Persistent pasty butt

[TX Chick Noob]

I have had my chicks since Friday, they were hatched last Wednesday and came by mail. Five of them I don't know the breed yet, they are part of a colored egg layer assortment. They are all doing great. The other five are all ISA Browns and four of them have had pasty butt at least once, some repeatedly. Thank goodness I found this forum or I wouldn't have even known to watch for that or how to treat it.

I am using warm water and coconut oil to gently massage the crusted poop until it comes off, and have been careful to avoid the naval area. None of them have had the vent blocked yet since I have been catching it early. Haven't been able to get any of them to eat some coconut oil yet. I am using an MHP, and based on earlier feedback have lowered the temperature. The bottom of the pad itself is around 90F and the floor under it is around 75-80F. The first 24 hours I had them they were getting water with a little ACV in it. Since then the water has the Immune Glow that came with them as a feee sample mixed in. I have also very carefully trimmed a little of the fluff directly under the vent to try to keep it from sticking as bad but made sure to leave a little stubble to avoid bare skin in the area.

Am I doing ok? Anything else to recommend?

I also have one chick with diarrhea but haven't figured out which one yet. It is not bloody, just watery. Any suggestions for what to do if I figure out who it is?

 

[TX Chick Noob]

Sorry to bump this so soon but hoping for some input to make sure I am doing this right.

 

[Mvan42]

I always keep them clean most of the time it goes away once they get a little older.

 

[junior67]

I have had my chicks since Friday, they were hatched last Wednesday and came by mail. Five of them I don't know the breed yet, they are part of a colored egg layer assortment. They are all doing great. The other five are all ISA Browns and four of them have had pasty butt at least once, some repeatedly. Thank goodness I found this forum or I wouldn't have even known to watch for that or how to treat it.

I am using warm water and coconut oil to gently massage the crusted poop until it comes off, and have been careful to avoid the naval area. None of them have had the vent blocked yet since I have been catching it early. Haven't been able to get any of them to eat some coconut oil yet. I am using an MHP, and based on earlier feedback have lowered the temperature. The bottom of the pad itself is around 90F and the floor under it is around 75-80F. The first 24 hours I had them they were getting water with a little ACV in it. Since then the water has the Immune Glow that came with them as a feee sample mixed in. I have also very carefully trimmed a little of the fluff directly under the vent to try to keep it from sticking as bad but made sure to leave a little stubble to avoid bare skin in the area.

Am I doing ok? Anything else to recommend?

I also have one chick with diarrhea but haven't figured out which one yet. It is not bloody, just watery. Any suggestions for what to do if I figure out who it is?

this is only my 2nd time brooding chicks. last year was my first. Last year I had a few that had pasty butt that I had to clean daily for a few days. Not sure if the MHP was too high but I did lower it down some as I heard the same thing. so it may have been that or just age that they "outgrew it". This year I got my chicks on Friday as well. I started my MHP on the heat setting as what I turned it down to last year. I have still had a couple with pasty butt that I have had to clean a few times. I think sometimes it just happens. I figure by the end of the week they should be done with it just because of age.

I don't give ACV at all and never have. and I don't use coconut oil for it at all.

 

[Opiumbrella]

I have had my chicks since Friday, they were hatched last Wednesday and came by mail. Five of them I don't know the breed yet, they are part of a colored egg layer assortment. They are all doing great. The other five are all ISA Browns and four of them have had pasty butt at least once, some repeatedly. Thank goodness I found this forum or I wouldn't have even known to watch for that or how to treat it.

I am using warm water and coconut oil to gently massage the crusted poop until it comes off, and have been careful to avoid the naval area. None of them have had the vent blocked yet since I have been catching it early. Haven't been able to get any of them to eat some coconut oil yet. I am using an MHP, and based on earlier feedback have lowered the temperature. The bottom of the pad itself is around 90F and the floor under it is around 75-80F. The first 24 hours I had them they were getting water with a little ACV in it. Since then the water has the Immune Glow that came with them as a feee sample mixed in. I have also very carefully trimmed a little of the fluff directly under the vent to try to keep it from sticking as bad but made sure to leave a little stubble to avoid bare skin in the area.

Am I doing ok? Anything else to recommend?

I also have one chick with diarrhea but haven't figured out which one yet. It is not bloody, just watery. Any suggestions for what to do if I figure out who it is?

Is it watery or is it stinky caramel brown like pudding? Every 8-15 poops will be a Cecal poop, and they are smelly, and gooey.

If you have some with persistent pasty butt I would use a small amount of Vaseline around the vent on the feathers to keep it from sticking. I would also give them probiotics, if your not. Sounds like your doing great. It can be stressful having babies lol. Always worrying something wrong with every poop or sneeze. At least that’s what I do, even after all this time.

 

[ChickNanny13]

You can clean their butt feathers with warm water & a paper towel.
What heating pad are you using? The Sunbeam 731-500 temp is about 90/95/100 ... Not sure about the 732-500 as I have both. I keep mine on the low setting & never had problems.
What are you using for bedding? Where are you brooding, in or out?
I used to use AVC in the water (1T/gal). Since I started fermenting feed, they now get fresh water. IMO the AVC did help but prefer the fermented feeding.

 

[Opiumbrella]

You can clean their butt feathers with warm water & a paper towel.
What heating pad are you using? The Sunbeam 731-500 temp is about 90/95/100 ... Not sure about the 732-500 as I have both. I keep mine on the low setting & never had problems.
What are you using for bedding? Where are you brooding, in or out?
I used to use AVC in the water (1T/gal). Since I started fermenting feed, they now get fresh water. IMO the AVC did help but prefer the fermented feeding.

I noticed since starting fermented feed for my flock, but specifically the chicks, pasty butt instances and FTT have been much more rare. I won’t go back to unfermented feed ever.

 

[TX Chick Noob]

I have them in the feed shed (small plastic storage building) in a galvanized stock tank. First day they were on just pee pads, but then I put pine shaving under the pads for more cushion and insulation.

The "liquid" poop is fairly thin but not quite watery. The heating pad I use is a Milliard that someone posted on this site. Not sure of the model number and haven't been able to find specific temperatures for the tgree settings. But when I used a laser thermometer on it when it is set on medium the pad itself is about 95F. The floor underneath about 89F.

 

[3KillerBs]

This was my experience with persistent pasty butt last spring: https://www.backyardchickens.com/posts/24506396

Three things:

First, giving them additives in the water isn't necessarily bad, but make sure that they also have access to PLAIN water. Imagine if all you had to drink was Gatorade in a flavor you didn't like.

Second, try mixing up some of their feed with water to make a wet mash -- about the consistency of oatmeal. Chicks love it and it helps keep them well-hydrated.

Third. try mixing just a little dab of PLAIN, active-culture yogurt into the mash. Like a half-tsp in a half-cup of dry feed.

 

[junior67]

This was my experience with persistent pasty butt last spring: https://www.backyardchickens.com/posts/24506396

Three things:

First, giving them additives in the water isn't necessarily bad, but make sure that they also have access to PLAIN water. Imagine if all you had to drink was Gatorade in a flavor you didn't like.

Second, try mixing up some of their feed with water to make a wet mash -- about the consistency of oatmeal. Chicks love it and it helps keep them well-hydrated.

Third. try mixing just a little dab of PLAIN, active-culture yogurt into the mash. Like a half-tsp in a half-cup of dry feed.

I am going to have to try mash with this batch of babies. My last batch didn't like it.