Pasty butt, 1 week

[Masonjars]

Hi all,

I am brand new to this and have 4 Rhode Island Reds, 6 Plymouth Rocks that are a week old today (yay!). The RIRs have been fine since Day 1, they’re pretty relaxed, chubby, and their wings already have a lot of feathers. The Rocks are…high-strung? And 2-3 of them have had pasty butt almost every day since they arrived (1 every day, 2 skipped a day or two).

They’re getting chick feed and grit, fresh water daily with sav-a-chick in it, they’re in a roomy space in my garage with a radiant heat brooder set at an incline and a space heater near one corner so they can pick their comfort level. They are growing, eating, drinking happily, but they keep needing to be cleaned up every day and I’m worried that the daily handling to get the poop off of them is stressing them and making the pasty butt worse. The first couple days it was so bad a few downy butt feathers came off of one too…it’s not quite so bad now, but it’s definitely not clearing up either. Is this more common with Rocks? None of the Reds have been even a little bit blocked up… could the electrolytes be exacerbating it? I don’t want to stress them out but I don’t want to lose one either…

 

[MadinWonderland]

I'm new as well, but I've seen a lot of people suggest warm Epsom soan and a q tip will help get it all off. And some extra nutrients. Although I can tell you what. But everyone seems to agree Epsom salt with be your go to for feather babies

 

[Crazy Maizie]

My barred rocks were the same - pasty butt - while the others kept pretty good. I kept adjusting the heat and that always helped. They seem to absorb more of the heat, but I always found them under the heat lamp, so raised it so they weren't keeping as warm.
I used plain warm water and applied with a paper towel, then used a qtip with vaseline. Some will run their bums under warm water, but I felt that would be more stressful. They are always stressed while taking care of their bums. But, I also tried to take them out w/o messing with their bums and just interacting with them so they didn't always associate me with the stress of cleaning. They are doing well now!
When you offer electrolytes, you should offer fresh water as well. Offer both at the same time or switch out every time you change the water (so one fill has electrolytes the next fill is plain fresh, etc).

 

[Masonjars]

Thank you so much guys! Yeah they’re terrified of me now, because I’m always just there cleaning them haha I ran out of the electrolytes today and TSC doesn’t have any until later this week, so we’ll see if some fresh water helps

 

[rosemarythyme]

Electrolytes are not meant for regular use. Good for stressful situations (sudden rise or drops in temps, shipping stress) but should be discontinued after 24-48 hrs of use.

 

[SBChickenLady]

My little ones have always been a mixed bunch of some pasty for the first week or so, and some never an issue. I would say the handling may seem to be awkward to them at first, but early handling has always been a benefit from my experience and creates the sweetest little lap chickens who don’t mind being held at all when they grow up. Agree with handling for play time and cuddle time on top of the pasty butt wipes. They will be thankful to have that vent clear so they can keep pooping which is the critical part.

 

[Masonjars]

Thanks all! I wanted to update, I tried the ACV in their water and it worked! Within a couple days they were all fine. They’re doing great now, although they’re still terrified of me I think I missed the window of opportunity for making them into lap chickens… lol

Thanks!

 

[SBChickenLady]

Thanks all! I wanted to update, I tried the ACV in their water and it worked! Within a couple days they were all fine. They’re doing great now, although they’re still terrified of me I think I missed the window of opportunity for making them into lap chickens… lol

Thanks!

Keep cuddling them, I promise never too late, it’s amazing how much love chickens can show you in return. Enjoy, so glad their tummies and little bums are all better! Well done!

 

[GalaxyChicken]

I know this is a old thread, but how I tend to clean pasty butt is by getting a bowl of warm water, dipping my finger in it, and massaging their bum. (If that grosses you out, use a q tip) after getting all the poop off put a LITTLE bit of Vaseline, not enough so that it is in a clump, literally just a teeny tiny bit. and don't give them grit if all their eating is crumbles. It will give them diarrhea. I also suggest using puppy pads as bedding instead of Pine shaving for the first 1 to 3 weeks, as that can also give them pasty butt. (Take everything I say with a grain of salt though, I'm just saying what works for me. Plus I am not quite a pro at being a chicken keeper.

 

[LTAY1946]

We start all of our chicks as they hatch on ACV water. Hatchery purchased chicks get 2 days of electrolytes and then ACV every day for as long as 6 weeks if needed. We've learned not to wait to see pasty butt as prevention makes it easier to deal with. We lost one chick out of our last hatch to pasty butt that we never saw with it so it pays to still be very observant.