Is this “Pasty Butt?” I’m new to raising chicks. 🐣

[AmyA248]

Hi everyone!

I’m brand new to raising chicks.
Could someone please tell me if this is pasty butt? It’s very hard and dry but I can’t tell if it’s blocking her vent.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Kindly,
Amy

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I can’t tell if it’s blocking her vent.

Doesn't look like it's blocking the vent right now to me.

BUT.. keep watch that it's not catching more waste and building more into being pasted. Also, just keep watch until you see a poo come out and verify.. they can't go that long without passing some.

When they are pasted.. you can often hear the chick upset struggling to poo, and see it when observing them.

 

[FunClucks]

Not pasty butt, but there is some stuff stuck in the down. To prevent pasty butt, take a washcloth and dip it in very hot water, wring it out mostly, then gently wipe the bum until it's clean. You can blot with a dry paper towel and put the chick butt under the heat lamp for a few minutest to fluff up the chick. If nothing builds up, nothing can block the vent. Wiping off the poop won't hurt.

 

[AmyA248]

Doesn't look like it's blocking the vent right now to me.

BUT.. keep watch that it's not catching more waste and building more into being pasted. Also, just keep watch until you see a poo come out and verify.. they can't go that long without passing some.

When they are pasted.. you can often hear the chick upset struggling to poo, and see it when observing them.

Thank you very much! I check all 3 6 times a day. Lol!
I’ve never had chicks before, only ducks.
I have 6 chicken eggs in the incubator, 12 Muscovy eggs in the other incubator and 2 Pekin ducklings.
Sadly the tiniest one passed away 2 days ago and it totally broke my heart.
I KNEW something was wrong, it’s funny how we can just feel it.
I wish I knew what happened.

 

[AmyA248]

Not pasty butt, but there is some stuff stuck in the down. To prevent pasty butt, take a washcloth and dip it in very hot water, wring it out mostly, then gently wipe the bum until it's clean. You can blot with a dry paper towel and put the chick butt under the heat lamp for a few minutest to fluff up the chick. If nothing builds up, nothing can block the vent. Wiping off the poop won't hurt.

Thank you so much. I’m very relieved to hear that! I am going to do as you said so she doesn’t get anymore buildup.
I really appreciate your help.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

Gosh you are going to be a good mum.

Sorry about the baby that passed... Don't put broken heart time into that. Just over compensate by loving the others. You will be very busy with all that you have! That little one nature decided to cull because it wasn't healthy enough. It's ok... He got all your love up front. Just give that extra love to the others.

You got great advice above. Prevent pasty butts by washing them when they are just dirty bums. You'll be doing a lot of bum washing with that many babies!

 

[AmyA248]

Gosh you are going to be a good mum.

Sorry about the baby that passed... Don't put broken heart time into that. Just over compensate by loving the others. You will be very busy with all that you have! That little one nature decided to cull because it wasn't healthy enough. It's ok... He got all your love up front. Just give that extra love to the others.

You got great advice above. Prevent pasty butts by washing them when they are just dirty bums. You'll be doing a lot of bum washing with that many babies!

Awe! You are simply the SWEETEST!!
I love this group, everyone is so kind and helpful, never mean like many other social media groups.
If it wasn’t for God’s grace in leading me to find this lovely group 5 abandoned baby Wood ducks would have died last June.
Mama was killed and she had been sitting on 5 eggs in our yard.
My dog lead me to the mother duck, as if saying “Please help” so I gathered the eggs and candled them and they were all alive!!
I started searching for help and immediately found this group, and everyone lead me through the entire process. Every time I had a question or concern someone answered me. And to make a long story short they all hatched! One with his yolk sac that wasn’t absorbed and he couldn’t walk or lift his head so it took a lot of tlc and about a week and he did GREAT!
One was born with a deformed leg, blind in one eye and half the size of her siblings. She couldn’t eat or drink because the vet said she had a neurological condition and I should put her down. Well, she already imprinted with me and I couldn’t do it as long as she wasn’t suffering. I carried her around in a little sling all day and she slept in a little box between my husband and I. If I tried to put her anywhere else she would cry non stop and I couldn’t put her with her siblings because of her special needs.
One night when she was 2 weeks old she woke me up crying and I sat up and held her close. I knew in my heart that it was her time to go, so I just rocked her and talked to her quietly until she looked up at me and closed her eyes for the last time.

This was my first loss and it tore my heart apart. My husband had to intervene because I just wanted to hold her and cry.

I’m sorry for going off the subject, but these tiny babies are God’s creatures and I feel I must do my best for them. So I got certified to be a rehabber and I love it!
We now have 4 Muscovy ducks with babies on the way, (God willing)
3 bunnies, 4 chickens and a rooster, 14 Muscovy eggs incubating at various ages and 6 chicken eggs incubating along with 3 chicks and 2 duckings.
My little girls absolutely love what we are doing and they help as much as little ones can.

