Pasty butt or umbilical?

[Stephroxy]

I will stop by the feed store and see what I can get for safe oils. I trim a little each time I clean her up. She isn't even a week old so I wasn't sure about giving food other then the crumbles so they learn to feed properly. I can maybe separate her and let her have a little yogurt. Anything for the babies

 

[Little Jerry Seinfeld]

You can use vaseline, neosporin, olive oil, etc, I use coconut oil if I have this problem, hope your little baby feels better soon make sure your brooder has warm AND cool spots with the warm spot being the correct temp for the chicks age because one of the cause of pasty butt is being too hot or cold.

 

[classicsredone]

I will stop by the feed store and see what I can get for safe oils. I trim a little each time I clean her up. She isn't even a week old so I wasn't sure about giving food other then the crumbles so they learn to feed properly. I can maybe separate her and let her have a little yogurt. Anything for the babies

You don't need to go to the feed store. I'm talking olive oil, coconut oil, vegetable oil, etc. Just avoid anything if it is from a plant that chickens should not eat. Most oils that people keep in their kitchens would be fine to use. It really is just to lubricate the feathers around the vent to prevent sticking.

 

[classicsredone]

You don't need to go to the feed store. I'm talking olive oil, coconut oil, vegetable oil, etc. Just avoid anything if it is from a plant that chickens should not eat. Most oils that people keep in their kitchens would be fine to use. It really is just to lubricate the feathers around the vent to prevent sticking.

I would not give only the pasty chicken the probiotics. If you only want to feed the starter, that is fine. Ferment the starter feed. You can use probiotics to start the fermentation, or you can let it sit out until it smells a little sweet, like freshly baked bread. I would just use the yogurt in the meantime and get the feed going. How many do you have? Giving a small amount of yogurt or fermented veggies will not throw them off. You do not want to give them just yogurt, but they're old enough to start trying small bits of other things. Just don't feed them so much that you are displacing the chick starter from their diet. They just need a few bites a day to help their tummies. Even better if you can get the starter fermenting, which will keep you from displacing their starter while providing probiotics. You can buy probiotic powder (I have used ProBios from Tractor Supply), and little bits of yogurt are fine to get them started, but it is much less expensive to ferment some feed or even a bit of veggies for them. Some feeds come with probiotics already mixed in, although not all chick starters do. You do you, though. Maybe try the little bits of yogurt while you ferment their feed, and try the fermented feed. It may take a few days for them to learn that the fermented food is good stuff. They might just trample it for a few days. That's okay. They'll figure it out. If they don't like one thing, try something else. Do what works for you, and for the birds. Just like probiotics help humans digest and absorb food (and even produce vitamins and chemicals our bodies need), they do the same for chickens. Good bugs are good for their digestive tract, they reduce the smell and amount of poo, they help prevent too much runny poo, chickens are able to convert more of the feed into growth, the nutrition is changed a bit for the better, and chickens seem to really love the fermented food over dry.

 

[Stephroxy]

Thanks for the tips. This morning she was doing much better. Not much stuck at all. Will stop for some plain yogurt. I have 6 little ladies. Been wanting to give them something other then crumbles so yogurt is a great start.

 

[Stephroxy]

I'm assuming the Strawberries are soft enough they don't need chick grit. The Strawberries seeds are tiny too. Am I correct in thinking grit isn't needed yet for these soft snacks?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I'm assuming the Strawberries are soft enough they don't need chick grit. The Strawberries seeds are tiny too. Am I correct in thinking grit isn't needed yet for these soft snacks?

Not giving your chicks grit is like not giving them food or water.

 

[Stephroxy]

Not giving your chicks grit is like not giving them food or water.

Right now they are on just chick crumbles. From what I've read the chick food is made for them to eat without grit. Said grit doesn't need to be introduced until they eat treats that need to be broken down. I get grit is their form of digestion they just haven't eaten anything yet that needs it

 

[Little Jerry Seinfeld]

Right now they are on just chick crumbles. From what I've read the chick food is made for them to eat without grit. Said grit doesn't need to be introduced until they eat treats that need to be broken down. I get grit is their form of digestion they just haven't eaten anything yet that needs it

I would give it to them to be sure, the strawberry seeds could be too much, babies are so very tiny. It doesn't hurt to give them chick grit now, or sand whatever you use, but it could hurt not to. They could eat a piece of their bedding, or sometimes the chick starter has Pieces of corn that are not ground fine enough and can cause trouble...
I provide sand to my birds from day 1.

 

[classicsredone]

I start chicks off with grit right from the beginning, regardless of their rations. They will eventually need the grit to digest their food, and it is better to have the grit there early just in case. We use pellets, and we do try to get green pellets so that the bedding is not the same color as their food. Either way, they still peck at and eat their bedding, especially if it gets wet and turns back into sawdust or ground-up straw.