Shivering keet

[NCgirl21]

Title basically says it all. They are a week old and we picked them up today about two hours away. I noticed one has pasty butt and is also shivering. Does it shiver because it's cold or scared? It happens when he's laying under the lamp and when I hold him. I'm concerned he's sicker than just pasty butt with the shivering too.

Thanks for the help.

 

[JLeigh]

If you haven't already done so, get a warm wet cloth and clean the keet's butt. The pros on this site all say that pasty butt can prevent them from pooping, which will build up toxins in their system and cause illness and death if not taken care of.

If your temperature in the brooder isn't at 95 degrees F directly under the lamp, it could just be cold, but if the temp is good and the others are fine, I'll bet it's Pasty Butt and that can be cleaned off.

Anything else and I have to leave it to the experts. I'm just parroting what I've read on this forum. You can do a forum search and find a lot more info I'm sure.

 

[PeepsCA]

Leigh's right, the pasty butt can build up toxins in their body and take them down fast... so sadly, that keet may already be on his way out. Week old keets with pasty butt isn't common, it's more of a day old/few days old issue. Once you get the poop softened and cleaned off dab some mineral oil or even corn/vegetable oil around the vent area to keep future poops from sticking. Make sure the keet is eating and drinking... dip his beak a few times a day if you don't see him drinking, try to use tepid or warm water. Poultry electrolytes with vitamins in the water may help him.

 

[NCgirl21]

On the day I got him (yesterday) I cleaned his bottom with warm water but it was so dirty it was hard to get one hundred percent clean but enough that his vent wasn't blocked. I have so far tried a dab of Vaseline, vegetable oil, dipping his butt in warm water, warm soapy water. Just about anything I read on the forums I'm trying. But he's constipated too. I don't know if that is a symptom of pasty butt or if that means that he's still not clear but he tries to poop and cries and you can see his butt enlarge. Sometimes he gets a tiny little bit out and I have to wipe it. He has drank a little bit and pecked at a piece here or there but not much. He basically stands in the corner under the heat lamp with his eyes close. Sometimes he ventures with the other three meets but mostly not. For the constipation I'm trying molasses in the water and yogurt. He took like a pin size amount of yogurt so I mixed it with his door but wasn't a huge hit with him. I don't know what else to do. It looks like he's in so much pain when he cries and tries to poop. It's heart breaking. And I feel like if I was more experienced I would be able to help him better. Any other tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[PeepsCA]

You're pretty much already doing everything I would suggest to try and save the lil guy. He may have an intestinal blockage... was he or is he on shavings or any other type of bedding that he could have eaten that would stop him up? I don't think I've ever read anything about giving a baby bird an enema, but sounds like that poor little guy needs one (I wouldn't dare attempt it tho, you may do more harm than good).

If you can get his beak open you could give him tiny tiny amounts at a time of a thicker yogurt/molasses mixture with a syringe (no needle). Keep dipping his beak in the more liquidy mixture too tho, you will see him swallow a few times if he's taking any in. It really sounds to me he is on his way out, and I'm sorry you have to go thru this (and sorry for him too).

 

[NCgirl21]

You're pretty much already doing everything I would suggest to try and save the lil guy. He may have an intestinal blockage... was he or is he on shavings or any other type of bedding that he could have eaten that would stop him up? I don't think I've ever read anything about giving a baby bird an enema, but sounds like that poor little guy needs one (I wouldn't dare attempt it tho, you may do more harm than good).

If you can get his beak open you could give him tiny tiny amounts at a time of a thicker yogurt/molasses mixture with a syringe (no needle). Keep dipping his beak in the more liquidy mixture too tho, you will see him swallow a few times if he's taking any in. It really sounds to me he is on his way out, and I'm sorry you have to go thru this (and sorry for him too).

With me he wasn't on any shavings or hay, just towels but I got him from a woman who had him on shavings so maybe it happened then. She had so many keets that I don't think she was able to be diligent about checking each one and it makes me sad and a little mad that she didn't take the time to check him which might have prevented his death. At the very least she could have seen just how bad the pasty butt was and if she caught it in time he might have been okay. We tried everything though... warm water, warm soapy water, dabbing his butt, dunking it, molasses, vegetable oil and preph for the prolapse. But I think by the time we got him it was too late. We got him Saturday afternoon and he died this morning.

 

[JLeigh]

That's a shame, NCgirl. I hate to hear that, and am sorry you lost him. So sad.

 

[PeepsCA]

Sorry for your loss, pat yourself on the back for all your efforts to save him tho. Doesn't make it any easier, but at least you know you tried!