Best remedies and supportive care for pasty butt?

[BlueShadow]

I have a 3 day old chick with pasty butt. She has been weak since she hatched, and the stress of constant cleaning and straining to poop is starting to take a toll. She is definitely more lethargic tonight than she was this morning.

What are the best supportive care measures I can take?
I am already:
Washing her butt under a gentle trickle of warm water
Pat dry with paper towel
Warm her up with hair dryer on warm heat & lo air settings for a minute or so
A few drops of diluted NutriDrench + electrolytes for some nutrition

I am planning to make a separate brooder nursery for her tomorrow.

I am open to all suggestions: Better ways to clean her, better feed, what can I do to improve my care?

 

[BastyPutt]

I have a 3 day old chick with pasty butt. She has been weak since she hatched, and the stress of constant cleaning and straining to poop is starting to take a toll. She is definitely more lethargic tonight than she was this morning.

What are the best supportive care measures I can take?
I am already:
Washing her butt under a gentle trickle of warm water
Pat dry with paper towel
Warm her up with hair dryer on warm heat & lo air settings for a minute or so
A few drops of diluted NutriDrench + electrolytes for some nutrition

I am planning to make a separate brooder nursery for her tomorrow.

I am open to all suggestions: Better ways to clean her, better feed, what can I do to improve my care?

Sounds like you are doing a good job. A few things -

As long as you have a well and appropriately heated brooder, you don't need to use a hair dryer. It's my opinion that this unduly stresses out a bird who is already struggling a bit. If you watch, their down will dry in a matter of minutes in the brooder.

Second, we have nearly completely watched pasty butt go away after feeding fermented feed a few times a week.

Here is a good video on fermenting feed. You'll want to exnay the grains he uses because your chicks are still too small for that. You can just use a mason jar or similar on your counter to start, and maybe 1/2 cup 2x/week minimum or as much as you'd like

 

[Maddcatter]

Raw honey and apple cider vinegar for her water. (2 tbsp/gal for each) the acv is specifically for the probiotics.

I hair dry them until they are dry, as opposed to patting dry with a paper towel. I think it dry them faster, and so is better (but that's me)

What are you feeding her?

 

[BlueShadow]

I am feeding a feed from my local co-op. This is what I have used for years. I am wondering if it’s an old batch of feed or something because it’s been several years since I’ve dealt with pasty butt. This is unusual.

I can try ACV and fermenting.

 

[BastyPutt]

The last round of chicks I got had probably 1 out of 5 that had pasty butt, for a day or 2. I had one chick that had it pretty badly for 4 days, but that chick also had conjoined toes...

Its also how I got to blow drying them, as they started to pick on the ones with any amount of damp fluff. I am a fan of acv, when I first get chicks. I think it helps after the shipping stress.

All great info in this post. 100%. I think with the pasty butt numbers are exactly what someone should expect bringing home chicks.

And A+ on the ACV. I keep giving it to them their entire life, and with the exception of the first week, they will have a choice of "plain" water or ACV.

Just like we take an ibuprofen for a headache, I 100% believe the chickens medicate themselves with the ACV water. Some days they won't touch it, then occasionally you'll see one over there swigging it. Pretty neat.

 

[BlueShadow]

Wow, I like the heat emitter idea!

I have a heat rock that I switch to when I can and a couple of different heat bulbs. (One at 250w, and one at 150w)....

I might very well look into the heat emitter!

The heat emitter has been great. For one, most heat lamps are just too big for a little brooder. I like the idea of the little heat pads that chicks hide under, but they are rather pricey. This is a much cheaper alternative that accomplishes the same purpose. The heat emitter also allows the chicks to get used to normal day/night cycle.

 

[Maddcatter]

@BastyPutt's fermented feed suggestion is a good one. I haven't tried it with the chicks, but my adult flock has been getting fermented feed a couple times a week as a "treat" and I don't have poopy feathers anymore... Ever.

Acv is probably a good stop gap until you have feed that is fermented.

 

[allosaurusrock]

I think you may have good success with adding probiotics directly to the water.

 

[BastyPutt]

I am feeding a feed from my local co-op. This is what I have used for years. I am wondering if it’s an old batch of feed or something because it’s been several years since I’ve dealt with pasty butt. This is unusual.

I can try ACV and fermenting.

Pasty butt is typically something that is pretty common for anyone who has a dozen or more chicks. We used to get one or two per batch, more if they were from a feed store and had sat there for a few days.

 

[rosemarythyme]

What is the heat source you're using? Pasty butt can worsen in warmer temperatures.

The Nutri-Drench overall is a good idea especially since she's lethargic, so I'd keep that up. If she's not drinking well on her own then you may need to direct dose her with a few drops a day.