Pasty Butt Question

[drdoolittle]

I just got 22 chicks from Ideal on Thurs. A few of them seem to have pasty butt, and I have cleaned them with warm water and paper towels. I read some earlier posts on this, and someone said that the chicks need to have some kind of probiotic mixed with their feed until about 4 months old. All I have on hand right now is a canister of Revitilyte Plus, which is an oral electrolyte with vitamins. It does have acidopholus in it, so wouold this be o.k. to give them?

 

[sheila3935]

I dont know about that but I put apple cider vinegar with the mother in their water and it seems to help with pasty. I work at a feed store so we get lots of chicks in with pasty and it sure has cut down on the number of chicks I have to clean. Most feed stores do carry a probotic. Also pasty will resolve within the first 2 weeks.

 

[drdoolittle]

I did have some probiotic from when I bottle-raised my goat kids last spring, but it's all gone and I don't live close to a feed store-----guess I'll wait until I go into town tomorrow for work.

 

[EELover]

Plain yogurt works great! The reason they have pasty butt is that their digestive systems suck right now because they are so young. Yogurt has cultures in it to boost their digestive system. Give it too them for a couple of weeks and it will clear right up. Plus its a lot easier to find!

 

[92caddy]

Give them some sand. Thats what I do when the pasty butt comes. Its works well for me.

 

[Judy]

I don't see why you couldn't give a bit of the stuff you have, but you'd have to be sure not to overdose them, and I probably wouldn't give it for long.

Be sure you grease up any butt you clean; makes it lots easier next time. Most anything will do, Vaseline, Neosporin, Crisco, cooking oil. etc.

 

[Jeeper1540]

Can i give them fruit yogurt? i dont have plain and dont think i can get to town today

 

[drdoolittle]

Well, I've been cleaning butts and putting vaseline on them. I also started grinding their feed in an old blender and added a bit of ACV to the water. I think they're doing better, but I've lost 2 chicks. I don't think it was the pasty butt, as neither seemed to have it, but I think my cat may have gotten ahold of them through an opening in the brooder. I fixed that problem and scolded the cat, who spent the evening curled next to me on the bed. I think he understood when I said I felt like wringing his neck!