Tips on pasty butt....please!

[S.L.Swope]

Ok I have 6 chicks in a 4'X4' coop with a 250W heat buld out side right now. I put an aquatium thermometer out there but it only reads up to 90 degerees and It's definatly above that out there. Chicks are 19 days old, 12 days old and 10 days old. There is 1 chick that has developed pasty butt and its 12days old, poop stuck to bum and building up to almost covering vent. I'v gone out and cleaned bum 2 days in a row now and added some higher protien food to the medicated chick starter.

Is there something else I should be trying?

Anyone got tips that helped there little ones get over it?

P.S.- The one 10 day old chick looks like it is starting to get it too, not as bad yet but should I start washing now? Don't want it to get out of hand. Both are Marans chicks if that helps, 1 cuckoo and one Blue Copper

 

[Fred's Hens]

Dial the heat back a touch, it often helps.

 

[S.L.Swope]

What size bulb would you suggest? I have the heat lamp attached to top of coop and cannot move it any higher so I would have to change the bulb. Would normal incandesent bulbs work or would it have to be a heat bulb?

 

[shober]

You can also put a little vaseline just below the vent area too! Good luck with your babies!

 

[S.L.Swope]

Thanks their soo much fun so far. Even my 3yr old love to just sit out and watch them when mom or dad can't come out for some supervised play time

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[Eggcessive]

I didn't see pasty butt in my hatchery chicks past 10-12 days. I agree that your temps are a bit high, and it is tough keeping it right for 1-3 week olds since they need decreasing temps each week of age. Try some different size bulbs--100, 75, 60 etc and measure the temps. They make some red 60 watt bulbs but are getting harder to find--maybe try local lighting or electrical store. It makes it easier if they have a warm area and cooler spots to get out of the heat. Pasty butt is just dehydration caused by the excess heat, or lack of drinking water (as in shipped hatchery chicks.)

 

[Fred's Hens]

Shop for the red bulbs. They come in various heat output. I'd use a 125watt. Then, lower it down to 16" above their heads. I suspect you are heating the entire coop to 90 plus degrees and that is too hot.

When you heat for brooding, you only need the "hot spot" to be a circle big enough for all your chicks to "gather" within and sleep within the circle, if they need the heat.
The rest of the coop pen can be as cold as 50 degrees. The chicks can then regulate themselves. They need cold areas, away from the heat circle to go to and cool off.

 

[S.L.Swope]

Thanks Fred I assumed that I needed the whole coop heated especially on the night when we got ito the high 30's here. It's been very mild the last few days. I'm going to grocery store now and will look for a few bulbs to see what works

Fred's Hens :

Shop for the red bulbs. They come in various heat output. I'd use a 125watt. Then, lower it down to 16" above their heads. I suspect you are heating the entire coop to 90 plus degrees and that is too hot.

When you heat for brooding, you only need the "hot spot" to be a circle big enough for all your chicks to "gather" within and sleep within the circle, if they need the heat.
The rest of the coop pen can be as cold as 50 degrees. The chicks can then regulate themselves. They need cold areas, away from the heat circle to go to and cool off.​

 

[Fred's Hens]

You are welcome.

Buy a 150 and even a 100.
Since you cannot regulate by raising or lowering the lamp very well, you'll have to cool it down by using a lower wattage. Shoot for 75-80 degrees tops.

 

[ChickenAl]

Fred and others are right about the heat. We had one that had pasty butt that I would take a paper towel with slightly warm water and hold it on the poop until it softened so it was easier to pick off. It only happened for a few days, then they were fine.