I have an eight-month-old cockerel who has a lot of excrement stuck to his butt feathers. He certainly doesn't have any problem producing poop, so I'm not sure if that actually qualifies as pasty butt. I've never noticed this issue before, so I think it's related to the nasty weather we've had for the last couple of days: my entire yard is literally frozen over, and I've never been successful at getting my chickens to use an artificial dust bath since they left the brooder, so I think he just hasn't been able to attend to his personal hygiene. Additionally, he has a habit of occasionally sleeping on the ground, although he also perches and doesn't seem to be unwell in any other sense.
I tried to clean him up with damp paper towels, but I didn't make much progress and was afraid of hurting him. Should I just wait until he can get back to dust-bathing, or should I try another method for cleaning him up?
I tried to clean him up with damp paper towels, but I didn't make much progress and was afraid of hurting him. Should I just wait until he can get back to dust-bathing, or should I try another method for cleaning him up?
