New To Chicks! Have A Question

[nkayne04]

Okay so my husband and I just got our first chicks on Wednesday. Is there any must know info? We had one die today, is this normal? We are keeping them in our sunroom, with a heater to maintain warmth and they have their light on. I have one of my chicks that appears to have poo stuck on it's bottom around the boo boo area. I tried to get it off but it's really stuck on there. I used a wet cloth this morning to dampen it to see if it would come off and some of it did. I'm trying not to hurt it. It pooed a little when I got some of it off. I'm worried it will get stopped up if I don't get it off. I was thinking of putting its bottom in water to soften it; however, I was afraid the water might hurt it in some way. Any advice is welcomed!

 

[AmyRey]

Greetings!

This condition is called pasty butt. A search for it should yield tons of information.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

The poop issue is pasty butt. Try adding vitamins to the water and check to make sure the temperature where they are isn't above 95 degrees. Stress and heat are both causes for pasty butt. Also make sure to clean it off whenever you see it form; it will stop the chick from pooping if it sticks directly over the vent and it can kill the chick! I also take a q-tip dabbed in some olive oil and run it over the chicks vent after it's been cleaned; this helps keep future poops from sticking in the feathers.

As to the chick that already died; this early that could be genetic weakness, stress from shipping, pasty butt... There's a slew of causes for chicks that young and recently shipped.

Hope this helps.

 

[bethandjoeync]

don't pull at the poo! it could bleed and get infected, due to the area. what i did was sat the chickie in soapy water (i used dawn) and a wet wash cloth to moisten the clump and it will start to break away. you must get this done so the chick can poo naturally and not have any internal issues

as for the other dying on ya, I can't say that it is "normal" but it does happen for no reason, from time to time

 

[schellie69]

Make sure to clean the poo off, what are you feeding them. I think with young chicks sometimes them dieing just happens.

 

[dbounds10]

I also just started a couple weeks ago and I learned on here a great way to handle this.

Get a small bowl or something like that and fill with warm water
hold the chicks bottom in the water for about 60 seconds. Once they touch the warm water they calm right down and will sit there for you. Then take a paper towl and rub it off gently. You mau have to do it more than once but it will all come off.

**If you dont clear that out, it will kill them since that one hole is used for everything**

Once I got it all cleared off it never came back again. You can also rub a small amount of olive oil on the area to keep things from sticking to it.

Good Luck!

 

[dsqard]

Yes you definitely need to get the pasty poo off. I use Q-tips and warm water. You just have to keep moistening the stuck on poo until it comes off. If it continues to happen, I read on another thread to grind up plain oatmeal (like quick oats) and let them eat that. Check their brooder and see if they seem too cold (bunching up under the light) or too hot (in the corners away from the light). I have also read that can cause pasty butt. It can kill them if you don't get the dried up stuff off their vents.
And

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Take the little chick and turn on your faucet to warm.

Test the water with your wrist. Hold the chick firmly and turn it so that it's backside is under the gently running water. Hold him there for about 30 seconds. This will soften the poo.

Then take your fingers and work the poo out of it's hair while holding his bottom under the water stream.

Watch for pecking afterward- that no one pecks his bottom. Have Pick no more lotion available to paint his bottom with- or remove him until you can buy some if they peck him. If they start pecking his bottom, they will make it bloody and cannibalistic habits might set in.

 

[SillyChicken]

Water won't hurt your chick if you're just washing his back side.

Just make sure it's dried off good and put him back under the light for warmth.

 

[nkayne04]

THANK YOU SO MUCH! Now I have a name for the condition. I will take care of him/her when I get home. I will for sure do the olive oil on the bottoms too!!!