Two days ago I found one of my 10 day old chicks very pasted, and her vent was extrememly swollen, enlarged, and plugged with hard black poop. I read all I could about this on BYC and asked for any and all advice. Thank you one and all for your suggestions of warm water soaks, Vaseline, monitoring behavior, etc. I took your advice and worked on (soaked and soaked and swabbed and swabbed) this little girl off and on for the past two days. But last night, when she still had not pooped, and was still as plugged and swollen as could be (poor little thing - her vent was approx. 1/3 inch in diameter, and on a 10 day old Cochin Bantam, that is BIG!!), I resorted to some prayer and went to bed thinking, I have done all I can... I'm gonna wake up to find a dead chick for sure.
Then this morning, we did an early morning soak/swab, and then when I went out to check, that little girl was standing in the middle of, I kid you not, approx. 4" worth of hard black poop logs!! Her vent was DRASTICALLY reduced in size (although still somewhat inflamed and raw - after pooping THAT out, no surprise!!), and right in front of me she was eagerly gulping water and eating food. First time I've ever taken a tray of poop throughout my house to show off to my family!! I wanted to take a picture!! I've soaked her off and on today, done some Betadine rinses (again, thank you for the advice), and have kept her lubed with Vaseline, and all afternoon, she's pooped normal green, soft, beautiful poops!!! I could cry! Thank you friends, for giving me the advice that saved this little chicks life!
