New chick with possible eye issue

[h3nnyp3nny!]

We just got some new chicks yesterday and one of the buff brahma chicks we got seems to maybe have some eye issues. She's probably around 2 or 3 days old, and always has at least one eye closed, sometimes both. Her eyes aren't inflamed and don't look like they have anything wrong with them. The only way we could get her to open one of her eyes was by applying a warm wet paper towel to her eye for a short amount of time and dropping some warm water droplets in her eye. She switched which eye was closed and which one was open, and we couldn't get her to open the eye she had closed today. She seems to also be constipated as she and takes longer than she should to try and poop. I'm concerned if these two may be coralated and what her eye issue might be, as well as what to do to get her going to the bathroom normally. Any help would be much appreciated, thanks.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

She seems to also be constipated as she and takes longer than she should to try and poop. I'm concerned if these two may be coralated and what her eye issue might be, as well as what to do to get her going to the bathroom normally. Any help would be much appreciated, thanks.

Hi there, sorry your chick is having trouble... The 2 issues could very well be related. Often times eyes closed on a chick that young is exhaustion and or failure to thrive... or essentially not connecting with food/dehydration...

Check the chicks vent and keep it clear if it is getting a pasted vent as that will back it up and is deadly very fast.

If the chick isn't drinking... please hold it in your hand with beak facing the bend in the forefinger. Drop a drip of water directly below the nostrils and the chick will gobble as it rolls around into the mouth.

Whether the chicks were shipped to you or the feed store... they could still be trying to recover... if you have poultry nutri drench on hand administer a drop of that directly to the beak, using your forefinger to help direct the drip and beak together.

Some folks say raw apple cider vinegar with "mother" added to the water can add probiotics which might help if it constipation and not just pasty butt. I don't know the dosage on this but it's low, look it up if you go that way.

A little scrambled egg can be an excellent quick boost that is often very palatable and also easy to digest that can also alleviate constipation one the chick starts responding.

But hydration is key... keep administering a drop or two every 15 minutes.

Sometimes crushing the feed extra or moistening it can help the chicks get it down, and I now do this for all mine. It immensely increased my bantam survival rate.

 

[h3nnyp3nny!]

Hi there, sorry your chick is having trouble... The 2 issues could very well be related. Often times eyes closed on a chick that young is exhaustion and or failure to thrive... or essentially not connecting with food/dehydration...

Check the chicks vent and keep it clear if it is getting a pasted vent as that will back it up and is deadly very fast.

If the chick isn't drinking... please hold it in your hand with beak facing the bend in the forefinger. Drop a drip of water directly below the nostrils and the chick will gobble as it rolls around into the mouth.

Whether the chicks were shipped to you or the feed store... they could still be trying to recover... if you have poultry nutri drench on hand administer a drop of that directly to the beak, using your forefinger to help direct the drip and beak together.

Some folks say raw apple cider vinegar with "mother" added to the water can add probiotics which might help if it constipation and not just pasty butt. I don't know the dosage on this but it's low, look it up if you go that way.

A little scrambled egg can be an excellent quick boost that is often very palatable and also easy to digest that can also alleviate constipation one the chick starts responding.

But hydration is key... keep administering a drop or two every 15 minutes.

Sometimes crushing the feed extra or moistening it can help the chicks get it down, and I now do this for all mine. It immensely increased my bantam survival rate.

Thank you for the advice. I've had a chick in the past who almost died from constipation. We got them from the feed store but they had just come in. I'm hopeful that your advice helps!!!!

 

[azygous]

I agree with my friend @EggSighted4Life that your chick may be suffering from shipping stress. I had six chicks last year that were prostrate with shipping stress although they only had one day in transit and I picked them up at the feed store when they first got in.

I gave each a few drops of warm sugar water with a little Poultry Nurti-drench. It revived them in just a few hours.

For the constipation, I give coconut oil directly into the beak. Chill the oil slightly so it's firm and break off small slivers and slip them into the tiny beak one at a time.

For the eyes, I would put a small drop of Neosporin at the corner of the eye. It may have have some dust kicked into its eyes, and it's causing pain. Chickens will close an eye that is hurting.

 

[h3nnyp3nny!]

I agree with my friend @EggSighted4Life that your chick may be suffering from shipping stress. I had six chicks last year that were prostrate with shipping stress although they only had one day in transit and I picked them up at the feed store when they first got in.

I gave each a few drops of warm sugar water with a little Poultry Nurti-drench. It revived them in just a few hours.

For the constipation, I give coconut oil directly into the beak. Chill the oil slightly so it's firm and break off small slivers and slip them into the tiny beak one at a time.

For the eyes, I would put a small drop of Neosporin at the corner of the eye. It may have have some dust kicked into its eyes, and it's causing pain. Chickens will close an eye that is hurting.

Thank you so much for the help. I will definitely be trying that with her to get her feeling better!