What causes pasty butt?

[joeyschicks]

There is lots of good messages on here about how to get rid of pasty butt when it happens, but I want to know..
WHAT CAUSES PASTY BUTT, and how do I prevent it?

 

[gritsar]

Stress (like from shipping) and being too hot are the two things that come to mind.

 

[Homesteading_Bound]

also...feeding them anything but starter (or chicken food) in the beginning...ie..people food

 

[Bec]

I thought I read somewhere that is was constipation?

 

[Tiramisu]

I thought it was the poo getting stuck in their feathers/down too...
Its not really constapation, its a blockage because the poo clumps on the vent and does not allow passage.

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

Like others said - stress from shipping and constipation.

Three of my ten had pasty butt when I brought them home from the Feed Store. The Feed Store had them 1 day after they were shipped with 90 other chicks from Privett in New Mexico to Olympia WA.

It's just amazing that's all they had. After I cleaned them, the pasty butt didn't return.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
That's actually the symptom of pasty butt and not what causes the poo to get stuck there in the first place.

 

[desertgirl]

Where is the pasty butt sticky???!!!

 

[kaya's farm]

I find if my chicks have a nice solid poop it never has a chance to stick to the butt feathers but if the poo is watery it hardens on the feathers and creates a chain reaction of more poop sticking. Many say oat meal mixed in food helps because it makes the poop harder. I also noticed just moving the light was enough to help alot!!!

 

[hinkjc]

There can be several things that cause pasty butt..as some said, stress, too hot, chilled and cold water also seems to lead to it.