Pasting

[Beckychickenmomma]

I have a baby chick that has has a pasty little butt for two days. Yesterday I cleaned it and today it happened again. I cleaned her again and have added probiotics to the water today. Question is what is better probiotics or apple cider vinger.

 

[cavemanrich]

Often times pasty but occurs when baby chicks are under a heat lamp in brooder. The heat tends to dry the gumdrops and they stick rather than fall off.
I have no experience with ether ACV or probiotics.
Just keep an eye on it and clean up the lil butts. Soon they will pass that stage.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and

 

[chickens really]

If the Brooder is cool Chicks can develop pasty butt. Put Vaseline on its butt so the poop won't stick.

 

[oregonkat]

Make sure the chicks have access to chick grit in their feed. This helps with the newly developing digestive system and aids in preventing pasty butt.

 

[aart]

Chicks need a warm place and a cool place so they can choose the temp they need.
Vaseline or veg or coconut oil ...a tiny bit will keep poops from sticking.
It should clear up on its own in a couple days...just plain water and a good chick starter ration is all they need.


Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:

They need to be pretty warm(~85-90F on the brooder floor right under the lamp and 10-20 degrees cooler at the other end of brooder) for the first day or two, especially if they have been shipped, until they get to eating, drinking and moving around well. But after that it's best to keep them as cool as possible for optimal feather growth and quicker acclimation to outside temps. A lot of chick illnesses are attributed to too warm of a brooder. I do think it's a good idea to use a thermometer on the floor of the brooder to check the temps, especially when new at brooding, later I still use it but more out of curiosity than need.


The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:

If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.

If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.

If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!


The lamp is best at one end of the brooder with food/water at the other cooler end of the brooder, so they can get away from the heat or be under it as needed. Wattage of 'heat' bulb depends on size of brooder and ambient temperature of room brooder is in. Regular incandescent bulbs can be used, you might not need a 'heat bulb'. You can get red colored incandescent bulbs at a reptile supply source. A dimmer extension cord is an excellent way to adjust the output of the bulb to change the heat without changing the height of the lamp.



Or you could go with a heat plate, commercially made or DIY: http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate

 

[Beckychickenmomma]

Thank you everyone for advise and input I am happy to report pasty butt is all clear now. I was afraid I was going to rub his little butt raw so dedicated a spare bathroom to now be the chicken butt bathroom washed. cleaned her but three to four times a day lowered the heat to 80 to 85, and added the probiotics to the water. She has been clear for a full 24 hours now. Once again Thank you all very much.