Help! Pasty Butt?

[1stTimerInPA]

This is our first time raising chicks. This morning our favorite Araucana seemed lethargic and we found droppings stuck to her, but still wet and sticky, nothing hard. I cleaned her off but the opening is still swollen. I read the forums and tried giving her yolk from a hard boiled egg but she wouldn't eat it. (The others went nuts.) I also saw about giving them probiotic yogurt which I may try to run out and find today. (Thank goodness Walmart doesn't close on Easter!) Any other suggestions? Are we destined to lose this chick? We did put electrolytes in their water for the first 3 days but now it's just plain water. We've had them 6 days. Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[dstinett]

I've heard a splash of apple cider vinegar helps. I battled pasty butt with my latest tractor supply chicks. (First and last time I buy from them). Pasty butt is usually easily fixed. Not the TSC chicks. I get it cleaned up and it comes back again. Yogurt and ACV and dry oatmeal seem to make a difference

 

[ronmauldin]

CV works great. I add one tbsp to a gallon of water and use that. Never had a problem with pasty butt after that. I continue mixing in the ACV to the water even after they get older. Acts as a disinfectant for the water and as long as you use organic/non-homogenized ACV, the natural bacteria also aids healthy digestion.

 

[1stTimerInPA]

Thank you for the ideas! I'm going to add the ACV right now. Any idea how I can encourage her to eat? Or is she just temporarily traumatized because I keep flipping her over to wipe her backside?

 

[dstinett]

Don't put vinegar in metal. plastic only. it also keep algae from growing

 

[ronmauldin]

Good point. I should have mentioned I only use plastic waterers. Try adding.some Sav-A-Chik electrolyte to the water, also. Tends to perk them up.

 

[chickencopper]

I always run probiotic and electrolytes in my chick water for the first three weeks. I have no pasty butt over the last few years due to this change. When I did have issue, I use a dropper to force feed electrolytes to sick birds. I take sick birds inside my house to monitor. TSC sells quality birds, its just young ones (2-3 days) that have pasty butt issues. Just my two cents worth.