Chronic Poo Butt in Easter Egger

[Jbb4484]

Question - I have one very large Easter Egger hen that I end up having to wash her back end just about weekly due to the build up of stool. I have her feathers trimmed to the point where it looks like she encountered a lawnmower. She is not sick and the stool is normal I think just because she is an overweight hen, the poop can't clear her butt. My question is, does anyone have tips or tricks to prevent her stool from sticking? Like a poop repellent if you will. Baby oil? And I would love for her to lose weight but my girls free range and they run on 2 acres all day long so she's very active. Pic attached post last weeks bath.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC...sorry you're having troubles.

Well, some kind of vegetable oil might help, that's what's often used when baby chicks get pasty butt....but, it may also gather dirt on an adult bird.

You say her poops are normal and she's not sick.
Normal poops are usually solid enough not to stick to feathers.
Usually when poops build up it's because they are fairly 'loose'.

Some questions:
Is she laying?
How old is she?
What and how exactly do you feed?

You say she's 'overweight'....what does that mean?
Is her abdomen and/or vent area swollen?
I would examine her vent and abdomen close,
compare it by examining your other birds.

 

[Jbb4484]

Welcome to BYC...sorry you're having troubles.

*****Thanks!! I guess it could be worse after thumbing through some of these threads.

Well, some kind of vegetable oil might help, that's what's often used when baby chicks get pasty butt....but, it may also gather dirt on an adult bird.
***My thought process as well for not trying it

You say her poops are normal and she's not sick.
Normal poops are usually solid enough not to stick to feathers.
Usually when poops build up it's because they are fairly 'loose'.
***They come out only slightly runnier that a completely solid poop. No parasites in it, no bad odor or colors.

Some questions:
Is she laying?
How old is she?
What and how exactly do you feed?

**** She lays 5 eggs a week, is 1.5 years old, and I order their food from Scratch and Peck. Organic no gmo with nutritional content by the textbook, plus they eat garden greens, a weekly yogurt, and free range so lots of bugs and field grass/weeds.
You say she's 'overweight'....what does that mean?
Is her abdomen and/or vent area swollen?

**** I just mean she's the same breed as the others but twice as heavy. Seems "thick." Nothing is swollen, vent is pink and normal. Just a big girl - I get Easter Eggers are the mutts of the world and she is probably mixed with a larger breed, but I swear she's the same height and width basically but like 4 lbs more.

I would examine her vent and abdomen close,
compare it by examining your other birds.


***Thanks for replying. She seems healthy, happy, and active and is actually my head hen. I don't mind washing her but I worry I won't be able to stay ahead of a future fly strike with chronic poop. This has been going on since the winter - my other girls don't have any issues.

 

[ChickNanny13]

What are you feeding? Have you tried fermenting their feed? Adding ACV w/ Mother to their water? I got some Wyndottes (grown) that had messy butts when I got them, I ferment my feed, took awhile but got better. I always start my chicks off with ACV in the water & FF, haven't had to deal with pasty butt.