Month old chick can't pass anything through her vent!

[Emmajesse]

Hello everyone!

I have a month old chick who's become quite ill in the past few days... help!

She doesn't move much, won't eat and only drinks if I use a dropper. I noticed a funny noise coming from her vent, it seems like she can't pass anything no matter how hard she tries. I've had her with me for over an hour now and all she does is desperately try to move something from her system. She appears to be quite stressed and incapable of doing anything, please post if you know anything!

 

[Eggcessive]

Has she been in a brooder, and what has been the temperature? Is she drinking water? Can you give her a few drops of molasses or Karo syrup orally? Those can act as a laxative, as well as mineral oil, or castor oil. Get her to drink, and you can lube her vent with a little vegetable oil or vaseline on a QTip. That might stimulate her to poop. Dehydration, overheating, or some type of blockage could be a problem. What are you using for bedding, what is she eating, and what does her crop feel like? Some chicks will eat bedding, pine shavings or sand, and get crop blackage. Farther down the GI tract, the gizzard can get blocked as well. Keep us posted.

 

[Lil Peeps]

Has she been in a brooder, and what has been the temperature? Is she drinking water? Can you give her a few drops of molasses or Karo syrup orally? Those can act as a laxative, as well as mineral oil, or castor oil. Get her to drink, and you can lube her vent with a little vegetable oil or vaseline on a QTip. That might stimulate her to poop. Dehydration, overheating, or some type of blockage could be a problem. What are you using for bedding, what is she eating, and what does her crop feel like? Some chicks will eat bedding, pine shavings or sand, and get crop blackage. Farther down the GI tract, the gizzard can get blocked as well. Keep us posted.

x2! I almost wanted to say soak her bottom in warm water too to help loosen, but it would depend on how far down she was backed up, so maybe just follow Eggcessive's advice! I hope she gets better soon!!!!

 

[Emmajesse]

Thanks for the reply Eggcessive

She's been raised in an outside coop with a light, she gets her feet on the earth every day and we've fed her things like honey and minerals. Thanks for the suggestion to use a laxative, I'll give it a try and see if it helps her

 

[Emmajesse]

Thanks Lil Peeps, I agree Eggcessive's advice sounds great, I will be doing as much of it as I can

 

[Eggcessive]

Drinking enough liquid, and not being to warm can be keys, unless there is some sort of blockage.

 

[Lil Peeps]

Drinking enough liquid, and not being to warm can be keys, unless there is some sort of blockage.

That was what I was picturing was a blockage. That's why I thought soaking, like what to do for an egg bound hen.

 

[Eggcessive]

How does her crop feel? Is it full and hard or does it fluctuate becoming soft and fuller? Chicks who eat sand or pine shavings may get blockages in the crop that can move on to the gizzard. Even some have swallowed rocks that are too large to help with digestion. An impacted crop can be treated with water and massaging the crop several times daily. A molasses flush (1/4 cup mollasses per gallon of water for 4 hours, then replace with fresh water) can help to cause diarrhea to help move along a blockage or expel toxins out of the body. Some blockages have to be removed by a vet. Here is some info on crop blockage:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/answers-from-chicken-vet-on-impacted.html