2-1/2 weeks old and still pasted up

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Hi Folks I need your advice.

I received 8 chicks on June 15th; two each Welsummer, Black Jersey Giant, Barred Plymouth Rock and White Plymouth Rock. I had pasting up troubles with one of the Jersey Giants (Diana) and one of the White Plymouth Rocks (Juno) during their first week. The girls are now 2-1/2 weeks old and while Diana hasn't had a problem in over a week, Juno continues to need attention at least three times a day and I'm wondering what I could be doing better. Poor Juno's rear end is a mess of sticky feathers and every time she poops it sticks, or seems to stop half-way out and needs to be soaked off. While I do my very best to be super gentle and soft spoken and use warm water, she seems so distressed after the ordeal and peeps loudly for 5 or 10 minutes after I put her back with the others.

Having read this forum several times, I've tried adding oatmeal to their diet (which they love and will come running to eat it out of my hand) as well as a dab of olive oil on Juno's vent after I've cleaned her up to keep future poops from sticking, but neither seem to make a difference with her.

I've also noticed that at this point, both Diana and Juno are way smaller than their age mates, we're talking about less than half of the size of the other chicks. Both still have their cute baby chick faces and are small and fuzzy while their sisters are all getting long necks and long legs and lots of tail feathers and that awkward adolescent look. I'm wondering if Diana and Juno are smaller and less developed because they have had health problems, or stress from the extra handling or whether it is that they have had pasting up problems because they are "runty" and were unhealthy to begin with.

Any ideas, words of wisdom or even of encouragement?

 

[Nicole01]

My d'uccle pasted up for 2 weeks straight! I was giving them probios(probiotics) in their water to help with digestion. Yogurt works the same. I'm pretty sure she was stressed due to her size and the only bantam. She was a mean little thing to the other chicks. Now my d'uccle is super sweet and no longer pecks/jumps at the others. I washed her daily and cut the feathers off her rear end. I did not use oil, they did not like it. I had 2 other that came home with pasty butt, but it only lasted a couple days.

 

[ReikiStar]

A few thoughts: Put Apple Cider Vinegar in their water which will help normalize their digestive tract. Also, add probiotics to their feed (there is a powered form, the product is called Probios, usually feed stores carry it -- do not give them yogurt!!)

I'm not a fan of it but you could carefully trim the fluff back there so there is less to stick too. Then the olive oil might work better.

How is the temperature in their brooder? 2.5 weeks should be at 90 - 85 degrees.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Quote:
Thanks to both of you for the advice. The temp is around 90 degrees. I'm looking for a way to lower it to 85, but so far the distance I've raised the heat lamp doesn't seem to be making much difference. I'm going to shop for a dimmer switch type devise to see if I can reduce the heat that way.

How much Apple Cider Vinegar do you recommend, say per cup of water.

Thanks again.

 

[ReikiStar]

1 tablespoon per gallon, but if you're like me and you use the 1 quart size for chicks, I usually dump an overflowing cap full (I use the organic ACV that has "The Mother" in it...what does that even mean?). For a cup of water I guess I'd go with 1/4 a teaspoon.

Are you able to tilt the light bulb? If you are, aim it out a little bit and check the temp, that should lower it because now the heat is being dissipated outward instead of focused straight down.