Chick w/ recurring pasty butt!

[TheDocter21]

i have a 4 day old chick with pasty butt. I washed it off with lukewarm water and blow dried her. Then she pooped and IT STUCK BACK ON! I wiped it off and began to wonder how to fix it. I read on a few website to use petroleum jelly, but does anyone have any experience with it working? Or any other ideas?

 

[sannabelle]

Welcome to BYC!

What temp are you keeping her at? Pasty butt is a tell tale sign of too warm in the brooder. Always make sure she has an area to get away from the heat source, also.

 

[TheDocter21]

We have a thermometer, but it is a little funky. It usually reads around 95F, but it gone from 70 to 130 in a few minutes. So, I don’t know if it is trustworthy. Right now it reads around 95.

 

[TheDocter21]

Also (Incase it matters) she/he is a black silkie bantam.

 

[sannabelle]

I would get a better thermometer ASAP, also, make sure your brooder lamp is where she can get away from it. How old she is will depend on the temp. 95 is usually good for 1st week, and then decrease by incriments of 5 degrees each week after. Keep food and water out from under the heat source so she can eat and drink without being in the heat also.

 

[junebuggena]

Pics of the brooder will help narrow down potential causes. Pasty butt is most commonly caused by some sort of stress. The most common causes of stress for chicks is shipping, chilling, and overheating.