Pasty Butt experience

[KatyTheChickenLady]

When a few of my first batch of babies got pasty butt I got on here and searched for advice. I wound up just washing them with no ill affects. But then the same ones had the same problem again within a week. So I tried the molasses in water advice I found in the search. I just mixed a few drops of black molasses in about a 1/4 cup of warm water and dunked their beaks in it after their baths. They only got a few drops down each, but . . . not another problem with pasty butt and no ill effects. Maybe they just out grew the issue, but if I have the problem in a new batch again I am going to try the molasses right off.

 

[artsyrobin]

How does molasses help? i only had one chick with it, and only once... washed her off, she wasn't too happy with me that day

 

[morelcabin]

I use molasses for my older hens when they seem to be getting a little pasty, it works on them too:>)

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I've offered dry oatmeal that I put in a blender until it was very fine. I don't know if that helped or if the chicks would have gotten over it on their own.

 

[mochachai20]

New chick owner here...

what's the best way to wash them when they're a week old? I'm nervous about using soap on them. I tried to see if the pasty stuff on their fluff would come off, but I was afraid they would get too cold if I washed them. Any suggestions?

 

[scbatz33]

I used warm water and a q-tip, no soap. baby oil - just a bit helps to keep the claening up process easier. Little baby oil on the butt after cleaning the the next time it's easier to get off. I have two of my 5 with messy bottoms. They seem to be growing out of it.

As my vet says - we can treat them now and they'll be fine in about 7 days or we can do nothing and they'll be better in a week.

 

[Missoula Chicken Lady]

I dealt with pasty butt with nearly half of my 250 chicks for about a week, then it seemed to disappear (knock on wood.) I think it only affects chicks usually for the first two weeks.

I found a soft toddler's tootbrush and some warm water in a mason jar, along with a paper towel, to be a good pasty butt kit. You can just brush down and away from the vent with the wetted toothbrush, and after a few times the "tangle" should come right out. Then you can buff their bottoms with the paper towel. Dry them off well, as another poster stated, sometimes other chicks like to peck at little pink things.