Pasty Butt or something else

[Faraz1]

So i have a baby chick that hatched with 2 other chicks around 11 days ago on the 27th of August.

Since then the bird has had a case of pasty butt, which i have been cleaning/checking twice a day (once in the morning, once in the evening). The Pasty butt isn't really in the literal sense that there is a full blockage but the poop seems to be sticking just below the vent area.

The vent does seem slightly larger but not as much as compared with the other chicks.

After researching on the forum, i have started applying witch hazel whenever i clean the vent since the past 3 days. The swelling seems to have gone down but the poop still seems to be sticking. I have attached 2 pictures from todays cleaning showing a before and after.

I have now also given the chick a half teaspoon of cocount oil to see if it helps.

Other than that the chick seems to be healthy and eating/drinking OK. From a size perspective it seems sightly smaller than its other 2 siblings.

Any suggestions and a way forward are appreciated as i cannot keep cleaning this poor fellow everyday.

 

[Faraz1]

Also the brooder is quite large for 3 chicks, around 5 square feet, and plenty of room to roam about inside it. I have previously raised 4 chicks in one batch and 2 in a second batch in the same brooder setup and they have all turned out to be healthy chickens

 

[bgmathteach]

So i have a baby chick that hatched with 2 other chicks around 11 days ago on the 27th of August.

Since then the bird has had a case of pasty butt, which i have been cleaning/checking twice a day (once in the morning, once in the evening). The Pasty butt isn't really in the literal sense that there is a full blockage but the poop seems to be sticking just below the vent area.

The vent does seem slightly larger but not as much as compared with the other chicks.

After researching on the forum, i have started applying witch hazel whenever i clean the vent since the past 3 days. The swelling seems to have gone down but the poop still seems to be sticking. I have attached 2 pictures from todays cleaning showing a before and after.

I have now also given the chick a half teaspoon of cocount oil to see if it helps.

Other than that the chick seems to be healthy and eating/drinking OK. From a size perspective it seems sightly smaller than its other 2 siblings.

Any suggestions and a way forward are appreciated as i cannot keep cleaning this poor fellow everyday.

You can trim the feathers/fuzz around/below the vent. Also, you can apply a little oil around the vent after cleaning, too.

The last 2 things I would suggest is: 1) try putting a little electrolye & vitamins in their water for a couple of days & see if it helps (TSC sell single use packages, as well as HUGE packages of powder). 2) Make sure that the brooder isn't a bit too warm...or make sure they have plenty of space away from the heat lamp/brooder plate.
Where it is only one, it probably isn't the latter thing, but some chicks are more sensitive to heat than others.

Hope this helps!

 

[Faraz1]

Here is this mornings update. So far so good, i think the coconut oil has made a difference !

 

[3KillerBs]

This is my journey with persistent pasty butt in one chick: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/persistent-pasty-butt-in-week-old-chick.1471008/

I was given much excellent advice.

 

[Faraz1]

So i couldn't check last night however this morning there seems to be poop stuck below the vent, although the vent seems to be clear. Any suggestions ?

 

[Faraz1]

This is my journey with persistent pasty butt in one chick: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/persistent-pasty-butt-in-week-old-chick.1471008/

I was given much excellent advice.

Thanks for this, i will try the mash+yougurt combination now.

 

[Faraz1]

I removed their bowl of chick crumb and replaced it with mash, but unfortunately there doesn't seem to be much interest in the mash. They are scavenging around it looking for chick crumb that had previously fallen.

 

[bgmathteach]

I removed their bowl of chick crumb and replaced it with mash, but unfortunately there doesn't seem to be much interest in the mash. They are scavenging around it looking for chick crumb that had previously fallen.

They'll eat the mash...give em time (I hope). Also, if the poop keep sticking to the fluff/feathers below the vent, trim them and put oil there.

You can always mix yogurt into the crumbles, too/instead. It will make it a lumpy mash. That said, I think they just need to try the yogurt mix and get used to the idea first.

Hope by the time you read this, they are eating and the pasty bottom one is doing better!

 

[Faraz1]

They'll eat the mash...give em time (I hope). Also, if the poop keep sticking to the fluff/feathers below the vent, trim them and put oil there.

You can always mix yogurt into the crumbles, too/instead. It will make it a lumpy mash. That said, I think they just need to try the yogurt mix and get used to the idea first.

Hope by the time you read this, they are eating and the pasty bottom one is doing better!

You are absolutely spot on ! This morning the mash had all disappeared. It seems to have gone down well, however the chick still has some dried poop underneath its vent (I think its not as much as yesterdays morning though, can you please take a look at both pics? )

The mash I made was by mixing their chick crumb with some yogurt and water to a sloppy consistency.

I am not sure what else I can try apart from the electrolytes in the water like you mentioned previously ?

I will try trimming the feathers further but I am afraid in case I cause damage. After I have cleaned I will apply oil like I did yesterday morning as well.