How to Avoid Pasty Butt, Is Humidity a Factor?

Thanks again, @ChickenCanoe. I will order some Gro2Max, it sounds more complete than my yogurt and since it is specifically formulated for chickens I'll trust it and not take a chance.

A funny thing, today when I told DH that that I thought we should get two plastic tubs, not one, to make it easier for cleaning, he looked very surprised and said he had decided the same thing! Great minds... :gig
I don't know how many chicks you are getting but I want to caution not to spend a great deal of money on plastic tubs. I've been through several different methods of brooding.
Originally I would brood large numbers like 50-100 at a time and used Ohio brooders outdoors with heat lamps. But when I have smaller numbers of chicks, I abandoned them for heat plates (Premier1). I did the math and a heat plate paid for itself over heat lamps in little more than one brooding in electricity savings.
After using various size plastic Rubbermaid type tubs I have abandoned that method too. The last one I bought was the largest they make and I wish I hadn't bought it. To make it more rigid the bottom isn't level at all. For fewer numbers of chicks, 30 or less, I much prefer cardboard boxes. You can buy large moving boxes from Lowes and Home Depot for less than $1.50 each. The great advantage is that as chicks grow, you can add boxes until you get them outside. You can start with a little feed on paper towels under a plate brooder and a chick water fount. Then as they grow, add a feeder, add a couple boxes cutting doorways between the boxes putting the heat plate in one, feed in another and water in another - or some combination thereof.
Using the big Ohio brooders outside I've successfully raised day old chicks when it got down below freezing in the building. A mother hen would do the same thing in a temperature drop. She doesn't raise all the ambient temperature. She just provides a warm up spot under her and half the time the chicks are all running around in the cool temps.
Here's the Gro2Max site.
https://gro2max.com/
 
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Thanks for the info, @ChickenCanoe . We are just getting a dozen chicks. Well, 13 counting the BJG. Six are destined for the freezer. Nowhere near enough to justify building an Ohio brooder! And as I have stated before, neither DH nor I could do it. I might have attempted it at one time, but not after two shoulder surgeries and other health issues. And DH is not handy. Repeat, italics, underscore. Not. Lol. He is a gifted researcher and writer, but building things is not one of his many talents. So we got a couple of Rubbermaid-type tubs and I am sure they will meet our needs. Thanks again.
 
The other drawback to using heat lamps in Rubbermaid tubs is that it can easily overheat. The first time I used a big plastic tub and attached the heat lamp to the top, I put a thermometer under it and the thermometer exploded. Using a Rubbermaid tub, go with a much lower wattage heat source. A 75 to 125 watt ceramic heat emitter is better. Also, since they don't produce light, you can raise the chicks more naturally with a daily dark period.
 
The other drawback to using heat lamps in Rubbermaid tubs is that it can easily overheat. The first time I used a big plastic tub and attached the heat lamp to the top, I put a thermometer under it and the thermometer exploded. Using a Rubbermaid tub, go with a much lower wattage heat source. A 75 to 125 watt ceramic heat emitter is better. Also, since they don't produce light, you can raise the chicks more naturally with a daily dark period.
I think she's using a plate.
 
I have baby chicks arriving in a couple of weeks and realized that when mama hens hatched and raised their own, pasty butt was not a problem. So why is it an issue with hand-raised chicks, and how can it be avoided? Do MamaChicks get better humidity, being under mama's wings much of their first few days, or is something else at play? Any and all comments and suggestions welcomed and appreciated! I'm going to specifically call out some of the gurus, but all are welcome to chime in!
@Pyxis @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive @EggSighted4Life @WVduckchick @casportpony @azygous @aart @HuffleClaw @ChickenCanoe @oldhenlikesdogs @Ridgerunner

Well... that should get us started! Thanks, y'all.
Lactobacilus. In fermented feed or yohgreut. yougurt. yoguhrt. yogurt. There.
 

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