Need some advice... baby chick not getting better... need help and or support :/

[upmycreek]

Hello

I have a week old baby chick that has been constipated for 4 days now. I have removed the initial blockage, but it keeps stopping back up. I have given it yogurt, hard boiled eggs, mineral oil, and molasses. How long should I expect for results. It's litter mates are doubling in size and this little guy stays the same size...it is growing wing feathers, but it is so tiny and I am afraid that maybe I'm prolonging the inevitable (it is an araucana and it is the size of a small 3 day old bantam cochin). Here are some pictures...



So I know there isn't a huge difference in size but they really are twice as big as the constipated one. Here is a shot of it's bum yesterday afternoon after I irrigated it and mineral oiled it up...



I really need help or suggestions... how long should you administer the molasses? It's been 3 days so far (12 sips 3 times a day...warmed molasses water mixture) and I flush out its vent 3 times a day and everytime it's really backed up... (1/2 tsp of fecal matter). Also there always seems to be white stuff that is causing the back-up... it pushes and pushes but if I do not insert a pipette end to open it's vent hole wider and flush with warm water it will not come out at all.


HELP PLEASE!!! and of course thank you in advance!

 

[upmycreek]

Oh and it normally is bright red (prolapsed) but I applied blue food coloring to keep pecking of litter mates and I also have put prep H on it and it does go down after a few hours AFTER I have irrigated its vent out.

 

[CorinneP]

boy it sounds like your trying so hard. I do wonder if you might not be offering to many different things to her at this time though .. I use a medicated chick starter and water at first and don't offer any thing else unless like you I get scared. But maybe if you just keep the area clean and put her on a good quality chick start only for a bit .. her body being a little older might be able to adjust better. sure sounds like shes eating enough and even if your helping eliminating a lot . Wishing you the best of luck your concern is very obvious !

 

[rikithemonk]

I don't raise really young chicks and get mine when they are at 8 weeks. So I cant give an answer from experiance. I think the problem may be that the chick isn't getting enough water. Try giving him a bath. Let him play and drink. Add electrolytes to the water. It wont hurt and can always help out a lot.



A few questions that will help people answer your question better.

What are you feeding them? Brand/Type Chick Starter or adult food?

Does he have access to water?

How old is he? (edit 13 days old, didn't see the notation in the picture.)

Riki

 

[1muttsfan]

I have to agee with the above poster (corrineP). I might in addition do a warm butt bath twice a day, if I have pasty butt chicks I hold their hindy under a thin stream of warm water at the sink and gently massage the pasty stuff off.

This chick might have some underlying problem with digesting or absorbing food. If so, it will continue to fail to thrive.

 

[upmycreek]

Thanks so much for the quick responses...


A few questions that will help people answer your question better.

What are you feeding them? Brand/Type Chick Starter or adult food? I am feeding medicated chick starter and I have it dry and I also offer it twice a day in another container as a mash mixed up with warm water.

Does he have access to water? Yes, I have 3 places where they can get water... I also have apple cider vinegar mixed in two of those 3 and it is warm in two spots and cool in the 3rd spot (placed in different areas of the pen)... The brood area has access to cool areas and warm areas and I have two broody hens caring for all the chicks (12 total). So being cold isn't an issue either... I am assuming.

 

[rikithemonk]

Looks like your doing everything right, sadly baby birds sometimes just die.

I think Terry Pratchett said it best.

"The kind of person who rescued small lost baby birds and cried when they died, which is the function kind old Mother Nature usually reserves for small lost baby birds"