Hello from Whitchurch Shropshire and HELP!!!

Hello,

I'm new to the forum, mainly joining because I need some advice about a new baby chick but a bit of background first...

Started off with 3 wonderful Ex bats, Gertrude, Pete and Betsy, added 2 Silkie/Sussex quite successfully (Harriet and Veronica) Lost Betsy and Pete added 4 more Ex barn hens, Elvis, Sam, Velma and Daphne (named by our neice and nephew) Due to the incredibly Broody nature of V&H we decided to use them to hatch some eggs, after 3 weeks of high anticipation only 1 egg hatched, and H attacked the poor thing the second it appeared! Obviously we whipped it out and have been hand rearing since (little French Maran was 2 weeks old on sat), We've bought 3 other chick to keep it company, 2 are roughly the same age but we think one, a little orpington blue is a fair bit younger, prob only a week old now.

Now for the help! The little orpington blue is suffering from a bout of "pasty Butt" We've been cleaning it with warm water and cotton buds but noticed a very red, raw almost bloody lump on the vent, it's doesn't appear to be actual blood and it's not coming from inside the vent, is this just irritated from the cleaning, we're trying to be very gentle, or it is something more serious? the little chick had been very lethargic whereas the other are active, cleaning eating etc, should we separate it and do we need to think about any supplements? I read something about adding sugar to the water to give it energy? I've been keeping an eye on them and not noticed any of them pecking at the red lump?






Any advice would be greatly received, we're trying to be pragmatic about the whole thing and did intend to have any cockerels as table birds, but I just can't stand seeing the little think looking so weary, especially now we're hand raising rather than letting the Bantam so her job (miserable chicken!)

Thanks you and hopefully my next post won't be so demanding,

Rach
xxxx

 

Thanks, that's what we've been doing, it didn't seem to like having it's bum shoved under running water but I know it's best for it! we have a red heat lamp too so that's good news, thanks for your feedback, sometimes you just need a bit of reassurance but if anything else comes to mind please let me know.

Thanks again
Rach