Help! Pasty Butt

[Harborotter]

I need to wash my chicks vent, but I don't want them to get wet and cold. Any suggestions? Also how can I prevent pasty butt!

Just run their butt under comfortably warm water. Let it loosen up a minute and work it out with your fingers. Be careful to not grab the umbilical by accident. I have used a drop of Dawn dishsoap if it is really bad. I towel the baby off and hold them a minute or two and put them back under the heat lamp. I have heard of people using a hair dryer but I don't as I don't want to overheat them.

The food can cause it and so can stress. If it is just one or two chicks, you may just have to ride it out until they get better on their own. If you have a lot of them doing it, maybe change to a different chick feed. Also they don't need medicated feed until you are getting ready to put them outdoors or if you are bringing a little soil inside to acclimate them slowly. The medicated feed helps them build up immunity to organisms in the soil.

But I have had some that do it for awhile and I just keep them clean so they can poop. If your chick is gaining weight, it will probably be just fine. I think you can buy electrolytes for them as well.

Good luck, I hope it clears up for you.

 

[peopleRanimals2]

Thanks so much! While applying this method, my chick proved how well it was working! I added some apple cider vinegar to their water, and I will be getting some chick grit asap! Thanks again!

 

[FlomatonsFlocks]

I just tried the peroxide method using q tips, cotton balls and a little patience. Worked perfectly! My daughter asked me how I knew to do it and I told her OUR CHICKEN PEOPLE helped us! Thank you all! She thinks I'm a genius lol

 

[Coturnix Quail]

Can someone help? My Barred Rock Bantam has been having Pasty Butt for 3-4 days now. I wash it off all the time, but today I noticed something different. It has a little red bump in its vent! It can still poop, but its there.. I dont get it!!!

 

[Andypandy]

Here is a very helpful tip. Take some vaseline and sparingly apply it by massaging around the vent area. This will keep the poo from drying to their feathers and allow you to remove it if it sticks to their butts for a while yet and I don't think you are out of the woods yet with the pasty butt problem. A lot of vitamins does cause the pasty butt but they were also most-likely just vaccinated before you got them. It takes a few days for a baby to bounce back from a vaccination.

Stress does have a lot to do with it but if you don't keep that area clear I have seen this condition kill them. No worries--that dark, firm area is supposed to be there. It will be gone in a few days. I use to medicate. I never do this anymore. Since I stopped I don't lose babies. I started giving them probiotics in their feed from hatch. I purchase a tub of dry powder from Tractor Supply for around $10-$11 that lasts a long, long time. About a scoop per 4 cups of feed is what I use. It helps the babies grow to develop strong immune systems naturally. They don't have many good defenses until they are past 4 months. Even then they need a good vitamin and immune support system. I still use it in their feed as adults and they are spry little buggers. Oh and I have never had a prolapse or stuck egg problem--nothing since.

I find the best way is to pull it off real quick.like removing a band aid

 

[Coturnix Quail]

IMO, if you pull it off quick, it's worse. I can see it as being like a band aid to you, but not so much to the chick. It could rip out some of their feathers and even damage their organs internally. (It hurts.)

 

[Fancychooklady]

Can someone help? My Barred Rock Bantam has been having Pasty Butt for 3-4 days now. I wash it off all the time, but today I noticed something different. It has a little red bump in its vent! It can still poop, but its there.. I dont get it!!!

Never pull at it, keep washing it with warm water . You only need to run the water while you gently break it up with your fingers. Apply a coat of Vaseline to the vent to prevent it caking . Pasty butt is usually the result of having too much heat in the brooder which leads to dehydration.

 

[Coturnix Quail]

Never pull at it, keep washing it with warm water . You only need to run the water while you gently break it up with your fingers. Apply a coat of Vaseline to the vent to prevent it caking . Pasty butt is usually the result of having too much heat in the brooder which leads to dehydration.

That's what I did, I washed it everyday. It was kind of gross, and she didn't like it, but she pulled through and is a beautiful, crazy little 7 month old girl who's laying tan eggs.