its own. All night his box was clean. He's alot perkier this morning and is walking better and pecking at food and drinking water when I hold it up to him. So he LOOKS better, but I think there's more trouble to come.

Any suggestions? They will go to the farm this weekend and I know I won't be able to help him. My husband will have a fit if I try to keep him!

 

[chickenlips]

Djmiller: something that I found to be helpful in keeping poo from sticking to their behinds, is that after you clean them off, put a little baby oil on the fuzz under their vent and it helps the poo to slide right off. I just dip a Q-tip in the oil and rub it on.

 

[Wes in Tx]

For all having poopy buts try lowering the temp in the broode also up the protein and if you feed doesn't have animal protein in it start boiling eggs and feeding to the babies. Also feed some probotics in the form of active culture yogurt or butter milk.

If you have an inpaction like described above you can use veggie oil to help desolve it. Works better than water. The oil also works good to clean their little behinds.