Chicks with pasty butt.

[kJamesJr]

I just purchased a straight run of white bantams (didn’t realize it was a straight run). About two weeks ago and they’re getting pasty butt. They’ve been getting it since we got them. I purchased 5 and one small one died the next day. But the remaining four have been growing, eating/drinking and very active. So I think they’re healthy but they keep getting poop stuck to their butts.

Currently feeding purina chick starter, the medicated version. Could it be their not getting enough water?

 

[azygous]

Pasty butt that lingers into the seond and third week is most often caused by a brooder being too hot and too small for chicks to escape the direct heat and to shed excess heat.

 

[Angileen]

Pasty butt that lingers into the seond and third week is most often caused by a brooder being too hot and too small for chicks to escape the direct heat and to shed excess heat.

I had 5 chicks out of 40 that had pasty butt for 2 weeks. I don't use a heat lamp for brooding. I use a heating plate brooder for chicks. They were in a very large stock tank and could easily get away from the heat if wanted. I have also read that they can get it from shipping stress.

 

[Angileen]

I just purchased a straight run of white bantams (didn’t realize it was a straight run). About two weeks ago and they’re getting pasty butt. They’ve been getting it since we got them. I purchased 5 and one small one died the next day. But the remaining four have been growing, eating/drinking and very active. So I think they’re healthy but they keep getting poop stuck to their butts.

Currently feeding purina chick starter, the medicated version. Could it be their not getting enough water?

Pasty butt happens, just check every day and make sure you clean it off with warm water and a soft cloth, be very gentle or you could tear the skin.

 

[kJamesJr]

Okay thanks for the replies. The brood box is a little small I suppose. It’s an old repurposed cabinet. The heat lamp is only shining in one corner though. They don’t show any signs of overheating and they typically like to sleep at the edge of the light and shadow when they could just go to the other end of the box. I can probably start turning it off because they’re starting to let go of their baby feathers.

I did get all the poop off with some olive oil and a paper towel. I was very gentle in removing but some out the feathers came out. So some of them are running around with a naked butt. I’ll keep an eye on it.

Unrelated, does anyone know how to tell the difference between a male and female in this breed? I have two with darker wing feathers but that’s about it in the difference between the 4.

 

[kJamesJr]

Oh the breed I got are Brahmas. Sorry, got it wrong in the first post.

 

[pibb]

The brood I have now, pasty butt has lasted about 1 week, but my last brood (which was about 2 months ago) had pasty butt for 3-4 days. Same brooder, same methods, same breed. The only thing that was different was the feed and the building the brooder is in has been hotter. I personally think it is a combination of stress, type of feed, water consumption, and temperature.

 

[kJamesJr]

The brood I have now, pasty butt has lasted about 1 week, but my last brood (which was about 2 months ago) had pasty butt for 3-4 days. Same brooder, same methods, same breed. The only thing that was different was the feed and the building the brooder is in has been hotter. I personally think it is a combination of stress, type of feed, water consumption, and temperature.

The chicks I got three years ago or so came from a mom and pop hardware store. A few different breeds and none of them got pasty butt. These ones from tractor supply all seem to have it. I picked up some buff pullets today because I wasn’t sure how many Brahams I had were hens. All the buffs seem to also have the pasty butt. Using the same brooding setup too.

 

[kJamesJr]

Well the pasty butt seems to be gone. Their butts aren’t red anymore. Still naked though.

 

[hrmoore78]

I noticed that my Brahams are more susceptible to pasty butt than the other breeds that I also have that are about the same age (Red sex links, white Plymouth, Delaware).