Help!!!! New silkie looks like it's trying to poop but can't

[mtnmom85]

I got my order of silkies from mpc this morning. 3 did not make the trip and I have just 1 splash left. They were hatched yesterday. She looks like she is trying to poop, but can't. Like I can see her pushing her bottom. I have seen some liquid/poop come out her bottom. I've used warm on her bottom and sadly I can't find her vent. I have had a silkie have pasty butt at around 4 days, but he had a hard clump on his butt so it was easy to tell. She walks around, but is sleeping a lot. Perhaps I am being paranoid because I lost the other 3 and I am just getting in to my head. I have given her like 2 drops of sugar water and I have given her a few of regular water. She does chirp and moves spot to spot. Are day old chicks normally pretty sleepy? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like this batch of chicks were stressed in shipping. Try dipping her beak into water with electrolytes and vitamins for a second, over and over to get fluids into her. Then let her rest for a while. Then repeat. Poultry NutriDrench or Poultry Cell 1 ml daily is good. Take a QTip with some vaseline or oil on the tip, and just insert it into the vent opening an 1/8 of an inch to stimulate it to poop. Sprinkle chick crumbles on some papaer towel around it’s feet. Since they were bantams, and so few, they may have been chilled. I hope this little one makes it, but it might not.

 

[mtnmom85]

It sounds like this batch of chicks were stressed in shipping. Try dipping her beak into water with electrolytes and vitamins for a second, over and over to get fluids into her. Then let her rest for a while. Then repeat. Poultry NutriDrench or Poultry Cell 1 ml daily is good. Take a QTip with some vaseline or oil on the tip, and just insert it into the vent opening an 1/8 of an inch to stimulate it to poop. Sprinkle chick crumbles on some papaer towel around it’s feet. Since they were bantams, and so few, they may have been chilled. I hope this little one makes it, but it might not.

Unfortunately, you were right. I told my kids she wasn't looking good and that I didn't expect her to make the night. Her breathing started to become more labored and when I got up around 430 the next morning she was gone. Thanks for the advice though. I will keep it all in mind.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry that you lost her. MPC I believe is a middle man for hatcheries, but they will sell small numbers. That can be tough on them in small numbers if they travel very far. They may become cold, dehydrated, or thrashed about, even with a heat pack. I prefer to order from Meyer here in Ohio, where I can still get a smaller order, and they may only spend one night in the mail. You may be able to get some replacement chicks if you contact MPC or get some local feed store chicks.

 

[mtnmom85]

Sorry that you lost her. MPC I believe is a middle man for hatcheries, but they will sell small numbers. That can be tough on them in small numbers if they travel very far. They may become cold, dehydrated, or thrashed about, even with a heat pack. I prefer to order from Meyer here in Ohio, where I can still get a smaller order, and they may only spend one night in the mail. You may be able to get some replacement chicks if you contact MPC or get some local feed store chicks.

Yeah I knew that about them. We used them specifically because we only have 2 hens currently and 3 roosters so we wanted them to be sexed. We know that isn't 100%, but we figured it would give us better chances of getting girls. They were shipped around 230 Monday afternoon and my post office in Golden Colorado called at 935am Tuesday to say they were there. Shipping was quick and they have already set up a new shipment for this next Monday. Any tips you can give me for this go around? Obviously the broader is still set up and it will be heated a couple days before this new set arrives. Should I drive to the closest feed store and get anything special? We live about 30 mins from any feed store because we are in the mountains at about 9000ft. So I want to be sure if there are any extras we need we can have them on hand. I feel like I was a bit unprepared to help any that were stressed and want to make sure this go around I will have anything that might be needed on standby. In December we drove 2 silkies, a RR and Bantam Cochin home (10 hour drive) and they all made it home safe and we haven't had any experience except this last shipment with stressed birds.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would pick up some vitamin/electrolytes either for the water or the Poultry Cell or NutriDrench. Many give chicks a drop or two, and I always dip their beaks into the water and feed just so they know how to eat and drink. You may need to keep an eye on your temperature with a cheap thermometer on the floor of the brooder. The warmest area should be 90F with a cooler area they can get to. Corid is kind of good to keep around in case of an outbreak of coccidiosis, since you live far from a feed store. It may be cheaper online than in some stores.