Pasty Butt or Scab?

[Caffell12]

Hi, i’m raising chicks for my first time and the first time anyone in my family has either so it’s a learning process, and i’ve had a bunch die and i don’t know why, mine seem to be doing good right now though but i don’t know if this is pasty butt or a belly button scab. should i try to remove this or leave it? The black thing under the vent, she goes crazy anytime i touch it.

 

[Sixandahalfacres]

Not pasty butt - if it was pasty butt the poop would be covering the vent and the chick would be unable to poop. It’s a scab on the belly button and I would leave it, but keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t become infected. Generally you want to leave the navel alone as opening it up again can cause infection and all sorts of other problems. I might put a little polysporin or neosporin (without pain killers) on it if it was looking red and irritated.

At what age did your chicks die? How many days old? What’s the temperature in your brooder at? Is it draft free and dry? It’s a god idea to find out why the chicks died so you can try to prevent more deaths. Try reading as much as you can in the forums here - you’ll learn so much! All the best with the chicks!

 

[Caffell12]

Not pasty butt - if it was pasty butt the poop would be covering the vent and the chick would be unable to poop. It’s a scab on the belly button and I would leave it, but keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t become infected. Generally you want to leave the navel alone as opening it up again can cause infection and all sorts of other problems. I might put a little polysporin or neosporin (without pain killers) on it if it was looking red and irritated.

At what age did your chicks die? How many days old? What’s the temperature in your brooder at? Is it draft free and dry? It’s a god idea to find out why the chicks died so you can try to prevent more deaths. Try reading as much as you can in the forums here - you’ll learn so much! All the best with the chicks!

Thank you, i talked to a guy i know who knows about chickens and we’re pretty sure i he my brooder too hot because it measured 111° and it was very hot that day, so i’ve put them in a better environment, i kept them so hot because everything i read said they get cold easy so i was worried about that and i didn’t have a thermometer, i’ve moved them and got the temp a steady 85-90 so they seem happy now. It’s in our shed so it’s dry and warm and no drafts.

 

[Sixandahalfacres]

Thank you, i talked to a guy i know who knows about chickens and we’re pretty sure i he my brooder too hot because it measured 111° and it was very hot that day, so i’ve put them in a better environment, i kept them so hot because everything i read said they get cold easy so i was worried about that and i didn’t have a thermometer, i’ve moved them and got the temp a steady 85-90 so they seem happy now. It’s in our shed so it’s dry and warm and no drafts.

Ah yes, that would do it. Glad someone helped you out and you saved some. The temp should be 90-95 at the hottest spot, and preferably around 80 at the coolest end of the brooder so they can get away from the heat if it’s too hot. Then raise the lamp each week to measure 5 degrees cooler until they feather out and you can take them off heat. Also make sure the food and water is away from the hottest spot so the chicks have to move to get to it. Chicks can get pasty butt if it’s too hot or too cold, and also if they aren’t moving around a lot.