New laying chicken got pasty butt

[tc4]

Hi, one of my Buff Orpington's just started laying and she now has pasty butt, I keep cleaning her with warm water but she still seems to have the problem, is it due to her now laying (she started 3 days ago). Is there anything I can do besides cleaning her everyday. Will she just grow out of it without any treatment. My other chickens are doing fine, only 3 of the eight are laying so far but we expect the others to start soon.

Yesterday I gently trimmed the feathers around her butt and put a little vaseline on, I have read other posts that say to use olive oil, any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[Chicken Frenzie]

Well, my EE is 3 years old and she still has it

 

[tc4]

Oh no, that doesn't give me much hope. Today I cleaned her up and gave her a blow dry and then I think she laid an egg with no shell a little later so she isn't quite right.

 

[itsy]

tc, welcome to BYC!

Pullets laying shell-less eggs are normal. Their bodies are just getting the hang of it. I had one girl who laid a handful of these until she started producing them with shells. I wouldn't worry about that.

As far as the poopy butt - a farmer friend of mine suggested that introducing some grit will help to bind the poo so it doesn't get all over the butt. Good luck

 

[feliciamckee]

I would give her some oyster shell as well. The calcium will help her build stronger shells and it may double as grit to help with the pasty butt. I have only dealt with chicks having it and with that I hold them down in some warm soapy water until it is loose enough to dislodge. Hope she is OK.

 

[tc4]

Thanks all for the advice, I will order oyster shells, I have been grinding up regular egg shells and giving it to them, they free range for at least 5 hours a day. I am soaking her butt everyday, can't beleive I sat there this morning having my coffe and soaking a chickens butt in soapy water.