Pasty butts, the best way to clean and manage

[robbdebbie]

I have two chicks with hard poo stuck on their butts. I cleaned one off, but I had to get her wet to loosen it up. After I did this it seemed she was still really swollen on the inside. I held her up to the heat lamp to dry her off. Not too close though. I put some grit out, stopped the additives, and turned the heat lamp back on. It was getting too hot in the room during the day (almost 100) and I turned it off for a bit. It went down to 80 (prob for only an hour though.)They are on pine pellets, eating medicated chick starter. I did notice that a few had diarreah (sp?) yesterday. i thought that might have been from the sugar water or the egg yolks.

 

[RendonRoo]

Was probably the sugar water. You are on the right track, Using warm water to soften. I did that and used a paper towel to "pat" the poo off.

It should clear up in a day or two now that you removed the sugar water. Good Luck and keep wiping. LOL

 

[Relaxing with the Reds]

I had good luck with the "chick spa". Found a plastic bowl with high sides, filled it with warm water, submerged the chick's backside in the water, the hardened poo would start to fall away, anything left behind I used a throw away toothbrush to gently brush off. The chicks would be slightly put off about the experience but there wasn't any pain and they would dry off quickly under the heat lamp. As far as feed, to help with the pasty butt I ground up some oats in the spice grinder, sprinkled it over their nonmedicated feed from F&F, that seemed to take care of things. Good luck!

 

[kipper]

I held my chick's bottom under a very gentle, warm (not too warm)stream of tap water until the poop came off, then dabbed dry with a soft cloth. I did this a few times and it cleared up.

I agree, cut out the sugar water and stick to chick starter. I did introduce probiotics for a few days and that did no harm. I suspect the pasty butt is sometimes from the shock of travelling, being chilled, or just a roll of the dice. Good luck!

 

[Judy]

I feel yogurt or another probiotic, and Vaseline or Neosporin on the vent after cleaning, are both helpful.