Hi All,
I've been reading lots here in preparation for my first little flock. I got four chicks on Thursday and they all looked great. Immediately (and because of all the reading I've done here) I noticed that the Barred Rock chick had what looked life a wet bit of down on her bottom, which I worried could be pasty butt. She seemed to be pooping just fine, but I kept an eye on her. By Saturday morning I jad gotten attacjed and named all the babies, and I did notice that she had some definite crusted poo on her. So, I took a damp paper towel and got it off, and I could see her vent was a bit red so I put some oil on it and felt like she would be ok.
Last night when I looked in on them, sge was lying on the side of the cage, her breathing was labored, and she looked damp. I immediately picked her up and tried to dry her and keep her warm, but before I could do anything for her she just died in my hand. I was so much sadder than I expected!
Anyway, after doing some more research I think what I may have seen was a prolapsed rectum. I just have so much guilt about not having checked on her an hour or two earlier, because if I had known she was sick I may have been able to save her! She was the bossy one and seemed like the most vigorous of the group, so I had no idea...
I'd like to go to the feed store and get aother Barred Rock before the other babies get much older. Is it ok to do that, or would I have to quarantine the new baby? And are my other three at risk from the same thing? They look great, but now I'm paranoid!
Thanks in advance, and here's a picture of my little flock before I lost her:
I've been reading lots here in preparation for my first little flock. I got four chicks on Thursday and they all looked great. Immediately (and because of all the reading I've done here) I noticed that the Barred Rock chick had what looked life a wet bit of down on her bottom, which I worried could be pasty butt. She seemed to be pooping just fine, but I kept an eye on her. By Saturday morning I jad gotten attacjed and named all the babies, and I did notice that she had some definite crusted poo on her. So, I took a damp paper towel and got it off, and I could see her vent was a bit red so I put some oil on it and felt like she would be ok.
Last night when I looked in on them, sge was lying on the side of the cage, her breathing was labored, and she looked damp. I immediately picked her up and tried to dry her and keep her warm, but before I could do anything for her she just died in my hand. I was so much sadder than I expected!
Anyway, after doing some more research I think what I may have seen was a prolapsed rectum. I just have so much guilt about not having checked on her an hour or two earlier, because if I had known she was sick I may have been able to save her! She was the bossy one and seemed like the most vigorous of the group, so I had no idea...
I'd like to go to the feed store and get aother Barred Rock before the other babies get much older. Is it ok to do that, or would I have to quarantine the new baby? And are my other three at risk from the same thing? They look great, but now I'm paranoid!
Thanks in advance, and here's a picture of my little flock before I lost her:
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