Easter Egger or Cream Legbar? Also, is there a thing such as "Runny Butt?"

[YellowRoseFarm]

Hello!

No longer on the sidelines, we're chicken owners now, yeah! We got our chicks from TSC which, I understand, can be sort of a mixed bag. The brooder we picked our Easter Eggers from also had Cream Legbars and Lavender Orpingtons. We pointed out the chicks we wanted, my kids gave each one a little finger pat of approval, and we went on our merry way. But when we got home, one was not like the others. As I recall, the CLs looked darker than the EEs and the Lavender Orpingtons were obviously all gray. But when I look up pictures of EEs, it's not entirely impossible that this little chipmunk-looking fluffball isn't an EE.

So, I put it to the experts and noobs alike: what do you think? Her name is Ruby Sue and she has a red mark on her beak. I *assume* that all of the EEs in the container were from the same hatchery and that they'd look the same but, maybe that's not a thing. The EEs are clearly yellow and each have distinct black markings with shorter wings than Ruby Sue. All are just over a week old. Pic 1 is Ruby Sue by herself. Pic 2 is Ruby Sue next to an EE.

One other thing (and please tell me if I need to post this somewhere else), Ruby Sue had a mild case of poopy butt that I cleaned off...twice. But it's not goopy or pasty or anything. It's runny. She's eating and drinking well. I have some chick grit in a separate container for them that they use. I also gave them a couple of days of SAC probiotics and electrolytes. I couldn't find anything definitive in my books or online but is this possibly a symptom of a bigger problem if the poopy butt is recurrent at this age?

Thanks in advance!

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC and the wonderful world of chickens.

Are you using medicated chick starter? I don't know much about chick diseases, but I always start them on medicated feed just as a boost.

Also, after the initial dose of Save-A-Chick to perk them up after shipping, it's best to always offer plain, fresh water in addition to the water with the additives. It's possible to overdose on electrolytes and supplements.

Easter eggers can be highly variable in color and type since they're not a specific crossbreed but are the result of breeding generations of Easter Eggers together with each other (and they can lay any color of egg).

 

[Yardmom]

Cream Crested Legbars are blue egg lays so any thing mixed with it can be called an Easter Egger. CCL also pass on a crest that yours does not have. This chick is most likely a more traditional EE. There is not a breed standard so each bird will look a little different.

 

[YellowRoseFarm]

Welcome to BYC and the wonderful world of chickens.

Are you using medicated chick starter? I don't know much about chick diseases, but I always start them on medicated feed just as a boost.

Also, after the initial dose of Save-A-Chick to perk them up after shipping, it's best to always offer plain, fresh water in addition to the water with the additives. It's possible to overdose on electrolytes and supplements.

Easter eggers can be highly variable in color and type since they're not a specific crossbreed but are the result of breeding generations of Easter Eggers together with each other (and they can lay any color of egg).

Thanks for your reply!

Yes, they had a separate waterer with plain water along side the one with SAC.

I haven't been using the medicated starter. I had an unopened bag of unmedicated that someone gave me (not expired, purchased only a month ago) and they were clean out of medicated at TSC that day. I read mixed opinions about needing medicated so I didn't think much of it. I suppose I can pick some up and start them on it.

 

[3KillerBs]

Thanks for your reply!

Yes, they had a separate waterer with plain water along side the one with SAC.

I haven't been using the medicated starter. I had an unopened bag of unmedicated that someone gave me (not expired, purchased only a month ago) and they were clean out of medicated at TSC that day. I read mixed opinions about needing medicated so I didn't think much of it. I suppose I can pick some up and start them on it.

You might want to look into the symptoms of coccidiosis and, if they seem to match, get some of the medicine (Corrid, IIRC). But I can't advise further because I have no experience with it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If she's active and the poop is just runny, it's not likely to be coccidiosis. Having Corid on hand is always a good idea though (I don't feed medicated).

As far as breed, EEs can look like almost anything so it makes it hard to ID them until they're older.