Cleaning Stuck on Poop Off Chick

[MadChickenMama]

I've got a chick with a clumo of poop stuck on real good. The chick is only 6 days old.

Should I just do warm water and let it soak some so it comes unstuck?

This should be pretty simple, but I just want to be extra careful.

 

[danceswithronin]

Warm water should work fine if you hold a warm wet cotton ball to it and give it a little time to soften up, but hydrogen peroxide is supposed to help hard pasties dissolve as well if you want to try that.

 

[staceyj]

Just cradle it gently in one hand and put its little buttski under the faucet.
Use your free hand after a moment or so to help work it off.

Pat dry.
Keep an eye on that one.
“Pasty butt” can come back.

 

[staceyj]

Warm water should work fine if you hold a warm wet cotton ball to it and give it a little time to soften up, but hydrogen peroxide is supposed to help hard pasties dissolve as well if you want to try that.

Nope. I would not put peroxide on an anus. (Mucus membrane in a chick is very sensitive)

 

[dunnmom]

I never cleaned the poop off unless it was blocking the vent to avoid stressing the chick. If it was, I'd apply some lubricant to the vent after washing. If the vent wasn't blocked, I would either trim it off or, just let it fall off naturally as they dustbathe. You can wash it off, of course, but I would just use warm water. If you don't have a dustbath for them, you can go ahead and give them a shallow container full of dirt or sandy soil. It may help keep them clean.

 

[danceswithronin]

Nope. I would not put peroxide on an anus. (Mucus membrane in a chick is very sensitive)

Oh okay, I had seen peroxide recommended in several places so I figured it wouldn't hurt it.

 

[MadChickenMama]

Thanks everyone!

I definitely feel like it could be blocking the vent as it is really close to it and they almost never have liquid-y poops. They poop little things almost nugget-like, but not compact and they're not super hard, just a bit soft and they quickly harden under the brooder light.

These things eat so much! I have never seen chicks eat so much.

 

[dunnmom]

Thanks everyone!

I definitely feel like it could be blocking the vent as it is really close to it and they almost never have liquid-y poops. They poop little things almost nugget-like, but not compact and they're not super hard, just a bit soft and they quickly harden under the brooder light.

These things eat so much! I have never seen chicks eat so much.

They sound healthy and hardy! If you haven't yet, go ahead and clean it up. You can use a little cooking oil after to try to prevent any more poop from sticking. It might crud up again, but oil can make it easier to wash off next time. That stuff can be like concrete when it hardens. Poop-crete.

 

[danceswithronin]

They sound healthy and hardy! If you haven't yet, go ahead and clean it up. You can use a little cooking oil after to try to prevent any more poop from sticking. It might crud up again, but oil can make it easier to wash off next time. That stuff can be like concrete when it hardens. Poop-crete.

When I was treating pasty butt I would take a little Vaseline on a Q-tip and wipe it all around the bottom, really seemed to help prevent it again.

 

[MadChickenMama]

Oil and vaseline both sound like good ideas! I'll keep an eye on it for now to see if it happens again to this one. If so, then I'll try one of those.

And yes they are pretty happy little buggers lol.

They love the little nest I made them ^_^ and their temp in there stays pretty constant. And they sleep in the strangest ways, but it's just incredibly adorable!