Straining to poo, help please

[speedyfuzzball]

What have you been feeding the chick before the constipation started? Were you using any supplements in the water?

 

She was getting chick starter, a few roaches, some egg, and I'd mix water and starter into a mush for them. I also introduced a small bowl of dirt for grit, I checked it does have tiny rocks in it. I started adding a little apple cider vinegar with the mother last Wednesday into their water. I'll take the molasses water out in a bit and I already took the yogurt out. I've been applying olive oil to her vent after she pushes out a poo. After the molasses/yogurt, she had one "normal" poo where she didn't have to push so hard and didn't squeak. There were three-four after that, the first one came out relatively fast but she started straining and squeaking again. And it progressively got worse after that. When she poops her vent protrudes so much it scares me. I don't want her to start bleeding. I don't think I have feed stores around me, is that something I can buy online? Is there anything else I can do for her at this point? I feel so terrible

 

[Michael Apple]

Roaches, egg, dirt with grit, apple cider vinegar for an 11 day old chick? No wonder the chick has had digestive trouble!!! I don't mean to be condescending, but you cannot believe everything you hear as there are some foolish people perpetuating foolish ideas on forums and other places across the information superhighway. Feed the chick starter feed and nothing else for now.

The general practice with grit is sprinkled lightly like salt in feed, and not before 2 weeks of age in the brooder. This prevents over indulging on it and giving too much to a chick's digestive system that can't tolerate it yet. Roaches and bugs are vectors for parasites and the chitin (exoskeletons) aren't easy for a young chick to digest. ACV acidifies water and the intestinal tract of a baby chick that isn't ready for it yet. I've heard every argument from the the most ignorant people with statements like, "Mother hen doesn't control what chicks eat in the wild!" The mother hen directs chicks to eat what she eats. Even then, the mortality rate in nature exceeds what we try to do in the brooder which is prevent sickness & mortality. Now you know. I hope your chick moves forth to good health.

 

[speedyfuzzball]

Sigh.... So it is my fault. I feel like the foolish one. Tons of people were talking about how amazing acv is and how it boosts the immune system, helps prevent pasty butt and what not, I've seen it so much that I thought it was true. I've also read in many different threads that the active cultures in yogurt were good for their guts and that treats can be offered as long as grit was provided as well. Also that eggs were a good source of protein especially for a young chick.. It all did seem credible and I didn't just believe the first thing I read but I can see I've messed up would benebac be good for probiotics? When would you recommend adding acv to their water again? Should I do anything else/add anything else to help her or just feed starter and regular water and hope it goes back to normal? I just hate sitting back and watching her in pain and struggling she's such a sweet girl. I wont out the dirt back in for a while. Should I keep trying apple sauce? Thanks so much for the advice by the way...!

 

[realsis]

I don't be so hard on yourself. yes some of those things are a bit rough on a chick but I honestly don't think ACV harmed them. but something to remember when giving acv. give it for one week a month. more often than that I've read it can be too acidic and can change the pH balance. when my chicks were small and to this day I offer a probotic in there water and it adds benifical bacteria to the gut and the beneficial bacteria is wonderful to keep the gut healthy and regular. also the bacteria helps fight the bad bacteria in the system. it works great you might want to give the probotics a try to naturally balance her system. it can be given to the whole flock. it works excellent and is very good for them
I believe it will help balance out your chicks system. the product I use is called pro bios.its safe for chicks. I gave it to my own chicks. I continue to give it to my whole flock. now my chicks are grown but they still get it. just like probotics are good for your system and keep you regular its the same with chickens. pro BIOS is a wonderful product and can be purchased online for 12.00. a jar lasts a long time. you might try this for your chicks intestinal health. it gives several benifical bacteria into the gut that helps the bird stay healthy. it's a great product and I urge you to try it for her gut. good luck hope this helps and best wishes. don't be hard on yourself
we all live and learn. its OK. good luck.

