We were bringing our favorite hen, Billina, and her three chicks hatched on Friday out to the yard to let them enjoy some sun and grass in a broody pen this morning. As I sat down to watch them, I immediately noticed that Ozma had developed a case of pasty butt. We had had these chicks out to play with them only yesterday afternoon, and I know her little butt was fine then. So this developed over night.
She's a very tiny bantam chick, so I had to take my glasses off (I'm very nearsighted) and get within an inch of her rear to see what I was doing. I used warm water, wet tissues, and wet q-tips to soften the dried poo, and my fingernails to remove it. As I was working to clear the opening, the poor thing did two huge impacted poops.
I'm going to check her little rear every hour today to make sure she's gets back to pooping normally. I realize this condition often recurrs. But I shudder to think about what would have happened to her if I hadn't noticed this when I did.
I checked all the other 13 chick butts around here, too. All clear. But now this is going to be part of my twice daily routine. Whew!
She's a very tiny bantam chick, so I had to take my glasses off (I'm very nearsighted) and get within an inch of her rear to see what I was doing. I used warm water, wet tissues, and wet q-tips to soften the dried poo, and my fingernails to remove it. As I was working to clear the opening, the poor thing did two huge impacted poops.
I'm going to check her little rear every hour today to make sure she's gets back to pooping normally. I realize this condition often recurrs. But I shudder to think about what would have happened to her if I hadn't noticed this when I did.
I checked all the other 13 chick butts around here, too. All clear. But now this is going to be part of my twice daily routine. Whew!
