How to Avoid Pasty Butt, Is Humidity a Factor?

[BigBlueHen53]

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.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Not a humidity issue. I used to think it was about chilling or being too hot but the issue is gut health, meaning a healthy microbiome in the intestines. A newly hatched chick's intestines are a clean slate and it is a race to see what microorganisms populate it whether friendly or pathogenic. Broody raised chicks get probiotics from a healthy hen by consuming some of her feces. You can do the same for brooder raised chicks by starting them off immediately with a good probiotic.
I put Gro2Max powder in chicks first water and at least weekly thereafter.
It is formulated specifically for chickens and is a mix of yeasts and bacteria.
As an extra measure, I also de-chlorinate the water before adding the Gro2Max so the chlorine/chloramine won't kill the bacteria.
I also use poultry Nutri-Drench in their first water, especially for shipped chicks.
Since using Gro2Max, I've never had pasted vent in brooder chicks.

 

[Eggcessive]

I think a lot of the pasty butt problems are due to shipping and dehydration or getting chilled while in transit. This includes chicks from feed stores which are also mail ordered. It also can happen if the heat is too high and cause dehydration. In my very limited experience with getting shipped chicks, the ones who have it upon arrival tend to get it over and over for up to a week. I have never seen any of my broody chicks ever have pasty butt. They get water offered as soon as they are hatched and dry.

 

[chrissynemetz]

I have only ever had pasty butt issues if my brooder temps were too high. I stopped using heat lamps in the brooder and I haven't had a case of pasty butt since.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

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?

I've had to clean pasty bumms on broody raised chicks and think it's more complicated than folks realize... I have hatched hundreds of chicks, all raised in the same manners... and only a few get the pasty butt... So I consider it an individual issue with something more at play and simply pay attention, treat as needed...

Hope your little's arrive loud and active!

ETA: it can likely be caused from ANY stress factor and then only to the ones who deal less well.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I've only dealt with a few pasty butts and that was when chicks arrived in the mail. Once I got them settled, drinking/eating and warmed, I had no further problems. I do give my chicks either PND or Vitamins/Electrolytes the first week, they also have grit free choice. Even though I really haven't had that many problems, I still inspect them several times a day.

I think the best you can do is monitor your babies and see how it goes.
What are you going to use for heat - a lamp, brooder plate, Mama Heating Pad? I really like using MHP pad.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know what causes pasty butt or how to prevent it. I agree it practically never happens with chicks raised by a broody. I've never seen it. I practically never see it in chicks I hatch in an incubator. I don't recall ever seeing it but I'm old and may have forgotten an occurrence. Those incubator chicks often stay in the incubator as long as chicks that are hatched at a hatchery and mailed to me take to get here. Even in chicks mailed to me I hardly ever see it but have a few times.

I think it has something to do with stress but I don't know what specific stress. My suggestions are to have the brooder up and running so it is ready to go as soon as you return from the post office. Go get them as soon as the post office calls, don't mess around waiting for another cup of coffee. Dip their beaks in water as soon as you put them in the brooder to teach then to drink and offer chick feed.

I don't use anything other than pure water. I don't know if probiotics will help with this but they won't hurt. The brooder I put them in has a wire bottom so they don't have any bedding to eat, yet I've still seen pasty butt a few cases in shipped chicks. I don't think eating bedding is a problem for mine. I give mine probiotics and grit a couple of days after they are in the brooder by taking dirt from the main run where the adults are, but that's not until they've been in the brooder a couple of days. If they are going to have pasty butt it will have already shown up.

Good luck!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Not a humidity issue. I used to think it was about chilling or being too hot but the issue is gut health, meaning a healthy microbiome in the intestines. A newly hatched chick's intestines are a clean slate and it is a race to see what microorganisms populate it. Broody raised chicks get probiotics from a healthy hen by consuming some of her feces. You can do the same for brooder raised chicks by starting them off immediately with a good probiotic.
I put Gro2Max powder in chicks first water and at least weekly thereafter.
It is formulated specifically for chickens and is a mix of yeasts and bacteria.
As an extra measure, I also de-chlorinate the water before adding the Gro2Max so the chlorine/chloramine won't kill the bacteria.
I also use poultry Nutri-Drench in their first water, especially for shipped chicks.
Since using Gro2Max, I've never had pasted vent in brooder chicks.

Thank you, @ChickenCanoe ! We have filtered well water here, so no chlorine, but I will definitely make notes of your suggestions!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I think a lot of the pasty butt problems are due to shipping and dehydration or getting chilled while in transit. This includes chicks from feed stores which are also mail ordered. It also can happen if the heat is too high and cause dehydration. In my very limited experience with getting shipped chicks, the ones who have it upon arrival tend to get it over and over for up to a week. I have never seen any of my broody chicks ever have pasty butt. They get water offered as soon as they are hatched and dry.

Thanks, @Eggcessive , I'll keep those factors in mind. Since my chicks are coming from in state, hopefully they won't be in transit very long and dehydration won't be as bad as with last year's chicks.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I have only ever had pasty butt issues if my brooder temps were too high. I stopped using heat lamps in the brooder and I haven't had a case of pasty butt since.

It gets pretty cold in Olathe, as I recall. Have you had chicks in mid-February? Mine are coming in two weeks. They'll be in the house for the first couple of weeks, but it's a cold house..... I guess I'm wondering what temps you keep them at.