Hello everyone, just got chicks today :)

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lilpeepers

lilpeepers

In the Brooder
5 Years
Apr 26, 2014
41
4
26
Hi all,
I got my first ever chickens this morning - 6 arucanas and 6 blue silkies. They are so adorable! We are hoping the Arucanas will be good layers, and the silkies are just cute, I have always gone crazy when I saw them at fairs and such. My daughter is 7, and she loves them all already. And even my husband is devoted as he ran back to Southern States to get probiotics for them this morning. We live in Virginia on 5 acres - our place came with a coop and it's been empty for 3 years, so I'm really looking forward to getting them cozy in there in a few months, and of course letting them out to enjoy the grass (supervised, we have all kinds of wildlife around here) when they are ready.

A few of them have some poo on their bottoms, we have used a warm washcloth to gently clear the area - so if anyone has any advice about that, please let me know! I read some threads about constipation - I'm not sure if they are constipated or just not clean? I have found out so much great info from BYC over the last few months, and I'm very happy to be part of this community now :)
 
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Welcome to BYC!

And congrats on the new chicks! Chicks get pasty butt for a few reasons. Number one is they are dehydrated. So make sure to dip everybody's beak in the water when putting them in the brooder. When people first get chicks, the first thing they want to do is shove food in their faces. This is not good until the are properly hydrated. So chicks need to drink for about one hour before they start eating.

The next most common reason for pasty butt is over heating or chilling. So make sure your brooder is at a proper temp. Keep the heat off to one side, with thermometer on the floor directly beneath the lamp. You want to start week old babies between 90 and 95 degrees F. Keep the food and water off on the other side of the brooder. Give the babies about 1/2 square foot or more space for now. They will need more later. This way, there are cool spots on the other side of the brooder to chill out when they need to, and they have to leave the heat to get to the goods. Do not cover the lid of the brooder with anything but a screen or wire for good heat and oxygen exchange. Lower our heat by 5 degrees each week for 6 weeks.

As for cleaning pasty butts, soak the babies butt in warm water to get it all off. Make sure the vent is clear. Blow dry the babies off so they don't chill.

You can do a few things to help the intestinal tract, you can add probiotics to their water or even apple cider vinegar. 3/4 teaspoon acv to one quart or water, plastic waterer only. Change and make new daily. Same with the probiotics. Empty one capsule of powder into 1 quart of water, change and make new daily. You can even add 1 heaping tablespoon of sugar in a quart of water for 2 days. Change and make new daily.

Good luck with your new babies! Keep us posted on the butts. :)
 
There could be a few reasons why they have pasty butts. One could be stressed from being shipped from the hatchery. Another reason could be its too hot in their area. Or since theyre so young they are getting used to the new formula theyre being fed.

Do you have a digital thermo to keep track of how hot it is for them?

Here is a great way to get pasty butts out by a Moderator by the name of Fred's Hens on here:
He said in a previous post:
For severe cases, just hold the chick, butt first, under the faucet. The water should be tepid, not screaming hot, not cold. The poop is hard and takes a bit to absorb the moisture, but as it does, crumble the poop away.

Pat the vent area gently and apply some vasoline or olive oil. This helps in preventing future sticking issues.

FlockWatcher's recommendation was a good one. Many times, small brooder tubs/containers are simply too warm for the chicks and don't provide enough cooler space for the chicks to self regulate their body temps.
 
Thank you TheChips, I was just reading a thread on this pasty butt thing - I will try to flush out their bottoms better (it is really stuck on there) and add some olive oil to their rears. And, I may try ground oatmeal in their food and a red light to reduce stress. Earlier today, they were all sitting near the lamp's glow. Now they are all sleeping away from it. So, yes, it may be too hot for them. I hope some R&R will help them feel better, it must have been stressful for them hatching and going right into the busy store.
 
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! You will have a really cute little flock! You've gotten some great advice above on taking care of their pasty butt. Good luck with the chicks!
 
Yes, these little chirps are so adorable, I can't get enough of them! Their butts seem better already, they've had probiotic water since about noon...and the one who was the worst is much better now and seems to be feeling fine. What kind do you have, they are so pretty in the pic! The Arucanas I have are gorgeous, all different colors, and so sweet. The Silkies are a little more shy but I don't blame them, they are tiny :)
 
Welcome to BYC
frow.gif
I see you got some good advice here already. I second the apple cider vinegar tip. Since I started adding a splash to my chicks' drinking water I haven't had a single pasty butt issue and it's been 4 years and countless chicks. It really does help!
 

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