I have a chick with a wet bottom and swollen, red vent. It is blocked up and just stands with its eyes closed. It also cries and strains, trying to get the droppings out. There is an unpleasant odor and liquid is dripping from the vent. I need help ASAP!!!

-- Molly Plunkett (nightdrgn@aol.com), May 06, 2002

Answers

Take a soft cloth and some warm water and very carefully clean the vent and the entire back end off by massaging gently. Continue massaging with the warm water until he's well cleaned off. hope this helps

-- kathy in southeast ohio (katelyn_123us@yahoo.com), May 06, 2002.

There are no droppings, the chick is just constipated. White fluid was oozing out before, but isn't coming out as much now. I managed to get some yogurt into its beak, and it's resting right now. The chick is only one week old and the brooder floor is sand, so how likely is it that this is cocci?

-- Molly Plunkett (nightdrgn@aol.com), May 06, 2002.

I don't know, Molly, but if that chick is on sand he's probably been eating it and that's what has it plugged up. I have no idea what to do, but you might want to ask over on the http://www.poultryconnection.com/forum/ and see if some of the people there can help.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), May 07, 2002.

I had a constipated chick. What I did was I took a big darning needle and actually "scooped" the poop out of his vent with the eye of the needle very gently. I got alot out and he would then push more towards the vent so I could get more. This particular chick died anyway, but I think if I would have caught him sooner he might not have.

-- malinda (teneniel_80@yahoo.com), May 07, 2002.