hi there- this is not helpful for the deceased chick- but for the future. This is not meant to be mean- but I see some problems with husbandry and some of the well-meant earlier suggestions.
Epsom salts should not be given to anything/anyone possibly dehydrated, or something at risk for dehydration, or anything young. These work by causing osmotic diarrhea. Epsom salts are for constipation. Impacted crop is not constipation. Impacted crop in chicks is usually eating too much food and not enough water. Or inappropriate bedding. Or being too cold, getting dehyrated- combinations of things. Sometimes it is a genetic problem. Having a chick with spay leg and having crop issues makes me think- there may be genetic problems here. Anyway- more on epsom salts if you want to keep reading...
The crop has no ability to exude or absorb anything like the colon (where constipation happens), it is a storage sac for food- so the salts would flow on by and give the bird diarrhea down farther, which is not helpful- and could be terminal in a dehydrated individual. Actually I do not think epsom salts are appropriate for any chicken problem, except for foot soaks... Chicks eating chick crumble do not need grit. Chicks in brooder with no momma hen to tell them what to eat, have a hard time figuring out what is good to eat, and can't be trusted to make the right choices. No sand for chicks, no grit, and it is a good idea to have them on paper with no wood chips either for the first few days. Once they are eating chick food well, then they can be on chips. Temps should start at 95-100 under the lamp for the first week, and drop by 5 degrees per week. 88 is too cold for hatchlings- this will weaken them.
I hope the others do well!
Epsom salts should not be given to anything/anyone possibly dehydrated, or something at risk for dehydration, or anything young. These work by causing osmotic diarrhea. Epsom salts are for constipation. Impacted crop is not constipation. Impacted crop in chicks is usually eating too much food and not enough water. Or inappropriate bedding. Or being too cold, getting dehyrated- combinations of things. Sometimes it is a genetic problem. Having a chick with spay leg and having crop issues makes me think- there may be genetic problems here. Anyway- more on epsom salts if you want to keep reading...
The crop has no ability to exude or absorb anything like the colon (where constipation happens), it is a storage sac for food- so the salts would flow on by and give the bird diarrhea down farther, which is not helpful- and could be terminal in a dehydrated individual. Actually I do not think epsom salts are appropriate for any chicken problem, except for foot soaks... Chicks eating chick crumble do not need grit. Chicks in brooder with no momma hen to tell them what to eat, have a hard time figuring out what is good to eat, and can't be trusted to make the right choices. No sand for chicks, no grit, and it is a good idea to have them on paper with no wood chips either for the first few days. Once they are eating chick food well, then they can be on chips. Temps should start at 95-100 under the lamp for the first week, and drop by 5 degrees per week. 88 is too cold for hatchlings- this will weaken them.
I hope the others do well!
