pasty butt that won't go away in 3 week old chicks

[ChickensAreSweet]

Two out of my ten Silkie 3 week olds have pasty butt that recurs every day or two. I have given them baths only twice since I felt they got too stressed out by it. Also this caused a speck of blood to occur (even though I washed gently with a cloth) and I was horrified.

The poo is not sticking because of bottom fluff getting in the way- they look the same on their bottoms as my other Silkies. It fall off by itself after a few days, but then the next day or so it is back.

I painted them with rooster booster pick no more at the beginning since they were picking at each other's behinds. This worked immediately, and I have not seen any more picking.

*Both of these chicks are a LOT smaller than the other eight Silkies from the same hatchery shipment. Also they are clumsy on their feet, and when we had a heat wave, I found one flopped on its side like it couldn't get up. I brought it inside, it perked up, and it hasn't had that happen again.

I am wondering if I could be looking at failure to thrive, maybe a mild case of it? They are starting to feather out, but at a much slower rate than the other ones.

Has anyone had this happen and still the little ones survived? These are my BABIES!!!!

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

Try vitamens and electrolytes in the water. Also keep a dab of vaseline on there rears to help the poo come off easier. make sure your temps are right this can cause pasting, also make sure there is no drafts reaching them if thats possible with your set up. Heat and wind play a major roll in pasting chicks.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Thank you so much for your reply!!! Those are helpful suggestions.

 

[lakeontariochicks]

I had this problem with my first batch that came in April. When my second batch arrived 3 weeks ago, I started to put Bragg's apple cider vinegar in their water, because I had some weak ones. I had one pasty butt and that was it..... I am wondering if the acv really did the trick? It's worth a try!

 

[500592]

make sured after u take care of the pasty but you dry it off as best you can good luck

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Lakeontariochicks, did your little ones with pasty butt grow at the same rate as the others?

 

[BeccaB00]

I'm sure u have been washing it of with a warm cloth.

even if it means you have to pull the fuzz that everything is sticking to out of the chick..do it.

I read somwhere that pasty butt can somtimes be caused by stress.

 

[whillo]

I had a little (VERY little) Barred Plymouth Rock that wasn't really shooting out the poo the way the others were and her bottom was a mess. I started giving her the apple cider vinegar (with the mother) in their water at about a week old. She cleared right up. I too wonder if it was just time, or if that is some powerful stuff. I also tried the electrolytes for about a day, but I just couldn't handle the smell. The chicks didn't seem to mind it, but if I got it on my hand I just couldn't get the odor off. ACV all the way.

 

[The Sheriff]

Put a small bowl of fine sand in the brooder for them to eat as grit. I did this after seeing the suggestion on BYC. I even sprinkled some fine sand on scrambled eggs to make sure they ate it. Pasty butt cleared up in a day or so.