# Help! Chick emergency!!



## Tiff (May 12, 2020)

I just pulled two inches of a pretty large worm out of my tiny pet chick's rectum. When I pulled, she wasn't in pain, but it seemed stuck in there!
Like I'd pull and it started coming out, but then it stopped coming out. She tried pushing at times with no luck. At some point I think it moved inward.
It's definitely a worm, lots of little ridges.

I'm ordering dichotomous earth right now as a natural remedy. Is there anything else natural and cost effective I can use?
And is it eating her from the inside, or just her food?


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

I'll tell you right off the bat, you are going to get a big lecture on diatomaceous earth being bunk. Not from me, but you'll hear it lol. I whole heartedly believe in it, I've had major success with it so I'm with you on that front. 
We don't see worms in chicks very often, this is very odd. She is old enough maybe, where do you keep her? Where is her pen?
Without a picture of the worm in it's natural shape (it's all stretched out in this picture) I can't tell what kind of worm it is so I can't answer your last question. 

Welcome to the forum! lol


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Save your money, DE will not accomplish anything. Plus it's probably not a worm but shed intestinal lining. It's something that happens and doesn't do harm. 

One of these days I'll look why it happens.


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

*wink*


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## Tiff (May 12, 2020)

robin416 said:


> Save your money, DE will not accomplish anything. Plus it's probably not a worm but shed intestinal lining. It's something that happens and doesn't do harm.
> 
> One of these days I'll look why it happens.


Wow I had no idea chickens did that, I think that might be it. Thank you!


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## Tiff (May 12, 2020)

Sylie said:


> I'll tell you right off the bat, you are going to get a big lecture on diatomaceous earth being bunk. Not from me, but you'll hear it lol. I whole heartedly believe in it, I've had major success with it so I'm with you on that front.
> We don't see worms in chicks very often, this is very odd. She is old enough maybe, where do you keep her? Where is her pen?
> Without a picture of the worm in it's natural shape (it's all stretched out in this picture) I can't tell what kind of worm it is so I can't answer your last question.
> 
> Welcome to the forum! lol


I keep her in a plastic bin at night, during the day she walks around the house with me all day without eating anything weird.
Her bin has garden supply bought soil inside cause I read in some Korean Farming book that dirt based coops prevent disease. 
She's at least a month old, she's a miniature breed.

Someone commented on it possibly being an intestinal lining shed, that seems likely, I'm not experience with chickens so I'm not too sure


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Um, something you need to change up if possible. Get her a buddy. Chickens are very flock oriented and are much more relaxed and content to have their own kind around. 

She would be a bantam.


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

yes, Robin is right, she should have a buddy. It is possible, in extreme cases to raise a single chick successfully but it's rare that it works out and extremely difficult on the chick and it's person (you)

and again, Robin is right, a miniature breed is called a bantam. 
On this soil you have, they are talking about real dirt, like you would find from the yard. garden soil is sterilized so that it doesn't have any bacteria in it that would affect your plants, in this case, the things you want in the soil are destroyed by that process. I understand and greatly appreciate all of the work you have done to provide the best possible home for your little baby, you are doing your best and that's all anyone can ask for but pine shavings are cheaper, easier to clean up and work extremely well for chicken bedding for their entire lives. When she gets bigger (has all of her feathers) and the weather is at least 70 degrees, she would enjoy a trip out into the yard with you supervising her the entire time. Don't leave her alone for even a second. No joke, she'll run off, a bird will get her, a cat etc. She would very much enjoy spending time outdoors looking for bugs, eating grass and dirt and grass roots, with a good quality feed and time outdoors, she will be happy and getting all of the nutrients she needs.

As for the worm being intestinal lining shed, I agree with that after blowing up the picture and looking closer.

Please ask any questions and be careful of the information that you get off of the internet, ANYONE can write ANYTHING they want and put it on the internet, it's not always true and it's not always the best advice. Come to us, we will never steer you wrong.


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

Oh, also, what temperature are you keeping her bin at during the night? If you could possibly get us a picture of the little sweety we can tell you a lot more about her and her needs.

(we LOVE pictures on this forum! They let us celebrate with you on their growth, they help us determine if there is a health issue, etc so keep us posted with pics!)


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