I just wanted to share my story with you and how much I appreciate this wonderful group of people!

Blessings,
Amy

 

[Happy hen lover]

Awe! You are simply the SWEETEST!!
I love this group, everyone is so kind and helpful, never mean like many other social media groups.
If it wasn’t for God’s grace in leading me to find this lovely group 5 abandoned baby Wood ducks would have died last June.
Mama was killed and she had been sitting on 5 eggs in our yard.
My dog lead me to the mother duck, as if saying “Please help” so I gathered the eggs and candled them and they were all alive!!
I started searching for help and immediately found this group, and everyone lead me through the entire process. Every time I had a question or concern someone answered me. And to make a long story short they all hatched! One with his yolk sac that wasn’t absorbed and he couldn’t walk or lift his head so it took a lot of tlc and about a week and he did GREAT!
One was born with a deformed leg, blind in one eye and half the size of her siblings. She couldn’t eat or drink because the vet said she had a neurological condition and I should put her down. Well, she already imprinted with me and I couldn’t do it as long as she wasn’t suffering. I carried her around in a little sling all day and she slept in a little box between my husband and I. If I tried to put her anywhere else she would cry non stop and I couldn’t put her with her siblings because of her special needs.
One night when she was 2 weeks old she woke me up crying and I sat up and held her close. I knew in my heart that it was her time to go, so I just rocked her and talked to her quietly until she looked up at me and closed her eyes for the last time.

This was my first loss and it tore my heart apart. My husband had to intervene because I just wanted to hold her and cry.

I’m sorry for going off the subject, but these tiny babies are God’s creatures and I feel I must do my best for them. So I got certified to be a rehabber and I love it!
We now have 4 Muscovy ducks with babies on the way, (God willing)
3 bunnies, 4 chickens and a rooster, 14 Muscovy eggs incubating at various ages and 6 chicken eggs incubating along with 3 chicks and 2 duckings.
My little girls absolutely love what we are doing and they help as much as little ones can.

I just wanted to share my story with you and how much I appreciate this wonderful group of people!

Blessings,
Amy

Oh Amy what a cute story. God definitely gave you a gift. Thank you for all the pictures! Your bunnies are Too cute. Some chicks aren't meant to grow up. I've been pretty lucky so far. I held my hen when she died I knew something was up since I could never even pet her before that day!?! You'll be a great chicken mamma , glad you are here God Bless You. Helen

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

Gosh what beautiful stories. Thank you for sharing.

I know how hard it is to lose a baby, we have all cried over these little feather dusters...

But keep remembering how lucky that baby was to land in your garden. How many angels had to intervene to have him find someone who would carry him around for the few days he was given in this world?

I had baby turkeys who had trouble keeping warm, so I would bring them to bed. I would put on a sweater or sweat shirt roll up the bottom to make a kind of kangaroo pouch and keep them against my chest in the sweater. They would fuss a little, then fall asleep next to my heart. Once asleep I could put them into a little box full of small towels next to me for the rest of the night. But to get them into the box I had to wiggle out of the sweater with them inside so they didn't wake up. Of course they were poohing all that time in the sweater on top of me. So I would then have to take off the t-shirt under that. All the while trying to not wake up my spouse... Yup, crazy... But once you learn the reason the baby is crying is because they are cold and could easily die from that, you can't just go to bed and 'hope for the best'.

I had the most loving and gentle turkey pair anyone ever had. They really were my babies.

Remember the beautiful moments, don't immortalize the few moments at the end.

Gosh such a learning experience for your children to care for fragile creatures.

 

[AmyA248]

Oh Amy what a cute story. God definitely gave you a gift. Thank you for all the pictures! Your bunnies are Too cute. Some chicks aren't meant to grow up. I've been pretty lucky so far. I held my hen when she died I knew something was up since I could never even pet her before that day!?! You'll be a great chicken mamma , glad you are here God Bless You. Helen

Thank you Helen,
You’re just the sweetest lady!
I’m very sensitive and sometimes I wonder if I should be doing this because when an animal passes away that you have put your heart and soul into, it breaks your heart. But they need me and God put this on my heart as a calling.
I’m having so much trouble with my Muscovy eggs Helen, they keep dying before hatching.
I’ve read EVERYTHING there is to read and I can’t keep them alive!
My girl has been laying since January 23rd, it’s her first time and I don’t think she’ll ever stop!
She never went broody as much as I tried.. So I had to try to save as many of her eggs as possible.
Out of 20, 10 broke before I got to them. I currently have ONE in lockdown. The others are at staggering ages in my incubator. I don’t have much hope.
But I’m doing everything I can, and that’s all we can do.

Hugs,
Amy