Dried poop on chicks butt

[maryellen21]

hi all, we just got 3 bantums and 3 sex links.. 2 of the baby bantums just got dried poop on their butts from overnight, I cant get the dried poop off, I tried using a soft washcloth and warm water and gently wiped the dried poop but I cant get it off them.i don't want to stress them out they are 2 weeks old but my friend who also has chickens said I have to get the dried poop off as its hazardous to the chicks... the chicks are pooping, I watched them poop and they are pooping ok, but I cant get the poop off

Help....

 

[gander007]

Alright

great to have you joining the BYC flock

Well a dirty vent is not uncommon but nothing a little warm
running water and gently wipe off and use a blow drier or
wipe dry with a towel

Boil up an egg or two and remove the shell them mash up
really good then serve believe it or not this works ....

 

[LEW in TN]

Sometimes it takes a bit of time to soften the crusted poo so it will release from the down and/or skin. I use warm water and a cotton swab. I find it is easier to concentrate the water/moisture to only the effected area by use of the swab, plus less irritating to the little chick than a paper towel. Instead, I use the paper towel for patting them dry. Good Luck.

 

[maryellen21]

what does the boiled egg do make them poop more so the dried poop falls off?
the one chick is so stressed out its just standing in the same spot all night.. I am so afraid to stress it out more and have it die
they are really small, super tiny and the 2 with pasty butt got stressed out fast, one more the other.

 

[LPeaslee]

The boiled egg is a probiotic as is plain yogurt, it helps create benifecial bacteria in the digestive system, making their poop firmer.
Runny poop =pasty but

 

[LPeaslee]

Don't be alarmed if you continue to see runny poop occasionally, even from older chicks and adults.
It's normal to have aproximatly 1 out of every 10 to be runny, its called cecal poop.

 

[woody1]

what does the boiled egg do make them poop more so the dried poop falls off?
the one chick is so stressed out its just standing in the same spot all night.. I am so afraid to stress it out more and have it die
they are really small, super tiny and the 2 with pasty butt got stressed out fast, one more the other.

If the poop chute is plugged the chick will die. You have to get/keep it unplugged. If the dried poop isn't plugging the chute, do nothing. If it is plugged, it must be unplugged, stress or no. FWIW we feed our chicks apple cider vinegar in their water and a little finely cracked corn which we think helps keep "pasty butt" from happening. I think it's the corn, my wife thinks it's the vinegar. Whatever, we seldom have any poop chute problems. Regards, Woody

PS The corn is as treats only. Just a little bit about twice daily. They go nuts over it. They get nothing else to eat for the first 6-8 weeks except prepared chick starter and that dab of corn. Oh, and some chick grit (builder's sand) to help with the corn.

 

[Craftymama]

I'm glad to see these tips. I have my first ever chicks (9 of them) and 2 of them had pasty butt when I brought them home. I cleaned it as best I could and then yesterday I actually held the chicks hind end under very slow, warm running water for a while and then the poo came right off. After that they went right under the warming bulb to keep them warm. One chick didn't seem to mind at all and one chirped softly the whole time. I hope this was an all right thing to do. Today both butts look clean as a can be.

 

[maryellen21]

We will try again today when we get home from work. The chicks are pooping good i checked to see new poops as i cleaned out the bedding to see new poops and they are all pooping eating and drinking. The one that was really stressed out is moving around more, so i hope i dont make it worse tonight..

 

[HickoryHollow]

I use a shallow bowl full of warm water. Hook her little feet on the edge of the bowl then sit her but down. If you soak it a minute or 2, then squeeze the blob with a paper towel, it will soften right up. When you first set the chick back down, it will look like all the down fell out of her little bare bottom. She will pick at it and groom it as it dries. Next thing you know, she will be all fluffy again and you won't know which one it was.