Pasty butt and maybe a weak chick?

[Kim_1970]

Hi all

I have two issues.
One is .... is THIS what pasty butt looks like??

Then my other issue is my littlest red chick is sleeping too much I think. In the three days I have had them, they are all growing and very active. But she seems to sleep a lot, I see her eat but not a lot and not often. I have seen her drink too. She doesnt run around and get all peepy like the others. What can I do to jump start her a bit? Polyvisol or something else? I am feeding Purina Start and Grow medicated.

This is her tonight:

 

[underground chickenman]

I can't really see the vent in the pic. Looks like there might be a little poop on there, but it doesn't looked blocked. I would wash off what is there and check it again after several hours to see if it is accumulating.

As for the lethargic one, you can try some Quik Chik or other brand of electrolyte. If you don't have ready access to some, you can add some sugar to the water. Add about 3 tablespoons per quart. I generally do this on day one and usually stop by day three, but if she never had any, she may still need the energy boost.

I've never used the vitamins, but some people on here swear by them. Quik Chik has vitamins, so I wouldn't do both.

Make sure she is in a proper temperature. 95 the first week and 5 degrees cooler each week until they are fully feathered, or about 6 weeks. That is the temp for the warmest part of the brooder. There should be room in your brooder for them to get away from the heat if they want to.

Other than the above suggestions, you just have to let nature take its course at this age and hope for the best.

UGCM

 

[Mama&thePeeps]

Aw, poor baby. I hope she gets better soon.

 

[teach1rusl]

Pasty butt - can you see her vent area? Have you seen her actually poop? If you have, then her vent is not blocked, although you'll want to get that area clean anyhow, because continued build-up could cause a blockage eventually. You may have to hold her in a sink of warm water (not deep, obviously) to gradually work that clump loose. Don't pull and yank!! If you have small, sharp scissors, you might clip away part of the clump.

My BO slept a lot when she was a young chick. She stood out from the others. If your chick is eating, drinking, pooping, and is active a fair amount (even if she does sleep noticeably more than others), I woudn't worry a whole lot...at least for the first two weeks or so. She's my biggest bird now, and she's still a bit slower than the others (lol), but she's as healthy as a horse.

 

[looptloop]

I had 2 Buff Orpinton's with pasty buns and they seemed tired too, I alternated snuggling them in my shirt to keep them warm. i also used olive oil on their tooties to keep the poop from accumulating again. I think you should just snuggle her and keep her warm!

 

[Kim_1970]

I was so worried that I sprang awake this morning thinking about little red - came running upstairs and had a sense of dread before I opened the door to the room.
But happily - she is still alive this morning. I just saw her eat a little too.

This picture is from a few minutes ago. The littlest one that I am worried about is the tiny girl in the top right corner.