Persistent Pasty Butt in Week-Old Chick

[3KillerBs]

All the other chicks' pasty butts have cleared up with careful cleaning and the provision of plenty of wet mash to keep them well-hydrated, but this little Black Langshan is the last messy case and I'm wondering if I need to take more serious action or if I should just keep cleaning and wait.

They have two waterers, one of which has Sav-A-Chick in it today because of the 90+ heat we're experiencing. The brooder is as ventilated and shaded as I can make it, the lamp has been off in the daytime once the interior gets up over 90, and I have never seen them either huddled as if cold or panting from heat.

She's not completely plugged up, there is fresh, soft feces in the mass every time I catch her and she's well enough to dash around with the others when I put in a new container of mash or try to catch them.

Before and After treatment today:

Her poor little vent is all swollen.

She's anything but lethargic, struggling mightily to get away from the wet paper towel and the confinement in my hand.

 

[FuzzyCritters]

Try rubbing a little olive oil under her vent. I rub olive twice a day on chicks with persistent pasty butt and it helps keep the poop from sticking.

 

[3KillerBs]

Try rubbing a little olive oil under her vent. I rub olive twice a day on chicks with persistent pasty butt and it helps keep the poop from sticking.

Will do.

It's my first time with pasty butt.

 

[3KillerBs]

I have been at work all day and haven't been able to attend to my problem chick, but I got a container of plain yogurt and thought I'd put a little into the mash tonight when I get home.

I might separate her out tomorrow for more intensive treatment if she hasn't shown signs of improvement when I get home.

 

[3KillerBs]

Not plugged up tonight, but her vent is still swollen. She's been oiled and I gave the flock a tiny bit of yogurt in their wet mash tonight.

 

[3KillerBs]

Yogurt in the mash again this morning. I caught and inspected the chicks and she looks much improved to me, though there was a little cleaning to do.

I suppose that a chick that active and hard to catch can't be in too bad a shape, right?

Her little vent is still swollen and protruding a little but maybe a bit better?

I didn't get a good photo of her vent this time because she was struggling so vigorously to get away from the wet paper towel that I had to put the phone down. Here she is among the others pushing in to get her fair share of the wet mash.

 

[3KillerBs]

At 2 weeks old, several days after the last check, I found this:

A little spot of dried poop, easily pinched off the down without needing to soak her.

 

[3KillerBs]

This should be the final update,

En Croute's backside was quite clean when I checked her today but her vent remains prominent.

She is just noticeably smaller than the other Langshans. I don't know if that's a cause or an effect. I probably won't keep her and definitely wouldn't breed her.

 

[Lawgirlyjo]

First timer but I used a shot glass filled with warm water to prop fuzz butt onto to loosen encrusted poop then wiped with wet paper towel to not rub too hard. Crazy shot glass toilet for the win lol

 

[3KillerBs]

First timer but I used a shot glass filled with warm water to prop fuzz butt onto to loosen encrusted poop then wiped with wet paper towel to not rub too hard. Crazy shot glass toilet for the win lol

That's a good tip.

There were a couple times that I cleaned this chick first, popped her back into the containment area, inspected all the others, and then came back to her to finish the job on the now softer poop.