I have the Pasty Butt Blues... And a few questions!

[kybeagle]

When do you usually see the pasty butt? My chicks arrived this morning after 2 days in the mail and there was no pasty butt what so ever!

 

[Laurajean]

kybeagle: Mine are 4 days old and had no signs of it either until today. But I think they need to be eating for a while for this to happen, since poop was of course food.

 

[featherz]

Just out of curiosity - I had a cat that had a similar issue (don't ask) and we used bag balm with great results. Is bag balm toxic to chickens? I don't happen to have any at the moment and the vaseline works fine. Just wonderin'.

 

[alexysmommy]

Just hold their little bums under some warm running water. Gets rid of even the most caked on stuff pretty easily, just use a washcloth and rub in gently while the water is running over it.

 

[becky11111]

My 4 day old chicks had the pasty butt syndrome. Poor little things. I decided after reading this post to go clean them right away. This is my first time raising chickens. I ran warm water in the bathroom sink. With a q-tip i kept dabbing the warm water all around the clump. afetr about 5 minutes their little butts were nice and clean. i used another q-tip and put a tiny bit of olive oil under the vent. The poor little things chirped, and protested(i would too) I'm sure they feel violated

hopefully it wont get so bad as i know to keep on top of it!!

 

[sheaviance1]

Pasty butt is usually caused by the chicks getting chilled from what I have read on this wonderful forum. I had one chick that was pasty when i bought her. I only had to clean skunk butt once because it was really bad. That is now her name, it just stuck because she is spoiled rotten. Anyway, the feed store had a bottle of olive oil that they kept close to the chicks and a huge amount of q-tips. I think they were using it to prevent it from happening.

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

try adding alittle grit to their feed I find when I put sand in their brooders after the first week I dont have any problems. The easiest way to clean it is to place them in a small deep dish filled with warm water you can then work off the pasties the chicks wont mind the warm water and usually it will poop right away when your finished. I keep the wet ones in a separate box with a small light until they are dry so noone picks their wet butts.

 

[Tala]

Laurie's Silkies :

I've had much more pasty butt in shipped chicks than chicks I have personally picked up. Stress caused chilling I suppose.

I bet so. Feed store (shipped) chicks of mine have gotten a bit pasty, but none that I hatched or got local.

I think giving them grit helps a lot too. I always give them sand or chick grit as soon as I get them.

Vaseline or baby oil does help prevent re-pasting too.​