Prolapsed Valve

[sookasyd]

Hello I just bought 8 baby chicks all female and they are about 2.5 weeks old. One of them has a prolapsed valve. I cleaned her off in shallow luke warm water to get the poop off. There is no puss or bleeding, it looks very mild. It started to go back in a little after her bath. Then I put prep h on and in the valve and held it in for a minute and it still won't go in. She is able to poop still, it's just obvious she is constipated and she peeps all day and night. What should i continue to do with her, she obviously isn't laying eggs and won't be for another 6-8 weeks, so i don't have to worry about that. These are my first chicks, so everything i have done were suggestions from others on this site. Please help, thank you.

 

[loveourbirds]

keep the vent area clean, add a little sugar to her water and keep your fingers crossed. what you are describing seems to be caused by stress or chilling. usually if you keep them clean and add some sugar or vitamins and electrolytes to their water they will be fine.
also are you using a medicated starter? if you aren't this may help you.

are you new to raising chicks?

 

[sookasyd]

Yes I am new to chick raising, this is the first time. I will for sure add sugar to the water. No we have not been using medicated starter but i can easily get ahold of some. Should i separate her from the other chicks? There are 5 and they don't seem to fight or anything. They mostly huddle together. Also should i continue to rinse her butt daily?

 

[loveourbirds]

use a warm washcloth to clean her butt, yes maybe even twice a day if needed, if they are staying close together they are probably to cold try putting alittle more heat to them, for the first week your temperature should be 95 degrees f. lower the temp 5 degrees each week until they are fully feathered. if they get to hot they will lay all stretched out, subtract some heat if you see this.

it is a good idea to separate a sickly chick, but ive found it best to always keep 2 together. so if you decide to separate it, move another preferably weaker chick with it.

occasionally chicks will play in their water too, if this happens make sure to change the bedding if they have gotten it wet.

another thing to remember, especially with chicks is "you cant save them all"

 

[loveourbirds]

may i ask where you purchased your chicks?

 

[sookasyd]

This is very helpful. Thank you. I purchased the chick at Rural King. It's a little place here in Ross Ohio, the majority of the workers there are farmers. I moved the chicks to a different room in the house (warmer one) and they don't huddle together all the time anymore. They have a 125 watt heat lamp on them.

 

[loveourbirds]

I didn't realize you were a fellow Ohioan, I've gotten a few from the one in Circleville myself. most of the time when a store like that gets chicks they are obviously shipped. I am pretty sure the store in Circleville carries chicks from a place in Michigan - town line hatchery I think. when they are shipped some of them do get chilled and even with the best of care you will occasionally lose a few. even with a few years of practice I still lose some, its just part of it.
on the up side, once your chicks are feathered, it gets a lot easier. if I can help you in any way feel free to ask, also let me know if you save the chick.

good luck,
brian

 

[sookasyd]

Thanks a bunch Brian, you were very helpful. I will let you know it she makes it, so far I've been following your suggestions and she is eating and pooping regularly again. The prolapse isn't completely back in place yet but it gets better every day. I will refrain from naming her, just to keep from getting too attached

Thanks again,
Sydney

 

[heby]

keep the vent area clean, add a little sugar to her water and keep your fingers crossed. what you are describing seems to be caused by stress or chilling. usually if you keep them clean and add some sugar or vitamins and electrolytes to their water they will be fine.
also are you using a medicated starter? if you aren't this may help you.

are you new to raising chicks?

Sorry to impose on the thread but I have a few questions about one of my chicks that has developed what seems to be a prolapse. I've had her a week and all was good. Then she had a little pasty butt so I cleaned her good and all was well for a day and then we noticed the swollen vent and red area. I've been keeping it clean. She can still poop and poop looks normal. But everytime she poops it pops back out. I push it back in but it never goes back in all the way. I read somewhere to put sugar On it & I did but it hasn't helped. I don't think it helps that she bends her head back and picks at it herself too. Is there anything else I can do? Should I try to make some kind of diaper or something to keep it held in? She is the smallest of all of my chicks and they are all the same age within a few hrs or mayb a day. I also tried to make a mash with food but she refuses to eat it. I put her with the others to see if she would eat and she did however I haven't seen her drink. I'm worried about dehydration.