ok i cleaned their crust off and put olive oil on but..... some of the little ones have their butt hole protuding is this normal or are they sick? what can I do?
The seriousness of your situation depends on how much the vent is protruding. If it looks like something is hanging out (like flesh) separate the chicks from the others and put a little Preparation H around the vent. If it is just a little protrusion, you should be OK. Just watch and make sure the other chicks are not pecking at the vents. Check the chicks several times a day to see if any more get pasty butt. If not cleaned off, the vent could stop up and kill them. Sounds like you have things under control though.
One of my newest babies had the exact same problem just 2 weeks ago. Several times a day I checked her bum and if necessary cleaned it with plain, warm water. Then I dried it as best I could with a soft towel. (she was only days old when this happened) Within minutes of cleaning her and returning her to the brooder, she would poop. After a couple days, the problem went away. It seemed her BM was just sticking to her and then she couldn't go. I'm happy to say she is just fine now and growing quickly. Good luck with your little one.
Okay, pasty butt is the one thing I do not miss about chicks! hehe Just clean them regular and it should be fine. As long as you don't pull too hard on the poo when trying to clean it off. With some of the fluffier ones (like silkies), I would trim the fuzz around the bum so that it was less likely to...ummm...get stuck...on anything... I have and a baby and toddler in diapers all while having chicks and I have to say baby wipes work great for chick butts, too. ;-)
You can rinse them in the sink with a tiny stream of warm water. Dry them and put a little vaseline on the bottom to keep it from sticking.
It was bad when I got them three had been picked off and were bloody and raw---I was scared---I did post on emergencies because at the time nobody was responding and some one there said to use prep H there are still 3 I must watch Thanks
Hi I would agree with Miss Prissy with warm water, under the sink, then dry them. and maybe vasline. I would never use olive,grape-seed oil,ect. it is gritty and it will attract the other chicks, it it was like a magnet for the other chicks for me I suggest taking clipping the area with good sharp scissors, and or plucking/ pulling out the small area. it will heal very quickly. This is only my opinion from experiences. BA
