Pasty Butt question

[AndreaS]

LOL I was checking butts hourly at first! I am a little obsessed, I suppose!

It seems to me that if you don't get off the stuck poo that is not on the vent, it builds up and covers the vent faster. My babies are getting butt maintenance in the evening now, I soak the affected area with a really wet, warm paper towel, wipe with q-tips and try to separate poo from fuzz with tweezers, then trim anything that is too stubborn. They don't like me for awhile after that, but now that they are a week old, I haven't been having very many issues......I also gave them some grit, wonder if it helped?

 

[nanawendy]

I read on BTC that it could be too warm if their is a lot of pasty butts. After about a week the chicks get the hang of pooping, they kind of shake the poop off. Also putting an absorbent flooring down helps them not to sit on poop and get it on their tummies.

 

[LarryPQ]

Poop is yuck. Clean it off.

Handling them will do them (and you) good--even if they freak out.

 

[TeaKettleK]

DH and I washed it off with q-tips dipped in warm water and applied Vaseline with a q-tip... while joking that we probably looked like alien abductors to the other chicks- once the first few got back and shared their story... "And, and, and they grabbed me and held me and tilted me so my fanny was in the air and then they

did things..."

 

[nanawendy]

 

[fiberart57]

You can soften the crusted poop with mineral oil as suggested or some mild hand lotion like Vaseline. Like others, I'd recommend removing it. While it may not be plugging them now, it may cause a build up later, perhaps in the night while you're sleeping because there's one thing baby chicks do: poop a lot.

Mary

 

[CrazyMomOf2]

I tried the whole oil and q-tip thing. and it took too long to try to gently get it off. I now use a pair of scissors and give them little butt cuts. Just make sure that you aren't cutting too close to their skin or their vent. I noticed with many of mine that the poop would cling to the top of their vents. For anything I couldn't cut off, I would break up with a pair of tweezers... literally takes me only a few minutes and nobody bothers them when I put them back. It only lasted maybe a week, but now everyone is fine!

 

[mstricer]

Quote:
i'm with you Q-tips work the best alittle warm water and wala all gone.

 

[UGAchick]

I read this post a few hours ago and honestly thought that y'all were crazy for checking your chicks butts. But I did a little picky recon to my chicks and I am glad I did! One had a majorly pasty butt and it was a pain to get off! Thanks for all the of the removal tips and I apologize for thinking that you were crazy.

 

[CandiceB]

I'm a first timer also and I just received my first four babies today. Three are a day old and the other is a week old. My week old baby has a crusty butt and I tried plucking it off but it seemed like it was hurting her so I stopped. It's great I can come on here and learn new things to care for my babies.