Super tired chick... Pasty butt?

[citychicks99]

This chick hatched last Monday and even though it's the oldest of its siblings, it's the smallest physically. Its sibling's biological mother lays huge eggs though so not sure if they're just bigger than average.

I noticed this chick was falling asleep when standing this morning. I thought it was cute at first until it was like that all day. It still runs around, eating and drinking, but with heavy looking eyelids and it's been getting left behind by its mother and standing by itself, seeming a little lost and confused. It was it's mom's first hatch so it's normally very clingy with its mother and following her around so this behavior is concerning me.

I checked it's vent and I'm not sure if this is pasty butt? I wet a warm paper towel and kept dabbing at it (second picture). Some crusty stuff came off. I didn't use soap.

I've been giving them chick feed but its mom keeps kicking it away. I'm not sure if it's getting chick feed confused with wood shavings. I let them out free range for the first time today.

Also, when it breaths it's vent goes up and down. Not sure if that's normal.

 

[coach723]

Does the vent look normal? It may be pasty butt, that's less common in broody hatched and raised chicks. It's also possible that there is something not quite right inside, they do not all always make it. It may turn out to be a failure to thrive chick that doesn't grow or develop like the others due to abnormalities that are not obvious from the outside. If there is something wrong with it, then the mother will abandon it. If she won't accept it then you may have to separate it and raise it in a brooder, if you want to try to save it. That's up to you. Also, some first time broodies don't do a perfect job, particularly if they are young.

 

[citychicks99]

Does the vent look normal? It may be pasty butt, that's less common in broody hatched and raised chicks. It's also possible that there is something not quite right inside, they do not all always make it. It may turn out to be a failure to thrive chick that doesn't grow or develop like the others due to abnormalities that are not obvious from the outside. If there is something wrong with it, then the mother will abandon it. If she won't accept it then you may have to separate it and raise it in a brooder, if you want to try to save it. That's up to you. Also, some first time broodies don't do a perfect job, particularly if they are young.

No, it doesn't look normal. I think he's breathing pretty hard. I checked the vent again and it's bright green. That usually means they're not eating well?

 

[citychicks99]

I set up his brooder inside and when I came out saw his little head wedged in the dog cage. Isn't that what they do when they're about to die?

 

[citychicks99]

I also saw this at the corner of his mouth. Not sure what that is

 

[citychicks99]

I know these last couple days were also stressful on him since it was a staggered hatch and I had to move him inside my room twice to integrate his two siblings. I gave him some electrolytes and water with Corid in case it's cocci but I don't think he's going to make it.

 

[coach723]

I'm very sorry. It's hard to know, and hard to do anything for them when they are so small. It's unlikely that it's coccidiosis this soon. The corner of the mouth could be a pecking injury or other injury. Really all you can do is keep it warm, try to get it to drink. You can drip fluids on the beak slowly, see if it will swallow. The truth is that there are so many things it could be, and if something goes wrong with incubation or hatch, it's out of our hands. Some of them just aren't meant to be. I don't like losing the little ones either. Sometimes I will carry them in a neckerchief around my neck, it a little hammock, so they are close and can feel me, I talk to them and hum. Makes them feel less alone and somtimes helps them want to live. But sometimes they don't make it despite all efforts.

 

[citychicks99]

I'm very sorry. It's hard to know, and hard to do anything for them when they are so small. It's unlikely that it's coccidiosis this soon. The corner of the mouth could be a pecking injury or other injury. Really all you can do is keep it warm, try to get it to drink. You can drip fluids on the beak slowly, see if it will swallow. The truth is that there are so many things it could be, and if something goes wrong with incubation or hatch, it's out of our hands. Some of them just aren't meant to be. I don't like losing the little ones either. Sometimes I will carry them in a neckerchief around my neck, it a little hammock, so they are close and can feel me, I talk to them and hum. Makes them feel less alone and somtimes helps them want to live. But sometimes they don't make it despite all efforts.

Ten minutes after I gave him electrolytes and probiotics he started eating. He just pooped and vent is cleaned. He also chirped for me. Still super sleepy and I'm holding him to my chest with my left hand but I hope he gets better.

 

[coach723]

How is your chick this morning?

 

[citychicks99]

How is your chick this morning?

Poor thing didn't make it. I put him back with his mom last night so at least he got to pass while he was under her and not alone in my room. Still no idea what caused his death. I think maybe the combo of stress and his mom kicking away the food and water so he didn't get enough nutrition and bacteria caused from the mess even though I tried to clean it up best I could. The day before yesterday I saw lime green poo from one of the chicks. I should have posted here but I thought it was normal since one of the other chicks just hatched two days ago. First time dealing with a dead bird. I think he was a roo so he wouldn't have been able to stay with us anyway but would have been nice to still raise him.