Pasty butt on week olds!!!

Wash them up, dry them really good, and then add oil or Vaseline to the feathers below the vent. This allows for it to just slide off instead of sticking to the feathers. Not the most "pretty" but it works.

 

Go to your feed store (or call ahead first to save yourself time and gas) and buy chick grit it's only a couple of dollars a bag and one bag will last you a lifetime.

The grit is a red color and a little courser than cornmeal. Sprinkle, don't cover, your chick food and the chicks will eat it. Tomorrow go out to your lawn and find an area of grass that has never had any chemicals applied to it. Dig up a piece about 4X4 inches. Put this in the chick area. They will run on it, scratch on it and possibly try to eat a bit of grass. That's why you need the grit.

Don't cut off any grass and give to them to eat just put the clump in and leave it. Long strands of grass will lead to being crop bound. They will scratch and pick at the dirt and find things to eat. Don't worry about the dirt. When that clump dries up or looks haggard I put the clump back where I got it so it will grow back and not leave a hole and replace with another clump. Occasionally sprinkle more grit on food.

You're pasty butt problem will go away.

A lot of aspects of owning chickens are not glamorous. Before they get older learn about worming them, what disease symptoms look like and make yourself a chicken first aid kit and find a vet ( if that's the route you will go) before anything bad happens. Read every library book you can or order a few. There is a list of books available on this site for sale. All highly recommended.

People all across the country are abandoning their chickens because 'they are so much work' or 'I didn't know they get worms' etc. All of that information can be found right here. BYC'ers are the absolute best.

Other aspects of owning chickens are phenomenal. They are funny, each has their own personality, they have very expressive eyes, they're beautiful and that first egg makes you feel like a kid at Christmas. Many times on weekend mornings I will take a cup of coffee out to the coop with me, let my monsters out, sit on a lawn chair and just watch them and their antics. They say that watching a fish tank is good for high blood pressure but watching a flock is so much better. Besides, you can't hug a fish.

 

LOL, you are correct! But in the end it is all worth it.

 

Wondering if the sod helped with the pasty butt?

 

I posted a reply for your pasty butt problem and suggested a piece of sod be put in their area after giving them chick grit. Wondering if it helped.