Help! Baby chick not eating/drinking... seems constipated!?

[berysa]

Hey guys,

My RIR chick is about a week old, but since yesterday, it hasn't been eating/drinking, even when I try to feed it, and I think it's a bit constipated. It keeps on trying to poop but nothing's coming out and it's very tired from trying to make something come out. I'm really worried because I'm scared that it will die I gave it a warm bath yesterday and cleaned up the vent area last night, and some poop came out but now it's still trying to poop but nothing's coming out. Its butt is quite clean but I'm very worried because it still seems constipated and is not eating/drinking.

Help please

 

[soler]

I am not sure what you could give it for the constipation, but for sure I would force it to drink some water with electrolytes and vitamins (a Gatorade will do if you don't have bird electrolytes). Use a syringe (without the needle). It really needs to stay hydrated. The extra liquids may will help the constipation as well.

 

[berysa]

I tried giving it some water but it won't really even drink it when I put it up to its beak. Right now it's struggling to even stand and I think it's going to die

 

[soler]

Have you tried to force feed it some water? that's the only way. If you don't have a syringe perhaps an eye dropper? it's really important you keep it hydrated, do have save-a-chick or other electrolytes to give it? if not, gatorade? some kind of reinforced water so it can get some nutrients in.

 

[berysa]

I don't think it's really drinking that much water, but I force fed it some chick feed... I don't have any special kind of water. Is sugar water okay? but I heard sugar water doesn't really help that much with the digestion. It's really weak at the moment, can't stand up a lot, especially when it's straining to poop.

 

[soler]

No, not sugar water. What about apple cider vinegar? That could help the chick too. A drop or two in a tablespoon of water, and squirt it.

You can also try dripping drops of water on the beak by hand. It will eventually drink some but it will take a while.

 

[soler]

Maybe wetting a towel in warm/hot water and sitting the chick on it may help to loosen it up a bit too?

 

[berysa]

Thank you for your suggestions, I managed to force feed it some food and some water but it still won't eat by itself. It also can't seem to balance/stand up by itself, keeps falling over, I think there's something wrong with one of its legs? It was sleeping a while ago but its left leg kept on twitching. All breathing was normal. Is it possible that it somehow got injured?

 

[nmoo]

Did you check it's vent to make sure it isn't pasted up?

 

[berysa]

Yes I'm sure, I gave it a few baths and cleaned it up :C The poor thing is just lying there on its side now... I don't think it will make it