Going great...and then the pasting began...

[HeadHen]

I got 26 chicks from MM on the 22nd and had grow gel, purina sunfresh starter/grower medicated crumbles, chick grit, sugar in water for first day and a half, lots of fresh water. They were doing great. Then today I have had to clean pasty butt off of 7 of them.
I'm worried. They still seem fine except for that. They are in my garage and it was 98 today and the air seemed stagnant. I turned off their heat lamp and late this afternoon I opened the window to get some fresh air but it is still really warm in there. Could the heat have caused the pasting, or did I take them off the sugar water too soon?

 

[speckledhen]

Sugar water will give them diarrhea, so you did right by removing that. Do this; add a tablespoon of organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar to their quart waterer. This is the kind with sediment. That seems to help. they can also be too hot. I start mine at about 90-95 at first then lower it just before the first week is over.

 

[Cetawin]

Cyn gave great advice....If they are in the garage, can't you put a circulating fan out there to move the air around in the garage itself near the brooder? That may help also. My girls loved having a fan blowing across the top of the brooder when it is hot hot.

 

[HeadHen]

Quote:
That won't be too cold of make it too drafty for them? My mom wanted to do that, but I was afraid to.

 

[Beekissed]

Do all chicks get pasty butt? I got an order from MPC on the 17th of 24 chicks. I gave them water with a little red wine vinegar, nonmedicated laying mash crumbles and nothing else. No pasty butt here. I've read an awful lot of posts about this pasty butt thing. Maybe the antibiotics in the medicated feed that folks give is causing diarrhea? It can cause it in humans, why not baby chicks?

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Out of the 45 (give or take) I only had two with pasty butt. And it was the batch that I gave the electrolytes in the water. I think that and also sugar, gives them runny poo. I never had a prob at all with ANY of the chicks I hatched out myself. Could it even have something to do with the meds they get from the hatchery?

 

[Beekissed]

Maybe so, as I didn't have the vaccines for mine. They seem to be doing very well and progressing normally.

This is their first night outside in the brooder pen and its 58 degrees tonight, so we'll see how things go. They still have a lamp and its cozy in there, but, as these are my first chicks, I worry a little!

 

[HeadHen]

Quote:
I thought you couldn't give chicks laying mash because the high calcium content would damage their kidneys?

 

[Beekissed]

Don't know...they seem to be doing wonderful on it. I was unable to get unmedicated starter and the ingredients seem to be the same except for a little less protein, so I winged it! They are doing great and spent last night outside in their brooder for the first time....it was 58 degrees and they only had a lamp with a 75 watt bulb. They were laying everywhere this morning, snoozing like Rip Van! Not huddled together, or anything. They seem bright and chipper and are eating like hogs. No pasty butt either...

I'll let you all know how it turns out!

 

[pkeeler]

My chicks from MM also had some pasty butt. About 7 out of 26, just like you. It goes away eventually. I believe it is the stress of shipping. Probably other stresses too. My white laced cornish all had it, but only a few of the others. Some of the breeds didn't have it at all. Also, with all the down back there, they will get dirty. If you can see the vent, I wouldn't bother cleaning as it really stresses them out. At about 10 days, round them all up and clean any that need it. That should be the last of it.

You can also feed them rolled outs, which should help bind the poo.