Two Week old chick having a hard time Pooping

[swadle]

I have a two week old chick that had and has some pasty butt issues. We would clean it off and then put her back. I then noticed that she will squat and put her wings back and make a squawking notice and would not poop. She was also under the heat lamp in the corner chirping. So I got a wet rag and will clean her. I also soaked her a bit in warm water. After I clean her she will do the squat and then poop an unbelievable amount. She pooped a bunch last night at 2 am and then this morning. Her vent is a bit swollen but I think it maybe from all the cleaning I am doing. She wasn't eating or drinking or walking around yesterday but this morning she seemed better. She is drinking and eating a bit. But still seems clogged up. She will squat and squawk and nothing will come out. Until like I said I put a wet rag on her backside. Has anyone had any issues like this in the past and what have you done to get the chick regular again.

Thanks

 

[azygous]

This is an emergency. Your chick needs immediately treatment for constipation. She will die if not treated, and she's also in pain when she tries to poop.

Coconut oil in its solid form is easiest and safest to get down a chick without it going down the airway. Break off tiny bits, pry her beak open and slip them in on the right side. Get one teaspoon down her. It needs to be this much to do any good.

Massage the oil in her crop very gently to get it out of the crop and on its way down toward her intestines. Smooth some of the coconut oil on her swollen vent. It will help heal the inflamed tissue. Then place her somewhere warm with water to drink.

In a few hours she will pass a huge poop. If she doesn't, and continues to strain and chirp as she squats, repeat the oil.

Other oils may be used, mineral or olive oil, but great care must be given not to aspirate the oil into the lungs. Just dribble the oil into the right side of the beak with an eye dropper. Do not try squirting the oil in with a syringe.

 

[swadle]

Is it hard to get her to except the coconut oil?

 

[swadle]

Also what causes this constipation?

 

[azygous]

Accepting it or not is not the point. She may or may not be thrilled about having it stuffed into her beak, but you must try to do this or she will die. It's not optional.

Constipation is usually caused by not drinking enough water. It can be caused by feeding treats and not providing grit. For chicks, this would be granite sand, commonly found in the feed store where the chick feed is. Or you can give her a clump of sod from your yard, grass included.

Another cause is immature digestive organs. If this chick is much smaller than the others, you could consider this as the cause in this case. Vitamin supplements are a very good idea to get this chick up to speed, if you suspect it's a failure-to-thrive victim. Poultry Nutri-drench is an excellent supplement for sick chickens.

 

[azygous]

Put one tiny flake of solid oil onto her tongue and she will automatically swallow. Keep doing this slowly and methodically until you get an entire teaspoon down her.

 

[swadle]

Thank you. I have been giving them grit since we brought them home. I did give them blueberries and cantaloupe. I am giving them save a chick right now. I have a couple of things I need to do here at work then I am going home to give here the oil. I appreciate your help. I have two that are the same age and they are of course smaller then the others very in age up to 5 to 6 weeks.

 

[swadle]

I have been looking at her through an IP camera and she is running around and drinking and scratching and eating.

 

[azygous]

If she's active, that's a very good sign. She may have passed the obstructed poop. But the oil treatment shouldn't hurt. I would do it anyway in case the obstruction hasn't completely resolved.

 

[swadle]

how about an enema or/and preparation H