Pasty Butt Question

[tlatham72]

Hi all.

I just bought a teeny, tiny bantam chick from my local feed and see because she had an INCREDIBLY pasty butt, and I felt she would die for certain if not purchased. At home, I immediately cleaned her vent under warm running water and gave her a dropper of nutri-drench mixed with very warm water. I set her up in a small box with a lowered heat plate to keep her very warm. And gave her access to her own small bowl of water and food. (I have a brooder of 2 and 3 week old chicks, but I am NOT presently adding her to them for fear of disease and due to her tiny size.)

After cleaning, her vent looked a bit inflamed, and her abdomen/lower trunk area has a fat, bulbous shape and is squishy.

• Is her abdomen so odd looking because her bowels are full of backed-up poop?
• Or, does she possibly have a disease or other issue?
• Can I do anything else for her? (I read on Cackle Hatchery to add apple cider vinegar to water, but I need to buy some.)

FYI - All other chicks in the brooder with her (about 10 or so) were 1-2x the size of this little one. I'm not sure if she hasn't grown because of pasty butt or if she was last born, etc. Otherwise, she was very alert and walking around. The bantams in that brooder were mixed breed so I have no clue what she is a mix of, but she is teeny, tiny. I'll try to add a picture in a few minutes.

Thanks for any help you can provide!
I just couldn't leave her in there with a wad of poop half her size on her backside

Tammy

Update: I added some pics, but her down is half dry now so it isn't as obvious how bulbous her abdomen is.

 

[donddon]

Offer fresh, plain water as well. Don't over heat her. Wait and see...

 

[tlatham72]

Offer fresh, plain water as well. Don't over heat her. Wait and see...

Thanks! I have a heat plate in her box rather than a heat lamp. The temperature generally reads around high 90s to 100 under there when down as low as I have it now. She has free access to come out from under it if she feels too hot. She is so tiny I wanted to make sure and keep her warm. I think I lost several of my first chicks because I did not have them warm enough. So I'm nervous about that now.

 

[FluffyButtBabies]

Be careful not to overheat though! Not past 98, closer to 95 is what I generally stick to. The bulb near her butt might've been due to either hatching or incubation issues. If it's on her belly (just under the vent) then it was most likely an exposed navel. It shouldn't cause her too many problems, just make sure nobody picks at it or it'll hurt her. Because of that bulb, I would say she's smaller because she's actually much younger. Only about three days old (after that it either shrinks or falls off). It's good that you cleaned off her pasty butt. I will say that when my chicks had an exposed navel, they had pasty butts for the first week. After that they'll start being able to take care of themselves just the same as the others. Good job on helping this baby!

 

[tlatham72]

Be careful not to overheat though! Not past 98, closer to 95 is what I generally stick to. The bulb near her butt might've been due to either hatching or incubation issues. If it's on her belly (just under the vent) then it was most likely an exposed navel. It shouldn't cause her too many problems, just make sure nobody picks at it or it'll hurt her. Because of that bulb, I would say she's smaller because she's actually much younger. Only about three days old (after that it either shrinks or falls off). It's good that you cleaned off her pasty butt. I will say that when my chicks had an exposed navel, they had pasty butts for the first week. After that they'll start being able to take care of themselves just the same as the others. Good job on helping this baby!

Thanks for the info! It isn't "a bulb" as in something extra. It is like her entire belly area is swollen and bulbous and squishy. Everything from her breastbone area down to where her legs attach to her body. It's not like an extra area or growth. It is the entire abdomen. I did notice, though, that there is still a tiny place where her naval "cord" fell off that has a tiny scab. So maybe she is only days old. I was just concerned that her abdomen seemed swollen and that could be an indication that her bowels were backed up. But, probably, I'm just ahead of myself and she's going to be fine. I'll definitely keep my thermometer checked!