 

[speedyfuzzball]

I don't be so hard on yourself. yes some of those things are a bit rough on a chick but I honestly don't think ACV harmed them. but something to remember when giving acv. give it for one week a month. more often than that I've read it can be too acidic and can change the pH balance. when my chicks were small and to this day I offer a probotic in there water and it adds benifical bacteria to the gut and the beneficial bacteria is wonderful to keep the gut healthy and regular. also the bacteria helps fight the bad bacteria in the system. it works great you might want to give the probotics a try to naturally balance her system. it can be given to the whole flock. it works excellent and is very good for them
I believe it will help balance out your chicks system. the product I use is called pro bios.its safe for chicks. I gave it to my own chicks. I continue to give it to my whole flock. now my chicks are grown but they still get it. just like probotics are good for your system and keep you regular its the same with chickens. pro BIOS is a wonderful product and can be purchased online for 12.00. a jar lasts a long time. you might try this for your chicks intestinal health. it gives several benifical bacteria into the gut that helps the bird stay healthy. it's a great product and I urge you to try it for her gut. good luck hope this helps and best wishes. don't be hard on yourself
we all live and learn. its OK. good luck.

Thank you so much for your input. I will try the probiotics. Is this the correct product? http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002WDGLL0
It would take two days to ship to my house, would you recommend using something like benebac or acidophilus in the meantime? Right now they only have plain water and chick starter. Tracie (the little girl with poop problems) has plucked out some feather near her bum overnight I was so glad to see her alive though. Do you think she has a decent chance at recovering? Thanks again..

 

[realsis]

hi there
yes that is the exact product I use and I love it! what you can give her until it comes is PLAIN yogart with LIVE ACTIVE cultures inside. make SURE it has live cultures. I really hope she has a chance to make it. if we can balance her system with benifical bacteria I pray she has a chance! it really depends if she can pass the blockage or not I will be honest. but this is her best chance at getting her little system back to normal. I will pray for her. please keep me posted on her condition. I know time is of essence and that's what I'm worried about. let's stay positive and pray for the best. I know the probotics will really help her. my chick when she was little had pasty butt and her vent was blocked. I cleared the blockage and got the probios and she did very well. never got it again. I still give the probios to my flock. it really helps .so I do have good hope for her. I do pray she heals and is able to poo. all we can do is try and wait and see. I'm praying this does the trick! so stay positive and give her some yogurt with live cultures and let's see how she does. God bless you and good luck.

 

[casportpony]

Try mixing water in their crumbles, this should help soften her stools. Just remember that it will go rancid, so make it fresh as often as possible.

 

[speedyfuzzball]

hi there
yes that is the exact product I use and I love it! what you can give her until it comes is PLAIN yogart with LIVE ACTIVE cultures inside. make SURE it has live cultures. I really hope she has a chance to make it. if we can balance her system with benifical bacteria I pray she has a chance! it really depends if she can pass the blockage or not I will be honest. but this is her best chance at getting her little system back to normal. I will pray for her. please keep me posted on her condition. I know time is of essence and that's what I'm worried about. let's stay positive and pray for the best. I know the probotics will really help her. my chick when she was little had pasty butt and her vent was blocked. I cleared the blockage and got the probios and she did very well. never got it again. I still give the probios to my flock. it really helps .so I do have good hope for her. I do pray she heals and is able to poo. all we can do is try and wait and see. I'm praying this does the trick! so stay positive and give her some yogurt with live cultures and let's see how she does. God bless you and good luck.

Thanks so much.. I just wanted to make it clear that she does not have pasty butt.. Her vent is clear, the problem is that when she poops, it looks like it's very difficult and painful for her to pass it, her vent protrudes, looks red and poop takes a while to come out. She squeaks and pushes really hard and I feel so bad she has to feel that way everytime she poops. So she is passing poops, it's just the process of it that is worrying me
There is so much conflicting info on the Internet, the user who posted before on this thread said yogurt was harmful bc of the extra calcium so I don't know what to do I gave some yogurt (with active cultures) last night before reading that. I will order the probios when I get home. What are your thoughts on acv and what age to start putting it in the water? They are on plain water for now. Thanks again for your help!

 

[speedyfuzzball]

Try mixing water in their crumbles, this should help soften her stools. Just remember that it will go rancid, so make it fresh as often as possible.

Yes! I do mix some water and crumble for them and they love it! I only leave it out for a few hours

 

[realsis]

I think ACV is great but should only be used ONE week out of the month. I did some research on this my self and read several articles. all saying it should be given one week out of the month because its very acidic. personally I'd wait until the chick was just a bit older before I'd give it to her because of the acidity. let me see if I can find some articles for you to read on ACV. I'll post link
give me a minute to find them