Official BYC Poll: How Do You Prevent Pasty Butt in Your Chicks?

[BYC Project Manager]

Pasty butt is a common issue in young chicks where droppings stick to their vents, blocking them and potentially causing serious health problems. It’s often caused by stress, temperature fluctuations, or diet. But with the right prevention methods, you can keep your chicks clean, comfortable, and thriving!

How do you stop pasty butt in your flock? Vote below and share your best tips—your experience could help a fellow chicken keeper!

Further Reading:

• Pasty Butt
• Yes, You Certainly Can Brood Chicks Outdoors
• Things I wish I knew before I got my first chick
• Brooding Chicks: The First 6 Weeks
• How To Raise Baby Chicks: The First 60 Days Of Raising Baby Chickens

(Check out more exciting Official BYC Polls HERE!)

 

[BDutch]

I never had pasty butts (7 hatches). Don’t think this is being lucky, but bc a broody hatched the chicks. She transferred the right micro organisms to build up for resistance.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Main causes from my experience seems to be stress and heat (which is pretty much life in a feed store bin), so providing chicks with a bit of electrolytes or Poultry Nutri-Drench at first arrival plus ensuring the brooder has a sizeable cool zone away from heat has been the only fix/prevention I've needed.

 

[Debbie292d]

I only have one here and there that gets it, once. These are chicks hatching from the incubator. I use Hydro-Hen in the water for their second day as I'd rather they got regular (bottled) water in their systems the first day.

We have hard water, so I give them bottled water for the first few days. If I keep any, they get well water after that.

Our brooders use a 150W ceramic bulb with a UL-approved shade. Because those can jump around +/-10F, though, we bought an Inkbird thermostat for one brooder to try it out. It keeps that one between +/—3-5F, so it's so much better.

 

[Locktown Farm]

We just experienced pasty butts with our chicks. The food you are giving them is causing it. If you are giving them Purina Start&Grow Medicated - you will have pasty butts. Switch to Nutrena Nature Wise Chick Starter Grower 18% protein crumble medicated. Voila - no more pasty butts!

 

[BlackHenCoop]

Pasty butt is a common issue in young chicks where droppings stick to their vents, blocking them and potentially causing serious health problems. It’s often caused by stress, temperature fluctuations, or diet. But with the right prevention methods, you can keep your chicks clean, comfortable, and thriving!

How do you stop pasty butt in your flock? Vote below and share your best tips—your experience could help a fellow chicken keeper!

View attachment 4083262

Further Reading:

• Pasty Butt
• Yes, You Certainly Can Brood Chicks Outdoors
• Things I wish I knew before I got my first chick
• Brooding Chicks: The First 6 Weeks
• How To Raise Baby Chicks: The First 60 Days Of Raising Baby Chickens

(Check out more exciting Official BYC Polls HERE!)

Typically don’t have any but (or butt if you want a fun pun)if I do i handle it easily with damp rag, and medicine if necessary, then it just goes away

 

[Kewpieteef]

Raising my first chicks and haven't had the issue and I hope I never do. Since this is my very very first time having chicks & chickens I'm very vigilante with them I will say I feel like a crazy lady checking their butts every once in awhile haha.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Typically don’t have any but (or butt if you want a fun pun)if I do i handle it easily with damp rag, and medicine if necessary, then it just goes away

Interesting, what medicine?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I don't use a "warm, damp cloth" on those rare occasions I have to clean a chick with pasty butt. Instead, I take the chick into the bathroom and with a gloved hand, I wet my fingers with warm running water and gently work the feathers clean. I check my chicks every night so I can usually catch the issue before it becomes a problem, often when the chick just has a few feathers starting to stick together. After cleaning, I turn a hair dryer on low and treat the chick to a quick, gentle blow-dry before returning it to its siblings. We believe keeping the chicks too warm is the primary cause of pasty butt. Remember that the chicks can huddle together for warmth, especially at night.

 

[BlackHenCoop]

Interesting, what medicine?

I don’t know the exact kind, because i haven’t had to buy it I a while, but it’s some kind of purple stuff. It helps with all kinds of chicken issues

Interesting, what medicine?

i don’t know the exact brand, its been a few years since we’ve had any emergency where we’ve had to use it. But it helps with everything chicken related! feather loss, severe injury, injury, pasty butt, and even if you just want to dye your chickens feathers purple (this is a joke but the medicine does stain feathers )