Vent picking? Please help!*Graphic pics*

[GermanKennhuhn]

Hi folks, one of my English Orpington chicks had a bloody vent, and after cleaning it with Vetericyn, it looked as if her vent had been picked at. She did have pasty butt yesterday, cleaning couldn’t have caused this right? She was in a brooder with 6 other chicks, and they have chick starter and water available. Can constipation cause this? I’m going to give her a bit of chilled coconut oil in case( if that’s ok) Here’s a pic of the brooder:

Here’s some pics of her vent:

Could she have done this herself? Why? Also, how can I prevent her from picking at it? Thanks in advance!

ETA: I forgot to mention I put her in separate box with another chick that doesn’t seem to pick at her vent, but I’ll keep an eye on them in case.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Poor baby - a bump to try and find some tips for you

 

[GermanKennhuhn]

Poor baby - a bump to try and find some tips for you

Thank you!

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks like the vent is pretty swollen from the constipation. She is almost prolapsed, so I would go ahead and give the coconut oil pieces to peck. How hot is your brooder? It should be 85-90 with a thermometer on the floor in the hottest spot for 1 week olds, but they need a cooler area to get to. Decrease it to 80 when they are 2 weeks old. It looks crowded in there, and that will increase pecking. Most chicks can jump up and out of a box that short when they are 2 weeks old. Blukote spray can be used to dye the area blue to help prevent pecking. Or try some Neosporin ointment since the vent is red and irritated.

 

[GermanKennhuhn]

It looks like the vent is pretty swollen from the constipation. She is almost prolapsed, so I would go ahead and give the coconut oil pieces to peck. How hot is your brooder? It should be 85-90 with a thermometer on the floor in the hottest spot for 1 week olds, but they need a cooler area to get to. Decrease it to 80 when they are 2 weeks old. It looks crowded in there, and that will increase pecking. Most chicks can jump up and out of a box that short when they are 2 weeks old. Blukote spray can be used to dye the area blue to help prevent pecking. Or try some Neosporin ointment since the vent is red and irritated.

Thanks for replying! I’ll give her the coconut oil, and I already put some Neosporin on her vent. I’m not sure how warm the brooder is, but none of them act hot, as they scatter about the brooder. One end is much cooler, the heat lamp hardly heats it at all, so I don’t think it’s too hot. I’ll move them into a bigger brooder. A few of them did jump out, but they always got back in. I cover it with wire now. Is BluKote nessesary? I can get it if it is, but if Neosporin alone works I’ll go with that. Thank you so much!

 

[Eggcessive]

No the BluKote is not necessary. It stains blue which wears off, and is antiseptic, to hide the red. But the ointment may help prevent pecking since it is sticky as well as antibiotic.

 

[GermanKennhuhn]

Ok thanks!

 

[GermanKennhuhn]

Unfortunately when I checked on her this morning, her vent was worse I had put her in a bigger brooder with 4 other chicks( I have multiple brooders going do I put a few of the older chicks in another) but her vent was bloody and swollen. Last night, there was practically no blood on her vent, and no one picked at it so I thought it would be fine to put her with some other chicks. I do have them in a shed that has multiple brooders going, and somehow a bunch of leghorn chicks got out of their brooder and into theirs

Here’s a pic of her vent

 

[GermanKennhuhn]

Also, I tried to give her coconut oil last night but she didn’t want it. It put a little on her beak, and I think she ate a little, but not enough. I’m trying again, but she still won’t eat it. Any tips on how to get her to eat it @Eggcessive?
ETA: I also put her in separate box with a chick(Little Bit) who had a leg problem, and they seem to get along ok.

 

[Eggcessive]

You can mix some olive or mineral oil in a small amount of egg or her feed. The coconut oil can be mixed it is soft. If you have a syringe or dropper, you can give her the oil orally, but very slowly a drop at a time letting her swallow. I would also try to feed her watery chick feed to get more water into her.