Pasty butt problem

[Isilvertoes]

Im new to the community and I was wondering if anyone can help me out with my the problem Im having with my 4-days old baby chicks pasty butt.

I have read that whenever a baby chick has a pasty butt, always use warm water and gently removed the excess dry poop. The problem for me is, everytime I do the method, they would end up dying on me after couple of hours of cleaning the poop out. I would think the baby chicks are healthy due to always cleaning their environment around them with clean water and abundant of chick starter food; furthermore, they just look really healthy without any problem. I have lost 2 ayam cemani and 1 silkie baby chicks. I have 2 ayam cemani and 3 silkie left and hoping they dont get any dry poop in their butt to avoid further death. If anyone could help me out and point what Im doing wrong, I would greatly appreciate it. Cheers!

 

[007Sean]

Pasty vent can be caused by several things. Too high of a temerature in the brooder is usually the culprit. Feed can also cause it, adding scrambled eggs to the feed may clear it up, if it does clear up after a day or two, then consider getting 'new' feed. Probiotics can also be added to their water.

When washing the poop off, use warm running water, do not pull any stuck on poop from the chick as this could tear the skin and down from the vent area.
After washing, dry with a towel and blow dry with a hairdryer set on low heat. Don't let the area being dried get too hot. Don't let the chick become 'chilled' during the process. A chilled chick can die very quickly.

 

[Anaray]

When you say you are cleaning the poop out, are you going inside the vent?

 

[Isilvertoes]

When you say you are cleaning the poop out, are you going inside the vent?

No, what I see on the outside of its butt and around the butt is what Im removing.

 

[Anaray]

No, what I see on the outside of its butt and around the butt is what Im removing.

Ok, just wanted to make sure.

 

[Isilvertoes]

Pasty vent can be caused by several things. Too high of a temerature in the brooder is usually the culprit. Feed can also cause it, adding scrambled eggs to the feed may clear it up, if it does clear up after a day or two, then consider getting 'new' feed. Probiotics can also be added to their water.

When washing the poop off, use warm running water, do not pull any stuck on poop from the chick as this could tear the skin and down from the vent area.
After washing, dry with a towel and blow dry with a hairdryer set on low heat. Don't let the area being dried get too hot. Don't let the chick become 'chilled' during the process. A chilled chick can die very quickly.

It might be the cold considering I would only pat their butt without completely drying them, then putting them back right away in thier place.

 

[JedJackson]

What are you using for litter in the brooder? If it's sawdust, change it out because baby chicks will eat that and it causes pasty butt.

 

[Isilvertoes]

What are you using for litter in the brooder? If it's sawdust, change it out because baby chicks will eat that and it causes pasty butt.

Im using cut-up cardboard box that I would constantly replace following the next day.

 

[JedJackson]

Im using cut-up cardboard box that I would constantly replace following the next day.

Okay, so they're not likely to be eating that. Just another thing to rule out.

 

[Jennifer Cappi Williams]

my partridge silkie now has this. I found it in the brooder with a bloody butt from the maran chick attacking its butt. I removed the maran, it had bit all the biddies's butts. Now though, my partridge chick "Chip" is not interested in eating and not itself. It has pasty butt. I am washing it off with a damp paper towel. Really scared for it now. Of course Chip is my favorite...