Keet making distorted neck movements

[hysop]

This is not an emergency, more of a relief I found out what was wrong. Here is my story:

I picked up my chicks & keets from Cackle Hatchery at the Post Office today.

Got everyone settled in separate brooders.

I decided to sit and watch them for fun (good thing I did too!)

One of the lavender keets laid down and I thought he was going to sleep, but then he flopped over to the side and to me that didn’t seem normal. I poked him to make sure he was okay and his neck was just doing distorted movements, reaching his back and chirping as if in pain.

It took everything out of me not to cry, so I picked him up and prayed he’d be okay, but his distorted movements just got worse. For some reason I got the idea to look at his butt.

I thought because I had just received them they couldn’t already have developed pasty butt. Well this one had his vent completely plugged up.

I quickly started running warm water and letting the poo get soft and he kept on crying, definitely didn’t like getting wet, but his neck was still all types of crazy movements.

As soon as I was able to clear his vent he took a nice dump. And looked relieved. I’m still keeping an eye on him (pretty easy since hatchery choice this time was only 2 lavenders).

He looks so much better! But still not as active as the others, but that’s probably because he’s still a little damp and stressed from not being able to poop.

I checked everyone else and although some did have poo stuck on their fluff it was very little and far enough from their vent that they’re okay. I will be removing it soon, but I don’t want to stress the whole bunch more than they already are from shipping.

Here’s a pic of him (or her). He refuses to stand still for a good pic.

 

[My2butterflies]

Glad he is ok!
I hope yours do well!
I received 18 from them last month and was down to 13 within a week. I had never lost keets before so I can only guess shipping was too stressful for some of them.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

This is not an emergency, more of a relief I found out what was wrong. Here is my story:

I picked up my chicks & keets from Cackle Hatchery at the Post Office today.

Got everyone settled in separate brooders.

I decided to sit and watch them for fun (good thing I did too!)

One of the lavender keets laid down and I thought he was going to sleep, but then he flopped over to the side and to me that didn’t seem normal. I poked him to make sure he was okay and his neck was just doing distorted movements, reaching his back and chirping as if in pain.

It took everything out of me not to cry, so I picked him up and prayed he’d be okay, but his distorted movements just got worse. For some reason I got the idea to look at his butt.

I thought because I had just received them they couldn’t already have developed pasty butt. Well this one had his vent completely plugged up.

I quickly started running warm water and letting the poo get soft and he kept on crying, definitely didn’t like getting wet, but his neck was still all types of crazy movements.

As soon as I was able to clear his vent he took a nice dump. And looked relieved. I’m still keeping an eye on him (pretty easy since hatchery choice this time was only 2 lavenders).

He looks so much better! But still not as active as the others, but that’s probably because he’s still a little damp and stressed from not being able to poop.

I checked everyone else and although some did have poo stuck on their fluff it was very little and far enough from their vent that they’re okay. I will be removing it soon, but I don’t want to stress the whole bunch more than they already are from shipping.

Here’s a pic of him (or her). He refuses to stand still for a good pic.View attachment 2290500

Wow - lucky save! Congratulations on the new chicks and keets! I really hope that they all do well.

 

[hysop]

Glad he is ok!
I hope yours do well!
I received 18 from them last month and was down to 13 within a week. I had never lost keets before so I can only guess shipping was too stressful for some of them.

Oh no! Really? Last year I got 18 keets from them and they were pretty healthy. Only reason majority of them didn’t make it was because of my dog and then later some predators. But now I know to not let them free range until they’re adults (6ish months old).

I’ll let you know how these ones do the first few weeks. So far the lavender one is good. Checked them this morning and they’re all happy as can be.

They got mailed Wednesday and I picked them up Friday. Not sure if that helped with their stress. I always keep em in my bathtub the first 3 days then outside they go!

 

[hysop]

Glad he is ok!
I hope yours do well!
I received 18 from them last month and was down to 13 within a week. I had never lost keets before so I can only guess shipping was too stressful for some of them.

We got 6 white keets and I was just counting them and realized we only have 5 now, I thought I was going crazy, but I called my husband and...

My husband just told me we did lose one this morning. He said they were all lying on top of a white one. Not sure if that killed it or they laid on top of it because it was dead.

We are moving then out of the bathroom and into a bigger area outside. Hopefully that will be the only one we lose. We ordered 10, got 13 and are down to 12.

Glad I was able to save that one yesterday, losing 2 in 24 hrs would have been devastating to me.

 

[My2butterflies]

We got 6 white keets and I was just counting them and realized we only have 5 now, I thought I was going crazy, but I called my husband and...

My husband just told me we did lose one this morning. He said they were all lying on top of a white one. Not sure if that killed it or they laid on top of it because it was dead.

We are moving then out of the bathroom and into a bigger area outside. Hopefully that will be the only one we lose. We ordered 10, got 13 and are down to 12.

Glad I was able to save that one yesterday, losing 2 in 24 hrs would have been devastating to me.

Awe, I’m sorry to hear that I was sent 6 white keets and lost 3 of them.
Does anyone know if they happen to be just a tad weaker then other types?
I hope that will be the only loss for you guys.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

We got 6 white keets and I was just counting them and realized we only have 5 now, I thought I was going crazy, but I called my husband and...

My husband just told me we did lose one this morning. He said they were all lying on top of a white one. Not sure if that killed it or they laid on top of it because it was dead.

We are moving then out of the bathroom and into a bigger area outside. Hopefully that will be the only one we lose. We ordered 10, got 13 and are down to 12.

Glad I was able to save that one yesterday, losing 2 in 24 hrs would have been devastating to me.

Sorry to hear that you lost one! I hope that the rest do well!!!