Week old chick, poo problems, won't stop peeping

[NeilFan]

Hello! I have a baby chick that is really worrying me. We have 5 one week old chicks, all supposedly females. Four of them are growing well and are active and fun. But we have one that is smaller than the others, never stops peeping and starting yesterday she has been lethargic. Last night I noticed that she had a build-up of poo on her vent. I scraped it away, and though I was being gentle as possible, she was obviously not enjoying that and it seemed to hurt. Today she has not stopped peeping and stands around with her eyes closed. She has gone to the water and food and consumed those a couple of times that I've seen, but she didn't take in much. I'm worried about her. If she continues as is, I'm afraid she will die. Can you help, please?

 

[chickengrl]

Keep her vent cleaned like you are. Trim some feathers away if it keeps blocking her. Also, some baby oil, vegetable or olive oil around the vent will help keeping it from sticking. If she got real backed up she may be sick from the toxins. You can try to get a small bit of olive oil down her to clean out. Some folks us a bit of molasses in water to do the same. You can add some vitamins to the water to give a little boost. Poly visol baby vitamins(no iron) from baby section of the store a drop in the beak may help. Most important keep an eye on all the chickie butts. This can kill them by the time you realize they are blocked. We lost a new one recently because although we look, we had so many chicks we missed one. Good luck!

 

[MrsChickendad]

Run warm water over the dried poo and tease it off with a Q-tip. If you just pull it off dry, you will pull off the down and that hurts! Pasty butt will kill them, so you have to be vigilant in keeping it clear so the poo doesn't back up on them.

Is the poo bloody? Google coccidiosis to see if you think that is what it could be. I keep my chicks on medicated feed for several weeks, then wean them off it gradually when they go outside.

If the chick is peeping all the time, it may be cold. Check the temp at the level where the chick is. I have had good luck giving them a feather duster to snuggle with. Go more by how the chicks act than the actual temperature showing on the thermometer. The others may be pushing her aside.

It wouldn't hurt to give her a couple drops of baby vitamins and/or electrolytes. Add a little sugar to her water (1 T per quart) for energy.

Hope this helps!

 

[NeilFan]

Thank you! I just gave her a small bit of water/olive oil/karo syrup (didn't have molasses) mixture via a dropper. She drank it ok. She pecked at her food a tiny bit after I put her back in the box. I'll keep my fingers crossed! Thanks again.

 

[TeamChaos]

Yes, keep cleaning her butt but use warm water or something equally as soothing. With my last little guy, it wasn't just the poop pasting on the outside that was a problem it was almost like he couldn't get the poop out, so I ended up doing very gentle massage (

) and he'd pass a bunch at a time

 

[NeilFan]

Thanks again! My little Bitty, as I'm calling her, is doing better. But, she still is getting a build-up of poo on her fanny. Does anyone know what causes this? I'm taking care of the symptoms, but I wonder what the actual problem is.

 

[BrattishTaz]

Too much heat can cause it. Check you brooder temps.

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
Mollasses is a natural laxative for fowl. Mix it in their water to look like weak tea and give it to them for one day. Wouldn`t hurt to keep some on hand. The build up of poo (pasty butt) is caused by constipation, believe it or not. The white stuff is urine that can get past the blockage, but just oozes out. DO NOT use an eyedropper, unless you know what you`re doing. There is a chance of getting liquid in their windpipe and drowning them. INSTEAD, dip their beaks a couple times to be sure they are getting a drink. Mollasses will fix it......Pop

 

[NeilFan]

Thanks yet again! This forum is awesome! I will get some molasses and put in their water. Also, I keep the heat at about 92 degrees. Isn't that about the recommended temp? I really appreciate the advice! Lea

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
95 degrees the first week, then decrease 5 degrees each week until ambient temp is reached.......Pop