Hard poop encrusted on butt fluff, what should I do?

[The Welch Chickens]

Our hen has had poop encrusted on her butt feathers for a few days now. (Her vent is not blocked!!) I tried to get it off with a warm/wet paper towel (like you would do for a chick with pasty butt), but the poop is just too hard. I put some salve on her vent because it seems irritated.

What should I do? I really don’t want to soak her butt because it’s really cold here and any warm water turns cold quick.
Is cutting the feathers an option here?

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Also, I posted yesterday about my hen having trouble pooping; she also had poop on her feathers, but not as bad.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ying-to-poop-but-having-trouble-help.1604872/

Are the two issues related?

 

[Lillith37]

Our hen has had poop encrusted on her butt feathers for a few days now. (Her vent is not blocked!!) I tried to get it off with a warm/wet paper towel (like you would do for a chick with pasty butt), but the poop is just too hard. I put some salve on her vent because it seems irritated.
View attachment 3689360
What should I do? I really don’t want to soak her butt because it’s really cold here and any warm water turns cold quick.
Is cutting the feathers an option here?

You could bring her inside where it’s warmer and soak and then use a hair dryer to dry her off before putting her back outside.

Or you could try liquid coconut oil or baby oil to soften the poop and try to get it off.

Or just trim the feathers. Sometimes it’s the easiest way.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Or just trim the feathers. Sometimes it’s the easiest way

It is really only one feather that has a big ball on it. I might just trim that one.
Do you have instructions on how to do this?

 

[Lillith37]

Also, I posted yesterday about my hen having trouble pooping; she also had poop on her feathers, but not as bad.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ying-to-poop-but-having-trouble-help.1604872/

Are the two issues related?

Is it the same chicken?

Feel the abdomen between keel bone and vent. It should be squishy. If it feels large, hard, distended, fluid filled, those are signs something is wrong. Feel your other hens for comparison. They can get messy bums when they have repro issues or ascites.

May also have an obstruction somewhere in the digestive tract. Hopefully the applesauce has been helping.

 

[Lillith37]

It is really only one feather that has a big ball on it. I might just trim that one.
Do you have instructions on how to do this?

I just use kitchen scissors.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Is it the same chicken

No.
It was a first-time issue yesterday evening. She was having issues and squatting for about five minutes. The applesauce was fed to her this morning; she is acting normally.

 

[Lillith37]

No.
It was a first-time issue yesterday evening. She was having issues and squatting for about five minutes. The applesauce was fed to her this morning; she is acting normally.

Oh good to hear.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

I will try trimming the feather. I will also feel the abdomens of both hens tomorrow. Thank you for your help, @Lillith37!

 

[morsekathan]

i just give my hens baths when they have poop balls stuck to their butt. They love the baths. I actually found this thread by searching on poopy butts because I wanted to see if there was anything else. But it seems pretty common and normal and I've had this with other chickens, so I'll just keep giving her a bath. With my other hens, it just went away as mysteriously as it started.