Pasty Butt Help

[gotweim]

HI~

I received 4 baby chicks last week from MPC. One of my little Barred Rocks didn't look well right out of the box and it took her much longer to "perk up" than the other girls. Right from the start she had a problem with pasty butt. She is now a week old and I'm still having to clean her bottom twice a day. She is starting to get swollen and a little raw back there and her vent looks like it's protruding. I've been very gentle while cleaning using warm water and q-tips. I have also been putting a touch of grape seed oil on when I'm finished cleaning.

I noticed last night after I cleaned her that she immediately had a large, very loose, BM. However it all just ran down her bottom and was very messy....so again I cleaned her up.

I'm afraid all the cleaning is stressing her out and contributing to the pasty butt but there is no way I can just leave it, her bottom getting completely crusted over. Now that is it swollen, raw, and protruding the other little chicks have started to take notice and I'm afraid they are going to start pecking at her...I know how out of the hand that can get!

What else can I do for her? Should I separate her from the others? I read about adding a sprinkle of baking soda to the water to help with pasty butt, is that true? I had a hen once that had prolapsed and I put Preparation H on her and that really helped with the swelling, can I use some on this little girl?

Any help is greatly appreciated, I hate to lose the little girl!

 

[nivtup]

Blue cote will help keep the other from pecking on her.

Keep at it, it will generally clear up.


Good luck

 

[chicks4kids]

One of my newly hatched babies had pasty butt and the runny poo that always ran down her bum and stuck to her feathers. After about 2 weeks it stopped. I always checked to make sure she wasn't stopped up by poo and only cleaned her when she was. What type of bedding are you using?? Maybe switching to paper towels if you're not already using that may help.

Kinda free up the flow of the poo-maybe when it's squatting to do the deed it's hitting some bedding.

 

[gotweim]

Thanks! I've got some Blue cote, I dab some on her!

I started off with paper towel over pine shavings.....a few days ago I removed the paper towel and just have the shaving. They are having a blast running through and playing with pieces of the pine....should I go back to paper towel? The weird thing is she really doesn't squat....she just kinda stands there and then it runs down her bottom......

 

[chickie fam]

I just noticed that on my girl yesterday. She seemed fine in the morning and when I checked them all before bed the other chicks had started pecking her fuzzy butt. I cleaned her up and put some bag balm on her and shes doing really good today

 

[DaddysChickens]

Take a small pair of grooming (human) scissors and trim the feathers back there. I had one that was like that and once I got rid of the fuzzy butt no more problemo...

 

[gotweim]

Thanks! She is actually looking much better today! But I will definitely trim her bottom to prevent anything more!