Pasty Butt Chick x2 - Losing Feathers

[lbgreenfield]

Good morning everyone,
I have a group of six, 5-day old chicks. Two of those chicks have pasty butt. I have been doing normal care per everyone's recommendations here (which has a ton of conflicting information that I've had to screen), which includes:
1. Gently soaking their bums with warm, running water.
2. Gently cleaning blocked vents and poopy fluff feathers. Drying with a hair dryer on low heat.
3. Applying melted coconut oil to vent areas.
4. Water has added probiotics and electrolytes, and I have been changing the water two times per day.
5. Chick feed is starter-grower mix, no chick grit is being offered yet (waiting until about 3 weeks old to add in chick grit).
6. Brooder temperature has been fine, chicks seem to be going in and out of heat lamp area during the day but sleeping on the outskirts of the heat lamp radius during the night time (not huddled together, seem to be sleeping peacefully).
7. Non-pasty butt chicks do not seem to be pecking at the others. I watched them for 1 full hour yesterday with no butt pecking.


My concern is that the Chick #1 seems to be losing her butt fluff (see attached photo). Chick #2 is getting dingleberries in her butt fluff, blocking her vent. My husband and I both work full-time, but he is checking on them during his lunch break today.

My questions are:
1. With Chick #1 - should I be concerned with how her butt/vent area looks (see attached photo)? Is there anything else I should be doing? Every time I apply melted coconut oil to vent area, she preens and grooms her butt/vent, she might possibly be plucking her own feathers out, it was hard for me to tell when I was watching her.
2. With Chick #1 - she seems to be straining to poop, but over the past 3 days her vent area is looking much less red/inflamed with the added coconut oil. Anything else I can do to help her poop "cleanly"?
3. With Chick #2 - is there anything I can do for dingleberries (ha)? I'd prefer not to trim her butt fluff, but will if that's the only solution.
4. Both chicks - is pasty butt something they grow out of? About how old will they be when this won't be an issue?
5. I've read that if they lose fluff/feathers now, they will never grow back, but then I've also read that they will grow back...any thoughts on this?

I'm worried about them, any help is appreciated!

 

[lfcare]

I'm sorry you're going through this. I have the best luck with Apple Cider Vinegar (organic with the Mother) in their water (my adult flock gets it weekly as well). My very first batch of chicks have PB (but it didn't get or look like yours) and the ACV cleared it up quickly. So, now, they all get it in the beginning and I've never had it again. I also give them plain yogurt. But the probiotic your giving them should have the same effect. Last thing I would try is some black strap molasses (mixed with ground grains). It should flush their little GI tracts, but it is dehydrating, so make certain they get lots of water.

As for the feather loss, I have found feathers often return with their next molt.

Wishing you success!

 

[lbgreenfield]

I'm sorry you're going through this. I have the best luck with Apple Cider Vinegar (organic with the Mother) in their water (my adult flock gets it weekly as well). My very first batch of chicks have PB (but it didn't get or look like yours) and the ACV cleared it up quickly. So, now, they all get it in the beginning and I've never had it again. I also give them plain yogurt. But the probiotic your giving them should have the same effect. Last thing I would try is some black strap molasses (mixed with ground grains). It should flush their little GI tracts, but it is dehydrating, so make certain they get lots of water.

As for the feather loss, I have found feathers often return with their next molt.

Wishing you success!

Thank you for your reply, I am hopeful they will pull through - what is the dosing per 1 gallon of water for ACV for chicks?

 

[lfcare]

Sorry - I meant to include that for chicks I use 3/4 TBSP per gallon to start and over four weeks work up to a TBSP. I use 1-1/2 TBSP per gallon. I would probably syringe feed the two chicks a couple times a day to ensure they are getting enough. Please keep me posted! I'm pulling for these Littles!

 

[lfcare]

That should say "I use 1-1/2 TBSP per gallon" for my adult flock.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Sorry - I meant to include that for chicks I use 3/4 TBSP per gallon to start and over four weeks work up to a TBSP. I use 1-1/2 TBSP per gallon. I would probably syringe feed the two chicks a couple times a day to ensure they are getting enough. Please keep me posted! I'm pulling for these Littles!

Ok, thank you for the info. I'll start dosing with ACV tonight, I have some at home with the mother. How do I syringe feed them? Do I basically hold them and drop water at their beaks? I don't really want to pry open their little beaks to force them to drink if I can avoid it some other way!

 

[Eggcessive]

Pasty butt may be seen in shipped chicks the first week or ten days. It usually is caused by dehydration or getting chilled. Too much heat in the brooder can add to it. Basically, I just look for it the first day, and check once a day for it, because once one has it, they tend to get it a few more times. I try to briefly use soap and water and clean it off with fingers, and dry with a tissue. That is it. I don’t use ACV in water in young chicks. But initially for shipped chicks, I will give them a drop of Poultry NutriDrench, dip their beaks into water and into the food to get them drinking and eating. I do see a lot of pasty butt on chicks at feed stores, and that can be serious if it is not removed if the chicks hang around for more than a day.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Pasty butt may be seen in shipped chicks the first week or ten days. It usually is caused by dehydration or getting chilled. Too much heat in the brooder can add to it. Basically, I just look for it the first day, and check once a day for it, because once one has it, they tend to get it a few more times. I try to briefly use soap and water and clean it off with fingers, and dry with a tissue. That is it. I don’t use ACV in water in young chicks. But initially for shipped chicks, I will give them a drop of Poultry NutriDrench, dip their beaks into water and into the food to get them drinking and eating. I do see a lot of pasty butt on chicks at feed stores, and that can be serious if it is not removed if the chicks hang around for more than a day.

Thank you for the advice. I got my chicks from Rural King. I have been making sure all the chicks are eating and drinking. I cleaned both pasty butts after work with warm water, dried their butt fluff with a hair dryer, and then added a few drops of melted coconut oil to the vent. I have 2 heat lamps on, and they have plenty of room across the brooder to get away from the heat. Maybe I will turn one lamp off and see how they react? At this point I will keep monitoring and cleaning as needed. Hopefully they will grow out of it as their digestive system fully forms. Fingers crossed!

 

[Eggcessive]

I like to use a thermometer under the hottest spot, and keep the temperature at 90 until they are a week old, and turn it down by 5 a week. Having a cooler end to get to is best.

 

[lbgreenfield]

I like to use a thermometer under the hottest spot, and keep the temperature at 90 until they are a week old, and turn it down by 5 a week. Having a cooler end to get to is best.

Good idea with the thermometer. They have plenty of cool space to go to, but I will check the temp right around the brooder heat lamps. Thanks again for your input