I got some Rose Combed Brown Leghorn chicks about a week ago from McMurray Hatchery. I had a few die right after I brought them home and figured it was the shipping process...the ones that died were really small compared to the others.
This chick in question, however, is the biggest one. He/she was the "exotic breed" free one of the bunch, and I'm pretty sure he's a black cochin...feathered feet, and just the cutest thing...he's also my favorite. I've been keeping a close eye on all of them making sure no one gets pasty butt, and when they do, I wash them off with warm water and then place them under their heat lamp. This evening I checked on them, and I noticed my little black cochin not running around like he normally does. I picked him up and took a look at his tooshie and it's VERY red and VERY swollen, and as soon as I put him back in the box, about five other chicks ran up and started trying to pick at his butt. It looks like he HAD pasty butt sometime this afternoon, and it maybe fell off? I took him out, washed him off, and applied some antibiotic ointment (not a lot) to his rear. When I dabbed him with a paper towel, it was blood tinged. I've sectioned off the box so he's separate from the others. But he's not doing well. He's not interested in water or food and just lays in the corner with his eyes closed breathing heavily. I dipped his beak in the water when I put him back in so he knows where it's at. I'm so worried about my little fuzzbutt. Is there anything else I should be doing?
This is the first time I've done mail order chicks...this is a very pretty breed that lays white eggs and couldn't get them locally which is why I ordered them. But with the ones that died and now this...I'm pretty disappointed in the whole experience. I hatched out some chicks last spring from my own chickens and had a great success rate with no chicks who died or got pasty butt after hatching. I just don't feel I got very healthy chicks overall.
Thanks for any and all suggestions!
This chick in question, however, is the biggest one. He/she was the "exotic breed" free one of the bunch, and I'm pretty sure he's a black cochin...feathered feet, and just the cutest thing...he's also my favorite. I've been keeping a close eye on all of them making sure no one gets pasty butt, and when they do, I wash them off with warm water and then place them under their heat lamp. This evening I checked on them, and I noticed my little black cochin not running around like he normally does. I picked him up and took a look at his tooshie and it's VERY red and VERY swollen, and as soon as I put him back in the box, about five other chicks ran up and started trying to pick at his butt. It looks like he HAD pasty butt sometime this afternoon, and it maybe fell off? I took him out, washed him off, and applied some antibiotic ointment (not a lot) to his rear. When I dabbed him with a paper towel, it was blood tinged. I've sectioned off the box so he's separate from the others. But he's not doing well. He's not interested in water or food and just lays in the corner with his eyes closed breathing heavily. I dipped his beak in the water when I put him back in so he knows where it's at. I'm so worried about my little fuzzbutt. Is there anything else I should be doing?
This is the first time I've done mail order chicks...this is a very pretty breed that lays white eggs and couldn't get them locally which is why I ordered them. But with the ones that died and now this...I'm pretty disappointed in the whole experience. I hatched out some chicks last spring from my own chickens and had a great success rate with no chicks who died or got pasty butt after hatching. I just don't feel I got very healthy chicks overall.
Thanks for any and all suggestions!
