Chicks may have eaten some vinyl wallpaper 😬

[Cristyloks]

Long story short, our brooder pen is open bottomed and currently on concrete so we put a strip of vinyl wallpaper under it to be a little warmer. There's pine shavings on top of that. Apparently while shifting the brooder it tore and there's now a chuck missing (all pine shavings were dug away around it so I suspect they potentially ate it.) The chicks are 3-4 weeks old. The wallpaper does contain some kind of adhesive (you typically wet it and apply it to the wall, we just laid it down as a dry layer.) How concerned should I be about this and is there anything I should give them to help pass any eaten chunks? They are currently only on chick feed with no chick grit introduced yet. Little buggers did all this in the few hours I wasn't home.

 

[2ndTink]

They will likely be ok, just make sure they are not plugged up (still passing poop) and their crops are looking enlarged like something is stuck in there. I've had chicks eat shavings and stop themselves up, a few pieces of coconut oil helps work things through the system.

 

[Cristyloks]

They will likely be ok, just make sure they are not plugged up (still passing poop) and their crops are looking enlarged like something is stuck in there. I've had chicks eat shavings and stop themselves up, a few pieces of coconut oil helps work things through the system.

Thank you! I have coconut oil, should I give any now or just if I see any signs they may be blocked? It's so hard to tell who's pooping and when I'll witness a couple when I'm checking on them and refilling things, but I'll try and keep a closer eye. I swear their crops always look pretty packed full. They eat constantly! I'll maybe make sure to check them in the AM closer even though they have access to food overnight (is it ok if they don't at this age? These aren't my first chickens, but they are my first chicks!)

 

[Cristyloks]

I also just went ahead and put some chick grit in with them in case.

 

[2ndTink]

I don't think giving them coconut oil would hurt them even if they don't need it. If you're concerned, I'd just go ahead and give them some.

I don't know about pulling food from them, I've always let mine free for all 24/7, adding some chick grit will be good. I think just keep an eye on them and if you see one that you think has an issue then think about how you could keep it away from feed for just a few hours and see if it helps.

 

[Cristyloks]

So, a little update of sorts but mostly more questions (sorry!) we replaced the vinyl wallpaper with some pine board type stuff we had on hand for underneath their pine shavings last night. It has a somewhat slick finish and they spent most of the night pushing away the pine shavings and eating little pine bits off said floor (it's a dark color and I think it made all the little bits easy to see.) I haven't seen them do that before so I tried to remedy by putting puppy pads between the flooring and the pine shavings. One little chick seemed a little slower today and wants to sit off from the group so I checked her crop and it feels very firm. Mind you, they had all just eaten plenty of feed too as I gave them some wet mash after the puppy pad placement. I'll confess, I don't typically check their crops (we have another adult chicken right now that is very sick and it's taken up a lot of my attention.) I offered a little coconut oil on my finger and she took one little taste but had no interest after that. I did see her poop once but it was on the runnier side. Should I do anything specific with her? Separate her out with no food for a bit and then recheck? I haven't felt everyone's crops as it's just been chaos here this morning, but I'll try to get the other girls checked as well. I do see chicks eating the grit off and on which I assume should be fine, but should I worry about them eating too much? I feel like they literally will eat or overeat anything in their vicinity (aside from coconut oil apparently ) and again, brand new to having chicks!! We got our last flock just before laying age.

 

[2ndTink]

They might overeat the grit a bit but it should level off, same for the shavings. My last several batches of cbicks I've gone to using just a puppy pad for the first week, I'll sprinkle their crumbles on the pad and have mash in a very shallow dish. I use the crumble partly for them to eat, and partly as bedding. Then after a week, I use shavings and the dry feed goes in a dosh and I have them spoiled so I typically continue making them mash until about 4 to 6 weeks, basically until it's a nuisance with how much they eat.

I'll make mash for the younger chicks and the older ones will come beg for it and sometimes it works and I'll give them a treat of it

I think just watch your little one. If you can get a little more coconut oil into her do so. You can mix their mash up with some oil too if you want. I like using mash especially when they are younger because it helps get water into them.

 

[2ndTink]

How are they doing?

 

[Cristyloks]

How are they doing?

So far so good! I've mixed a little coconut oil into their mash each day just in case. Yesterday they decided to shred and eat the puppy pads so those had to go. Still keeping a close eye!!

 

[2ndTink]

Oh my! I'm glad they are doing well in spite of their dietary choices!