Will mama hen take care of pasty butt or do I need to?

[joannefiddler]

Hi All,
Have 6 day old broody hatched chicks. I noticed this morning when they started parading around that one of the golden laced cochin chicks has pasty butt. I picked her up and was able to break a piece of it off, but not the entire blob. I've read that mama hens (Mama is also golden laced cochin) will take care of if, but wanted your opinion. Should I just watch them for the rest of the day, and intervene this evening if it's still a problem or is it something I need to deal with right away. It's pretty cool outside, so I'd have to remove the chick to the house to do anything, which might upset mama. Thanks!

 

[iwiw60]

Since your broody is allowing you to pick up that chick, the next time you do have a warm bowl of water and some cotton balls with you. Carefully and gently clean that poor chick's butt up. Put ACV in their waterer and watch closely...best of luck!

 

[casportpony]

You need to get the blob off ASAP!

-Kathy

 

[enola]

Do not leave the butt wet if it is cold where you are. Good luck!

 

[joannefiddler]

Thanks All! Well, here's what I did...I have a pair of tweezers that are shaped kind of like a pair of scissors...My friend was able to hold the chick upside down and I was able to pinch the dried poo so that it crumbled. I kept doing that until all the big chunks were broken up. Then with my fingers I was able to free up the smaller pieces. I didn't want to get the chick wet because I would have had to keep him inside to dry and warm up before going back out to Mama. I guess I'll just keep an eye out for any other buildup. Thanks again for taking the time to comment!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Thanks All! Well, here's what I did...I have a pair of tweezers that are shaped kind of like a pair of scissors...My friend was able to hold the chick upside down and I was able to pinch the dried poo so that it crumbled. I kept doing that until all the big chunks were broken up. Then with my fingers I was able to free up the smaller pieces. I didn't want to get the chick wet because I would have had to keep him inside to dry and warm up before going back out to Mama. I guess I'll just keep an eye out for any other buildup. Thanks again for taking the time to comment!

FWIW - you can use warm water to clean a pasty bum and not take the chick inside to dry. You don't get the whole chick wet and he/she can and will be kept warm while drying by the mother hen. I have cleaned pasty bums of chicks being raised by a broody and not once had to remove the chick to dry it or lost a chick that has been returned to it's mother post-wiping....this includes the chicks in my coop now who are two weeks old and had one pasty butt that required cleaning a couple of days ago.