Pasty butt or umbilical?

[Stephroxy]

I got my first batch of chicks a few days ago. One seems to have poo built up, I tried gently washing but it doesn't want to come loose. Ive read of pasty butt but also umbilical cords that you shouldnt pull on. Having a hard time telling what's poo and what's possibly something different. The fresh poo wipes of but that chunk won't budge. Can't tell butt from belly button lol. Any suggestions appreciated

 

[azygous]

Locate the vent. The poop buildup needs to be removed where it's blocking the poop "exit"in the center of the vent. The umbilicus is below the vent, so anything not crusted up on the vent itself and blocking the ability of poop to properly eject, can be safely ignored.

 

[Stephroxy]

She is able to poop a bit still so I'm keeping up cleaning that right away. Think I'm being an over cautious new mom lol. Thanks for the reply

 

[rosemarythyme]

From the photo (hard to tell with the red) that should be the vent. It's directly under the tail. Umbilical would be further down.

 

[Hteeter2]

Check this out Appalachian Homestead with Patara on YouTube, and watch her video Pasty Butt and Baby Chicks @

 

[chickengeorgeto]

https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/pullorum+disease

Read up on what "Pasty Butt" might actually be. This could be the most serious poultry disease on Planet Earth and it is not something that you want to treat your chicks for.

It was once called White Bacillus Diarrhea and this disease is still rampant in most parts of the world. Chicks who survive are un-thrifty, slow growing, poor layers, of eggs that have an unusually high number of dead chicks in the egg. The eggs also have a much lower fertility rate. White Bacillus Diarrhea is spread horizontally by contact with a carrier bird, and vertically through the egg from mother to daughter and or to son as well as from father to daughter ect. Death rates are from 10% to 100% with infected chicks showing a marked preference for huddling under a heat source. Hens that survive have lesions on their overlies and pass the disease on to their chicks who can and do infect their fellow hatch mates either in the incubator or in the brooder. There is a test for this disease that you can perform at home if you are curious. This disease is so serious that most vets will refuse to do the test because if the results are positive then the vet is required by law to notify the authorities who will come out to your back yard and kindly destroy your entire flock for free. This is not exactly conducive for the chicken vet getting any repeat business from you. Don't laugh, this disease is real and it is serious. What the chicken vet doesn't know won't hurt him but the same can't be said for YOU.

 

[Stephroxy]

Thanks to the help I was able to figure out its just poo. Got in there with a little more determination and got most of it clean. She must not mind since she fell asleep in my hand while I was working. Trimming some fluff as I go.

 

[Hteeter2]

Thanks to the help I was able to figure out its just poo. Got in there with a little more determination and got most of it clean. She must not mind since she fell asleep in my hand while I was working. Trimming some fluff as I go.

I had a bald bottom baby who came to me with Pasty Butt. She had a will to live, and I just gave her a hand staying alive. About eight weeks later with my dad holding her:

 

[Stephroxy]

I had a bald bottom baby who came to me with Pasty Butt. She had a will to live, and I just gave her a hand staying alive. About eight weeks later with my dad holding her:

View attachment 1421250

Very cute glad she pulled through. Mine is still eating and drinking like normal just getting matted up so. cleaning her up alot and waiting to pass the fluff stage. Hoping that's the end of it

 

[classicsredone]

Can you get the baby out on the grass, or add some probiotics to its diet? You can do this with a bit of yogurt, lacto-fermented feed, etc. I have found that probiotics stop the problem pretty quickly. They naturally get probiotics from the soil, vegetables, etc. Without that access to plants and dirt, we can help by giving probiotic food. If the butt is especially fluffy, trim around the vent a little. Be careful, and take off a tiny bit at a time. The last thing you want to do is to nip the bird. Get a q-tip (or your finger) and use it to apply a couple drops of chicken-safe oil around the vent. Reapply as needed. The oil will prevent poo from being able to stick on their butts in the first place. Keeping the vent clean and adding probiotics of some sort should help clear up the problem pretty quickly.