Pasty butt on slightly deformed chick.

[reveriereptile]

Had my first hatch of the summer hatch Friday. We got 15 chicks out of the group of eggs. We had one chick that hatched out and it seemed to be taking longer than the others to stand. Just figured it might of been weak since we did have a couple that needed help that were almost dead but are active now. The chick had pasty butt and I noticed it looked more rounded like it didn't have a tail compared to the others and I didn't feel a tail bump. A couple days ago I had to clean its butt with warm water and paper towels. I got noticing that it had one leg longer than the other and definitely probably don't have a tail. Must of been why it took longer to stand cause of the longer leg. I had to clean it last night but it wasn't as bad and I seen some feathers I'm going to clip that stick out below the butt that the poop is sticking to. Is there anything I can do to help keep the poop from sticking incase it keeps having the problem? The chicks butt seems to be shaped weird unless it is cause of it having no tail. The butt sticks outward. It eats and drinks real good but I wasn't sure about its poop. I've noticed the other birds have more of a runny poop like the adult chickens. This chick poops ribbon-like poop. Not super runny but similar to a ferrets. I didn't know if it was cause of it being slightly deformed if that was causing that. The poop is normal colored. It gets around fine but just slightly slower. Definitely can jump good. Found that out while cleaning it.

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

I read that vaseline or olive oil are good options; apply after cleaning the caked poo off. I used the olive oil; don't know if it helped but it certainly didn't hurt.

 

[reveriereptile]

Thanks. I'll try the oil next time I have to clean it. I'll try to get some pictures of it. I know it freaks out whenever I take it out of the box cause it doesn't want its butt cleaned. Couldn't believe how loud it could make noises for the size of it.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

actually the heat is either too high or too low

what temp do y0u have it on?

should be about 95-98 degrees with ventilation
not a draft

and do this

1 cup of play school sand to gallon of feed
feed this till the pasty rear end is gone

as for the deformity it may live normal and it may not
depending on how the body reacts to the deformity in its life

any questions email me

 

[reveriereptile]

The temp. is around 97 and we have them in a large cardboard box. None of the other chicks have had any pasty butts. The light is only at one end of the box with the food and water at the other end.

The play sand would be used like a grit?

The only other times I had pasty butt problems was with a McMurrary shipment last year but they cleared up after a few cleanings. I just mainly want to be prepared incase this chick has more problems cause of it being deformed. It's definitely one of my favorites so far and not cause of the deformity either. I named it Nugget cause of it being round with only a head and legs stuck off of it.

I usually fed my last chicks organic grass that I tore into small pieces. Would it be alright to feed them some? I wasn't sure if that one chick would have any problems or cause more pasty butt.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

the playschool sand is for the regulating of the feed in the gut
the sand goes thru and helps it

if it was diarrhea you would use
1 cup of oatmeal to gallon of feed and it will bind them up so they don't have the diarrhea

now as for the grass
I am not a believer in feeding grass to chicks
but that is for you to decide to do
AND YESS YOU WILL NEED GRIT FEED IN A FEEDER WHEN FEEDING GRASS
it helps the grass get ground up

any questions email me

 

[reveriereptile]

Thanks for the help. I'll hold off on the grass till they are bigger. The feed I'm using is a non-medicated chick starter. I'll get some of the sand for them.

 

[reveriereptile]

Found some pictures of Nugget from a couple days ago.

Nugget is the black chick.

On the far left. They have an actual waterer now instead of the plastic bowl.

 

[threehorses]

Any time you choose a non-medicated feed for your babies, always give probiotics for the first two weeks of life daily. Then you can do it weekly through their growing period, etc.

Honestly if I were you, I'd choose a professional one like Probios from the feedstore. The powder. Your non-medicated feed might have some living bacteria within it (denoted by CFU on the bag as well as bacterial names, not including 'fermentation products' or "by-products"). But the way that feedbags are kept and shipped often takes a toll on the living bacteria in the feed's designed. So always give living probiotics kept cool in the fridge. You'll not have pasty butt if you do, and the birds grow and develop more correctly for better use of their food and not having to struggle with bacterial balancing in their first important days.

Honestly, I also recommend that when feeding medicated foods as the medication is only against cocci - not against bad bacteria.

Chicks are born without any bacteria in their gut. But chickens' digestive systems are entirely dependant upon bacteria (and grit when older). That's how they digest the foods left over after passing through the gizzard without having teeth. The gizzard breaks them mostly down, the bacteria do the rest.

So they normally get good bacteria by pecking their mom's droppings and vent. But most chicks now are hand raised at first. So we must provide the good bacteria ourselves (because they're good enough at finding bad bacteria on their own). Good bacteria colonize the gut - literally set up camp and live in there. They MUST get their and strongly there first, or the bad bacteria will get there instead.

So we give them live bacteria in the form of "probiotics".

You can use plain yogurt, acidophilus tablets/capsules from the grocery/pharmacy, or prepared probiotics (again my preferred choice). Probios is also the product of choice for a few organic feed manufacturers. You can find it in the cattle aisle of your feedstore. Powder lasts longer, is easier to use, and can be refrigerated. It lasts ages.

As for your chicks, I'd trim the area beneath this chick's vent to prevent build up. I'd give them all a probiotic just for health's sake. The yogurt will do for now if you want. I'd just watch that little one. If you're not breeding for sale or show, just for kicks, then he should be ok now that he can walk. Just like you would any chick - healthy or not - monitor his weight and make sure he always gets his share of food.