New to chickens, please hlep crusty bumm!

[pookiethebear]

I am new to chickens, and we currently have 6 chicks. 2 of them have really crusty poop bums. Can I let this go? Will it come off on it's own? If I need to get it off how do I do it? I tried to hold them and pull it off of one of them but she seemed to squawk in pain so I stopped. I feel bad, like a bad neglectful chicken momma.

Also, I want to get 6 more chicks. My brooder is plenty big enough, can I put the newbies in with my week old chicks?

 

[fowlplay]

The method that worked best for me is a soft bristle toothbrush. Wet it thoroughly with warm water and hold it on the crusty poo. This will soften it. Then use the toothbrush to gently brush off the poo. Dry off the area as best you can ( I used paper towels) and then apply vegetable oil with a Q-tip on and around the vent. I used a few other methods and the problem with pasty butt continued until I did this. Haven't had a problem with it since. Good luck!

 

[cluckychick]

You must remove the pasty bum, if not your chicks will die. If it's really hard then soak their bums in warm water to soften it up and remove it. You may need to take some scissors and clip the feathers around the vent before putting the oil on. Good Luck

I had one chick that did it once, cleaned it and applied oil and it nvr happened again. Then I have a silkie that is 8 weeks old and has had it multiple times. I can't figure her out.

 

[stilwellchick]

Do a search for "pasty butt" or just "pasty" and you can read all the things others have done with this issue. Good luck with you babies.

 

[Chickaroo!]

One of my chicks that I got recently had a little bit of a crusty butt. I just wet a paper towel with warm water and gently rubbed at it. It wouldn't come off at first so I just kept going back to her once in awhile and sometimes would just hold the wet paper towel on her butt instead of rubbing. I didn't think it would come off, but after about the 6th or 7th try, it just came right off! Keep at it.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Just like Chickaroo said, you need to use a wet, warm paper towel and do your best to remove it. The pasty butt and seal closed the vents and your chicks will not be able to poo. You also need to try and figure out what is causing the pasty butt. It can happen from the stress of being shipped after they hatch, but if you have had them for a week or so already, it could be something different. Sugar water can cause pasty butt. Being chilled can cause pasty butt. If you are feeding sugar water, stop! That was my mistake when I got my first chicks. A man at the feed store that I bought the chicks from told me to give the chicks sugar water for a week. OOPS! It should have only been for a day. Also make sure that your chicks are staying warm and aren't getting any cold drafts in their brooder. Hope this helps!

 

[pookiethebear]

Thanks all! I only gave them sugar water 1 day and changed it out to regular water with terimycin in it now (as reccomended from where I got the chicks). I have been feeding them starter feed. They are in a big long tote in the spare bedroom with a heat lamp so they are toasty and not drafty. 2 have it really bad, and one other one I was able to pick off at it was just starting. I will clean their butts tonight as soon as I get home from work as you all reccomended, and will grease all their butts up to prevent it (hopefully) from happening again. Poor chicks.

One chick looked a bit bloated but the other one was still able to grunt out his poo, and I wiped the fresh stuff off away from the crusty stuff when I seem him go. The other one I am concerned about, but I can't do anything until I get home from work. Hopefully it will not be too late.

 

[stilwellchick]

Are they on medicated starter? If so that already has an antibiotic in it. Don't need to use the sugar water for more than a couple of days. Watch the temps, make sure it's not too hot which will cause pasty butt.

 

[eggzettera]

Quote:
That is really important - do no over medicate & never listen to just 1 source for information. Especially when their advice gets more of your money into their pocket.....

 

[pookiethebear]

Well I got my girls cleaned up last night. It went well - (note to self - pick up new toothbrush on the way home). They seeme to pout and sulk for a while but I figured they would. They were plum tucker'd out after all that cleaning. I checked on them this morning before work and they all seemed fine. That poo really did a number on thier butts. Some of the others were courisouly pecking at them but I would shoo them away from the cleaned ones. Finally the worse one settled down beside a really sweet chick and they slept side by side for a good while. I am so glad I found this web site! I may have lost my cutie birds had it not been for you all! THANKS!!!!

I am not sure of the feed is medicated, I don't think so. It is a starter poultry feed from Tractor Supply, it is a yellow bag. I will have to look tonight when I get home.