What's wrong with my week old chick

[Jean67]

Got a chick from the leghorn pullet bin at TSC a week and a half ago. It was the only one with pasty butt. We have given her nutri drench in her water the first few days, then switched to apple cider vinegar for a few days and today we are trying a probiotic/electolyte mix in her water. We had to seperate her just a few days after getting her because the other chicks picked her open and made her bleed. We've had chicks with pasty butt before but this is different. Her vent is red and she seems to have a yellowish liquid that oozes out which is thicker and kind of puts a coating over the opening. We use warm water and a q-tip several times a day to clean it apply a little coconut oil. She is eating, drinking and otherwise active and acting normal. I was thinking maybe she had an injury to her vent during sexing? Any ideas what it could be and what we can do for her?

 

[Jensownzoo]

Does she have separate droppings from the yellow ooze, or is the yellow ooze diarrhea?

 

[Jean67]

Yes. She does have seperate droppings which are a little on the harder side sometimes which I guess could mean she's a little constipated. She is drinking and her brooder temps are not too hot. She's in the house and I have the lamp adjusted so it's between upper 70's and low 80's and she seems comfortable. Would you try giving a little coconut or olive oil?

 

[azygous]

It couldn't hurt to give her some oil on the chance she's still plugged up from the pasty butt. The yellow ooze is concerning. But try the oil and see if it's just constipation before trying to address anything further.

Coconut oil is the best thing for any sort of inflammation, and should be in all chicken keepers' first aid kits. You might squirt some a tiny way into her vent to help lubricate that end of things.

 

[Jensownzoo]

I am thinking that since she is passing solid fecal material, that the ooze is probably coming from an inflamed, infected cloaca. Vent gleet is the common term around here, although it is untrue that it is always a fungal infection (thrush), it is most common.

Continue with the probiotics as promoting a good microflora tends to prevent overgrowth of the bad ones. Acidification of the water also is beneficial--ACV is fine. If you use fermented feed, this actually is both probiotic (the fermentation culture) and acidic (lactic acid).

Using an antifungal cream on the rear end may help if the infection is fungal.

Flushing into the vent with an antimicrobial solution might be a bit too difficult in a chick of this size, but works pretty well in adults.

 

[Jean67]

Thank you for the suggestions. I will continue with the probiotics and coconut oil and may try an antifungal cream.

 

[azygous]

Coconut oil is an anti-fungal cream in itself.

 

[Jean67]

Ok. Thanks. Guess I'll stick with that for now.

 

[Jean67]

Just wanted to give an update. My chick is doing a lot better. Her vent is still a little sore but she hasn't had any new pasty butt in 3 days. I'm continuing with the ACV in her water and swabbing the vent area with coconut oil.

Thanks for the help!