Clogged vent

[MrsHarrison73]

We have several chicks that have "dirty butts" lol and about every 3 days we wrangle, clean, and dry them. One specifically had a horrible problem and apparently I didn't catch it fast enough and she died (I was cleaning her every other day but everything clumped up on her). In the future, how do I prevent this from happening again? Am I doing something wrong? My bedding was just changed a few days ago so I don't think it needs changed again (it doesn't look or smell bad at all).

 

[Eggcessive]

How old are the chicks. In my experience, chicks that have been shipped or from feed stores can get pasty butt for 7-10 days, usually from dehydration and stress during shipping. It has to be cleaned off every day or the chick can die. Chicks need to drink plenty of water, and the heat lamp needs to be not too hot (around 90 degrees with a thermometer in the warmest spot.) I wash only the vent area with my fingers and warm soapy water. Some use a drop of olive oil on a QTip to the vent as well. Broody raised chicks don't seem to suffer from this as I have noticed, but the mother hen may ean them. They also get water sooner.

 

[MrsHarrison73]

I got 35 chicks from a hatchery and 10 from rural king, and the rk ones are the worst! But they are 3 weeks old now and I'm at 75 degrees today (just moved the light today, 80 yesterday). I hold the chicken with my left hand and wash their rump to get the nasty off with my right, only their rump is getting wet and then I'm dying well before going back to the nursery.