Pasty Butt

[English Teacher]

Thanks for all the help, advice, and the welcome. They were all out and about this morning--one still has a really messy bottom, but he is up and about. I took some pictures of them sleeping last night before I went to bed. All 14 were so peaceful. I would post a picture of them, but I don't know how. I had read that a few might die after the stress--mine came in the heat in the mail from GA to IN, but I still was not mentally prepared to lose the little one. Today will be a better day with chicks.

 

[English Teacher]

My thnak you went somewhere else. Goodness! Thanks for the help.

 

[N&MSchroeder]

Here is information on how to upload pictures. You may have to post a few more times (they sometimes have a minimum in order to prevent spammers) but give it a try.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=504

 

[Judy]

An old timer's remedy for pasty butt is a little molasses in the water, just to turn it light brown. It's said to alleviate constipation which I've read is the underlying cause, liquid ppop seeping out around a blockage of solid. I've never tried it, though.

 

[jimpad]

Verry good advice,I have used all of them

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Quote:
I completely understand, you have the lives of these sweet, fragile creatures in your hands and perhaps you've read that they are sooooo easy to care for so you figure that any problems you might be having are your somehow fault. I have 8 6-week-old chicks...I guess pullets now and two of them had pasty butt issues. One cleared up by about the first week and my other one is still a daily mess. The other seven are growing and thriving and have left their awkward adolescence and looking like shiny, plump, healthy little chickens but the 8th is about 1/3 the size and has a very sorry looking, baldish back-end. I swear I have done everything suggested to me on this forum and she still as a nasty back-end that needs cleaning every single morning and night (at least). I can't say it is necessarily pasty butt because the vent isn't necessarily covered, but she has fouled (or is that fowled

) any remaining feathers on her backside and now that she has long wing feathers, the tips of those are soiled as well. It's helping that I've got them in an outside run for most of the day now and she gives herself a vigorous dirt-bath every chance she gets.

Anyway, hopefully your problem children will respond to all the good care you are giving them and like most, have perfect fluffy bottoms buy the end of their first week. If not, we can compare notes and give each other moral support. The good news is that she is still alive and I do not doubt that it is because I've been so patient in cleaning her several times a day. If she had been factory farmed she probably wouldn't have lasted a week.

Good luck.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Please don't feel this way about posting. We were all new to this at one time or another, and we do understand this. There is a good search function on here, plus the Google search, but sometimes someone just feels overwhelmed, or can't find what they need with a search. It is often said on here that there are no stupid questions. Certainly you won't break a rule asking a question just because it may be a "newbie" question!

The rules are easy to access if you do feel the need; just click "rules" in the blue bar at the top of any page.

 

[English Teacher]

Again, thanks for all the help. That was especially reassuring, Hummingbird. That is good to know. I will keep cleaning and hope for the best. Both of them are eating and acting fine, so I will just keep cleaning. Their poor bottoms are just a mess. They are just the sweetest and so fun to watch. They already know my voice and think I am bringing them boiled eggs when I call to them, which they have a great time eating. They just seem so peaceful and content. They are totally calm in my hands, whcih just amazes me.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Quote:
I'm happy to hear about the "calm in my hands" part. One of the most frustrating things about my ongoing problem chick is that while most of them are quite willing to be picked up and cuddled a little bit, little Juno of the nasty-butt is always difficult to catch. She is so tired of being grabbed and messed with that she starts to peep the second I pick her up. So the one I've lavished the most care on and lost the most sleep over is the least cooperative about being handled. Sigh...I can't even do the mommy thing and say to her "Some day you'll be a parent and you'll understand why I'm doing this" like I can to my children because even if she does have chicks of her own some day, she still won't understand.

 

[English Teacher]

Oh, that is so funny. I tell my pasty butt that I realize that his is really humiliating, but he/ she doesn't seem to mind warm water running over his/ her butt. Its butt really does not look very good, but he eats and is active. The Dorking is supposed to be a really docile breed--one of the reasons I picked them. I look forward to being able to tell them apart, so I can give them their names. The hens are all going to be named after the First Ladies--Lady Bird Chicken, Eleanor Roosevelt Chicken, Mary Todd Lincoln Chicken, Jackie O. Chicken, and so on. I read in my chicken book that I should go out and hold them a couple of times a day for just a bit. They actually have the ability to recognize a number of faces, so I think that is pretty cool. I hold them and talk to them for a few seconds and put them back. I am thinking about only keeping hens and giving the roos away. I thought I would eat them, but I don't hink I will be able to do that now.

Thanks for the replies and encouragement. What kind of chickens do you have? No roos? I ordered mine and got whatever hatched. They came from an organic farm in GA, and the guy just hatches what someone orders--no sexing. I just want 6 hens, so I have my fingers crossed.