Pasty Bum

[vtelfer]

Hey
I have a mix of 14 chicks approx 6 days old. Wyandotte's, Aracuna's, Sicilian Buttercups, Cuckoo Marans. Being kept indoors at the moment.
They are in a large space with a heat plate in one corner & a heat light in another. They have lots of space & opportunity to move away from heat if they want
I have an electronic temperature probe in with them - so i have ensured they don't get above 30C.....
But sadly about 5 of the chicks seem to have pasty bum,
I have washed them clear either by soaking poo'y bum only in a little warm water or used cotton tips soaked in warm water & olive oil to remove poop.
I have also now added 1ml Avi- Vital to 500ml water.
Any other tips how I can help them?
Do we think it is just they are too hot?
All help, advise & suggestions please! I am very much a novice & appreciate anyone taking the time to help me out.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi!

I would ditch one heater or the other so that one side is just ambient room temperature. It seems to me the way you describe it, the only side they can get away is the one you have the heat plate in, and isn't that in itself taking up the "cool" side for them?

We have hatched over 350 silkie chicks this year and thinking we have the perfect thermostatically controlled black ceramic heaters, we'll still have one pasty butt out of a hatch of 30 every time.

We only give fresh water on Day 1. After that, it's a few hours of electrolytes with probiotic water (Hydro-Hen). Fresh water again, then on Day 3, they'll get some Poultry Cell water for the day. That's it on the vitamins, though, as otherwise, too many days of it in a row will give them diarrhea.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I agree, the only time my chicks seem to get (we call it pasty butt here, lol) is when we let them get too warm. I take them to the bathroom sink and use my gloved fingers to wet and work the poo out of their feathers, then use a hair dryer on low to fluff and warm them. I think a single heat source is plenty and only heat one area of the brooder. Check them every night and wash them even if they only have a few sticky feathers.

 

[vtelfer]

Hi!

I would ditch one heater or the other so that one side is just ambient room temperature. It seems to me the way you describe it, the only side they can get away is the one you have the heat plate in, and isn't that in itself taking up the "cool" side for them?

We have hatched over 350 silkie chicks this year and thinking we have the perfect thermostatically controlled black ceramic heaters, we'll still have one pasty butt out of a hatch of 30 every time.

We only give fresh water on Day 1. After that, it's a few hours of electrolytes with probiotic water (Hydro-Hen). Fresh water again, then on Day 3, they'll get some Poultry Cell water for the day. That's it on the vitamins, though, as otherwise, too many days of it in a row will give them diarrhea.

Debbie I am sooo grateful for your reply! I added pic of chick area. I was worried that just having the brooder plate wasnt enough space for the 14 of them, so added the heat light. I also thought they would naturally just move out of heat...they have plenty of space....guess Im wrong. I will leave the probiotic & hydro water today, then fresh water tomo? Sound ok? I am soo appreciative of you helping me out! Love this community & cant thank you enough!

 

[vtelfer]

I agree, the only time my chicks seem to get (we call it pasty butt here, lol) is when we let them get too warm. I take them to the bathroom sink and use my gloved fingers to wet and work the poo out of their feathers, then use a hair dryer on low to fluff and warm them. I think a single heat source is plenty and only heat one area of the brooder. Check them every night and wash them even if they only have a few sticky feathers.

Thank you sooo much BigBlue Hen! I am incredibly grateful for the help & advise! I added a pic above. Do you think if i remove the heat light the brooder plate will be enough? it is 17C here today, supposed to get down to 10C tonight. The are living in my dining room at the moment, we have an old house. Im like a new mum worrying! Can I also ask do u ever put oil on chicks butt to help prevent the poop from sticking?
I will check & wash if needed every morn & nite, really appreciate that tip - i was unsure if i would irritate them too much.
Really an soo grateful for your advise, help & support! Cheers a mill!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Let's see.. 17C is about 63F
and 10C is 50F. And the chicks are about a week old. But those are outside temps. What will the temp be in your house overnight? Do they all fit under the brooder plate? Can you put your hand on the brooder plate without burning your hand? The way the brooder plate is supposed to work is, the chicks warm themselves by contacting it, just like they would stay warm by snuggling up to their mother. It doesn't really warm the air under it. So if they can all touch their backs to it, it's fine, that's all the heat they need.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Just check for pasty butt at night, that will be plenty.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

And yes you can put a little dab of petroleum jelly on their bums (vents) to help.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Can you put a thermometer on the floor under the light? It should read about 85F - 30C. That light looks too close to the chicks, to me. I think you need to raise it.

The best way, in my opinion, to tell if the chicks are too hot or cold is to watch how they act and listen to them. Cold chicks may stand and shiver with closed eyes and cheep LOUDLY or huddle together, with each one trying to get to the middle where it is warm.

Hot chicks will stand apart from each other with their wings away from their bodies, they may pant and cheep plaintively. They may also chirp loudly and in distress.

Chicks that are comfy will be active and playful, moving around, eating and drinking, they may sometimes have the "zoomies" and then take a nap. They will talk softly to each other, may lie contentedly in a pile and are generally quiet.

 

[vtelfer]

Let's see.. 17C is about 63F
and 10C is 50F. And the chicks are about a week old. But those are outside temps. What will the temp be in your house overnight? Do they all fit under the brooder plate? Can you put your hand on the brooder plate without burning your hand? The way the brooder plate is supposed to work is, the chicks warm themselves by contacting it, just like they would stay warm by snuggling up to their mother. It doesn't really warm the air under it. So if they can all touch their backs to it, it's fine, that's all the heat they need.

Yep they all fit under brood plate - But I have ordered another one arriving tomo. (thank goodness for Amazon ;-) The brood plate is working as you suggest, I was worried the temp around the brood heater wasnt warm enough. It prob gets to 12/15C in the house at night, we live in older home. Before I put the heat light in, they were all snuggled under the brood plate in a bunch huddled together, so I added the heat light. Hoping two brood plates & remove the heat light might fix my problem tomo? Appreciate you saying once a day check of vents is enough. Thank you!
My littlest chick who had the worst pasty butt is not looking good. I held a dropper of electro water to her beak & she took a little, but she is very lethargic & not eating much...but I have seen her eat today. Crossing all my fingers. Thanks again! truly am so grateful!