Chick diarrhea?

[MA Mama]

One of my day-olds (hatched myself) seems to have wet poopie around it's bum. The others don't have this. They are on medicated feed. They have also had VERY little apple and carrot - but very tiny amounts. Any suggestions? anything I should look for or do?

 

[LarryPQ]

You need to clean the poop off the butt. It can dry and prevent the chick from being able to pass waste--which will very quickly become life-threatening. Daily bottom checks for the next few weeks.

If the chicks start having lots of diarrhea, you need to treat for cocci.

Good luck!

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Use a warm wet paper towel and wipe off its butt. If the poop is stuck, feel free to dip its butt in a little bit of warm water to soften up the poop. Make sure you check your day olds every day for pasty butt. This can be fatal in chicks if not tended to. You do not have to worry about pasty butt after your chicks are 1 week old.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I agree with the others. It is called "pasty butt" and is very common in new chicks- especially shipped chicks.

I test the water with my wrist under the faucet, then hold the chick's backside under the gently running water for a bit. Then remove, wait a few seconds and repeat until it is softened enough to come off without yanking all the fuzz out.

Then I apply Rooster Booster Pick No More Lotion on the vent area so that the chicks don't peck at the newly washed bum. This must be done every day until the pasty butt stops recurring...it can take days and days!

Keep your brooder temps as recommended as cool brooders also can lead to pasty butt- and also if they are too hot and get dehydrated.

McMurray Hatchery's FAQ page for Chick Care has the temp recommendations if you need them. (Or just ask.)

 

[williamsl77]

Plain old olive oil on the cleaned bum also helps prevent it from recurring.

 

[MA Mama]

thank you all for the suggestions. I understand that I need to clean it so it doens't harden, however I was also concerned that it was like that (wet) to begin with. The other chicks bums are totally clean. Also, they are on medicated feed, which I thought treated cocci... no???

 

[LarryPQ]

Medicated feed is part of prevention, but is not a cure. So if they caught it, cocci would need to be treated with meds.

Don't worry just yet.

 

[MA Mama]

It seems to be ok. After cleaning the bum it made a big poop so I may have diverted a disaster there. It may just be a quieter chick. it even likes beingheld more than the others so I think that what I am thinking is sickish behavior is just a personality trait.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

It seems to be ok. After cleaning the bum it made a big poop so I may have diverted a disaster there. It may just be a quieter chick. it even likes beingheld more than the others so I think that what I am thinking is sickish behavior is just a personality trait.

Yes that is what they do. After the bottom is cleaned out comes all the poo that was stuck in there. Good job! You saved it's life.

 

[MA Mama]

I think there is something else going on. Woke up this morning and his bum was all wet again. I am going to post a new question with pics.