2 poop questions - 10 days old

[Fourwaldens]

Question 1)
One of my chicks has poop stick under her vent...not on her vent. I keep checking to make sure she’s clear but beneath her vent. No one else in the brooder (she’s one of four) is having this issue. Should I clean it and just keep watch or should I clean it and help her in some way? Btw she’s the last one to start getting a good amount of wing feathers and no tail feathers to speak of yet. She’s still mostly fuzz...compared to the other chicks.

Question 2)
I brought the chicks on the deck with me for a few last night and of course everyone had to poop multiple times in the 15 min we were out there lol—- but they all had mostly runny poop. What I could find online showed me it was semi normal but I just wanted to make sure. We feed the girls non medicated chick starter and I give them weeds with roots/dirt still attached daily.
Thanks!

 

[imnukensc]

1) Yes, you should clean the poop off even if it's not blocking the vent. More poop will stick to it as time goes on and eventually block the vent.
2) Semi watery poop is normal in chicks. Sometimes even my adult birds have watery poop.

 

[Fourwaldens]

1) Yes, you should clean the poop off even if it's not blocking the vent. More poop will stick to it as time goes on and eventually block the vent.
2) Semi watery poop is normal in chicks. Sometimes even my adult birds have watery poop.

But I don’t need to do anything besides clean it, correct?
Thanks for the reply!!

 

[Keeperoflock]

My experience with raising baby chicks was that when mine had "pasty butt" it was because the brooder got too hot. 95 to start then down 5 degrees each week till they exhibit no longer needing the heat, usually around 75 and under. Because the weather is warm outside you may not have them in a brooder.

I cleaned mine off very gently with Q-tips and warm water and a soft rag. Made sure they were dry then put a very small amount of Vaseline with another Q-tip just around the vent so that the poop won't stick to the downy fluff just by the vent. Then I put ACV (apple cider vinegar) with the mother in their water. I used around a tablespoon to a gallon of water. Watched the temperature closely and never had a problem after that.

Hope this helps.

 

[Henrybelle]

My 5-6 week olds have always had the watery excitement poop as I call it every time I take them out for field trips just their first poops the rest of the day trip it gets normal

 

[Fourwaldens]

My experience with raising baby chicks was that when mine had "pasty butt" it was because the brooder got too hot. 95 to start then down 5 degrees each week till they exhibit no longer needing the heat, usually around 75 and under. Because the weather is warm outside you may not have them in a brooder.

I cleaned mine off very gently with Q-tips and warm water and a soft rag. Made sure they were dry then put a very small amount of Vaseline with another Q-tip just around the vent so that the poop won't stick to the downy fluff just by the vent. Then I put ACV (apple cider vinegar) with the mother in their water. I used around a tablespoon to a gallon of water. Watched the temperature closely and never had a problem after that.

Hope this helps.

Thank you!
I bathed “her” this morning with a cotton ball dipped in barely warm water and got her area cleaned up...
We don’t keep the brooder any higher 80, the chicks pant when we try any warmer but I actually put ACV with the mother in their water this morning. I pick each one up several times a day and do a basic check on them

 

[Fourwaldens]

My 5-6 week olds have always had the watery excitement poop as I call it every time I take them out for field trips just their first poops the rest of the day trip it gets normal

Oooo good to know!
That’s usually how it seems, sheer excitement.