Pasty booties on newly hatched chicks

[natblitz]

I recently got some Brahma chicks, they are about 4 days old and I’ve noticed they have poop clumping up on their bottoms. This is the first time I’ve had such little chickens and I’m worried about this hurting them badly! I’ve cleaned the area on them and put some Vaseline under their vent (which I read in another thread on here). I’m stressed about it because I don’t want to stress them out taking forever to clean their bottoms. But I also want them to be healthy! What is the best way to go about removing the soft fuzzies around their vent so they won’t had this problem so bad? I’m worried about cutting their poor little bodies!

 

[chicks13]

Soak a towel with warm water then hold it on the poop for around two minutes.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You must clean their bottoms. If they get plugged up and can't poop they will die. I put a little Dawn dish soap in the bathroom sink. Dip my fingers in it and soak the poop over and over again to soften it until I can gently remove it. Hold the chick gently in a towel while you do this. You do not want the chick to get soaked and chilled. If the chick gets very wet, you can use a hair dryer on the lowest setting to dry it off. Do not aim the dryer directly at the chick but wave it quickly back and forth over it from about an arm's length away so it does not overheat. Check the chicks daily to see if they need cleaned. As they grow older it will become less of a problem.

 

[sunnie7]

I’ve held just the nasty poopy part of their bottom under light running warm water for just bit then I use TP or a paper towel to gently wipe away and pat dry them out them back under the heat lamp. Putting the chick electrolytes in their water helps! Also make sure they are drinking.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I’ve held just the nasty poopy part of their bottom under light running warm water for just bit then I use TP or a paper towel to gently wipe away and pat dry them out them back under the heat lamp. Putting the chick electrolytes in their water helps! Also make sure they are drinking.

Good point about them drinking. I found it helpful to provide warmish water, but we got our chicks in February so that may or may not apply to you. I would not give them very cold water in any case if they are young enough to require a heat source.

 

[sunnie7]

As soon as I put my chicks in the brooder I introduced them to the waterer by dipping their beaks in it. I also wait a few hours to put their food in so they will drink first. I’m a huge fan of the water nipples so I only use the dish type for the first week or two and I put the nipples type in from the beginning also! They are so much less messy! My 4 day old chicks are already exploring them! In use Gatorade bottles and as they grow and drink more switch to the larger ones. Make sure you drill or poke a tiny hole in the bottom of the bottle also for air to allow it to flow.