Why is my chick always sick? Crusty beak, pasty butt

[clarsen5325]

My baby chick has had pasty butt for 4 weeks (pretty much her whole life), hasn't grown except her feathers, and now has a weird crust forming on the corners of her beak. From what I've seen in the brooder she's not picked on. She has great energy, never acts sick. We've separated her for a few days, no difference other then her being sad. We've given her nurtradrench, probotics, everything! Does anyone know what could be going on with her? :-(

 

[iwiw60]

What kind of feed are you giving her? Do you put ACV (apple cider vinegar) in their water?

 

[clarsen5325]

They're on medicated feed and I have done ACV in their water.

 

[iwiw60]

They're on medicated feed and I have done ACV in their water.

You say 'medicated feed' ... is it a name-brand feed like Purina Medicated Chick Start, or an off-brand name...just curious! On the ACV be sure to only use 1 tablespoon of ACV per gallon of water...too much ACV might not be a good thing.

Has your chick improved any today?

 

[CloeyCoraCamila]

Just so I know I hear you correctly - its in with other chicks that are growing and doing fine - its just the one that has the issues - is the food digested in the stools, what do they look like, and is the discharge come from the nostrils also, and does the crusty beak look like its food has gotten wet then dried (like it vomited) or like a yellowish/clear slime dried to it - I'm thinking it might be having issues with the crop ?

 

[clarsen5325]

Yes it's purina brand medicated feed. It's the same today. Thanks for the ACV measurements, I wasn't sure how much to give so I just put a couple drops in their water dispenser.

 

[clarsen5325]

Yes the others are well and I have another chick hatched at the same time from the same chicken mom and dad and it's way bigger! Nothing has come out of it's nostrils from what I've seen, but I'll take a picture of her beak for you. For the pasty but it all seem digested but its like she has trouble getting it all out and it hardens almost instantly. I have to clean her almost 3 times a day.

 

[CloeyCoraCamila]

Something must be wrong with the digestive system that isn't absorbing what it needs and or processing the food correctly. I wonder if you tried a treat they call Ultra Kibble from farmers helper . It helps their system absorb the nutrients and supports the intestinal tract to aide digestion - maybe it has a "birth defect" and its little digestive system didn't develop quite right - just a guess since its done this since birth - if you do give the treat soak it just enough to soften it don't over wet it - wetting it to much actually weakens the nutritional value - if you can't get the treat - find something that supports the intestinal tract and food absorption

 

[clarsen5325]

I'm going to try that! Thanks here's a picture of the crust on her beak. Iits like a dried crust, maybe vomiting. And here's another picture of her with her sister chick who's significantly larger.

 

[clarsen5325]

Also- her eyes were stuck shut the other morning and we had to open them for her. But it only happened that once.