freedom Ranger chicks with clotted bums

[kimslack]

I have one week old freedom ranger chicks. I'm feeding them chick starter (agway) crumble. I didn't use any grit this week cuz I thought they were very young. But now some of them have clotted poop around their bums. I've been tweezing and snipping with haircutting shears to get the stuff off but scared to hurt them. I put some first aid ointment on their bums after I'd been snipping. Its only two of them that have it out of 12 chicks.

I put some pebbly grit in their brooder along with the chick starter and water. Is there anything I'm doing wrong?

Kim

 

[MrsChickendad]

Sounds like pasty butt. Rinse the stuck on part with warm water on a Q-tip and tease it off. It falls apart easily after it gets wet and doesn't pull the fuzz off. Forget the grit, they usually don't need it as babies. Pasty butt is very common, but you have to get it off before it plugs up the vent. Hope this helps!

 

[kimslack]

Thanks... I've tweezed and clipped off the worst but I'll continue to try and keep their bums clean with the q-tip idea.
Kim

 

[4 luv of eggs]

I dealt with a couple cases of poopy butt and found it easier to hold them in my left hand and put their little butt under warm running water. With your free hand, gently pick off the stuck on poop. It comes off pretty easy. Make sure you dry the butt off real good before you put her back in the brooder. A wet behind may draw attention and unwanted pecking.