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 Baby chick problem - help!
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Woodswoman
True Blue Farmgirl

512 Posts

Jennifer
Altamont NY
USA
512 Posts

Posted - Apr 28 2012 :  5:29:38 PM  Show Profile
Hello!
I picked up 8 baby chicks from my local Agway on Friday. I'm noticing two problems I wanted to ask about.

One of the chicks seems to be getting poop stuck to her rump I try picking it off, and using a paper towel in warm water to soften it, but I'm afraid of hurting her (it seems really stuck on), or leaving it alone to get infected. Any good ways to clean off a chicks rump???

And, one of the chicks just seems to not be doing well. She isn't as active, sleeps alot, and when the others others are standing up, etc., she is just kind of hunched down. Any ideas on anything I can do to help her out? The good news is the others aren't picking on her or anything.

The other six are doing great.
Thanks!!
Jennifer

Jennifer
Farmgirl Sister #104

"Nature brings to every time and season some beauties of its own".
-Charles Dickens

marlee
True Blue Farmgirl

1650 Posts

Marlene
DeRidder Louisiana
1650 Posts

Posted - Apr 28 2012 :  5:50:21 PM  Show Profile
Jennifer I really wish I could help you, but don't know much about them and sure don't want to give wrong advice. I am sure some one will help.
Marlee

God is the painter, he paints the picture. And his son builds it, for he is the Master Carpenter!
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YakLady
True Blue Farmgirl

652 Posts

Natalie
Montana
USA
652 Posts

Posted - Apr 28 2012 :  8:18:46 PM  Show Profile
I pull the feathers that get poop stuck to them, and then it's no longer an issue.

Not sure on the second one- do they have vitamins in their water?

~Natalie~ Just a farmgirl in Western Montana. http://mtnme.blogspot.com
Starting a family and raising Tibetan Yaks, Highland cattle, Laying hens, Muscovy ducks, Silver Fox rabbits, and a few dogs.
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batznthebelfry
True Blue Farmgirl

1257 Posts

Michele
Athol Ma
USA
1257 Posts

Posted - Apr 28 2012 :  8:47:10 PM  Show Profile
its called pasty butt & something babies get that can harm them or even kill them...wash as much as you can off of them daily so it doesn't plug up the vent....you can also start them on apple cidar vinegar.....about 1/8 teaspoon to their little water containers....this will help kill bacteria/parasites in the digestive system.....also water there feed down a bit so they are getting more water to help with the pasty butts.....
the other one sounds like she is not thriving well & could pass on...you might want to try a drop of baby liquid vits in her beak....& try to get her to eat...try plain or vanilla yogurt or human baby food like applesauce or squash...you will need to separate her from the others while you feed her so you know she is eating.....good luck & let us know how they are doing...Michele'

Chickens RULE!
hen #2622
theoldbatzfarm.blogspot.com
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farmmilkmama
True Blue Farmgirl

2027 Posts

Amy
Central MN
USA
2027 Posts

Posted - Apr 29 2012 :  08:00:38 AM  Show Profile
Yep, the sticky poop is called pasty butt. What we've always done for it is slathered their little bums with bag balm. It helps to soften the poo so you can pick through it, and it also kind of creates a barrier so the poo doesn't stick as well. You have to keep an eye on it though, because as Michele said, it can kill them. But generally if you keep up on it they will be ok. :)

--* FarmMilkMama *--

Farmgirl Sister #1086

Be yourself.
Everyone else is already taken.
-Oscar Wilde

www.farmfoodmama.blogspot.com

www.thehmmmschoolingmom.blogspot.com
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crittergranny
True Blue Farmgirl

1096 Posts

Laura
Lindrith NM
USA
1096 Posts

Posted - Apr 29 2012 :  08:08:23 AM  Show Profile
A little neosporin on the bottom will help to soften and soothe and help keep bacteria at bay. I have had chicks do that because I had them under a light that was drying them out too much. Also the feed can cause it if it's too rich. I put my chicks in a plastic box that I think is for reptiles. It measures about 18x20 maybe and is about 6 or7 inches tall with a slatted plastic top. I then line it with newspaper and put wood shavings in there sometimes but not too much or they will irritate their little bodies. Anyway I hang the light over the closed lid and it helps to keep them warm and insulated like a little incubator without the harsh bulb so close. At night I put a towel over the top and it simulates nighttime with the bulb still on. It may be different in your area but here the air is so dry that I always have to be careful of critters getting dried out too much. I hope all you little chickies do well!
Laura

Horse poor in the boonies.

www.nmbarrelhorses.com
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horseygirlonafarm
Farmgirl in Training

17 Posts

Kendra
Basehor KS
USA
17 Posts

Posted - Apr 29 2012 :  08:40:11 AM  Show Profile  Send horseygirlonafarm a Yahoo! Message
I have chicks that are 10 days old. We have the poop collector problem, too. The vents are not plugged. The poo is so dry, it's as hard as cement. I may try the bag balm tip. My question is this: if it's not plugging things up is it worth stressing the chicks by vigorously cleaning them when the down will soon be replaced by feathers? I'm new at this so don't attack me if this is wrong thinking...
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Woodswoman
True Blue Farmgirl

512 Posts

Jennifer
Altamont NY
USA
512 Posts

Posted - Apr 29 2012 :  09:45:53 AM  Show Profile
Thanks for the advice! I'm going to try the neosporin or bag balm on the one with pasty butt.

I'm really thinking the other one won't make it. She just sleeps a lot and her head is all droopy. I noticed the other ones occasionally taking a peck at her head (and her eyes. ewww. really???), so I have her in a separate little box in the brooder with some water and food. We'll see!

Jennifer

Jennifer
Farmgirl Sister #104

"Nature brings to every time and season some beauties of its own".
-Charles Dickens
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farmmilkmama
True Blue Farmgirl

2027 Posts

Amy
Central MN
USA
2027 Posts

Posted - Apr 29 2012 :  1:16:50 PM  Show Profile
Horsey girl, I've often wondered the same thing with ours. If the vent isn't plugged, is it worth the stress (on them) of washing them off when feathers will come in soon anyway? We've always just done the bag balm and it seems to work for us so far (a few years worth of babies). But I know different folks do different things. Whatever works, I say!

Woodswoman, good luck with that little one. One of our chicks from the hatchery this year didn't make it. It is amazing what the other chicks will do when they figure out there is a weak one in the group. But then that's the same with the adults. :) Good luck!

--* FarmMilkMama *--

Farmgirl Sister #1086

Be yourself.
Everyone else is already taken.
-Oscar Wilde

www.farmfoodmama.blogspot.com

www.thehmmmschoolingmom.blogspot.com
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crittergranny
True Blue Farmgirl

1096 Posts

Laura
Lindrith NM
USA
1096 Posts

Posted - Apr 29 2012 :  4:33:10 PM  Show Profile
I wrap my chicks up in soft rags and let them take naps a lot. But if one is weak I wrap it up separately. This is the old fashioned way of taking care of chicks before there was electricity. My baby chicks spend about 30 to 50 percent of their time napping like this during the day and all night. If too many are wrapped up they might crush one or if they get cold they might snuggle too close and crush one. I don't know if this is something that other people do but it was taught to me by my parents and it has always worked for me. Thing is they get tired and need to rest they are babies. When I was a kid I would keep them on top of the dryer. It had a pilot that would keep them the perfect temp. Now days I keep them in a little box with a light hanging over them or in the little incubator that I mentioned above in my last post. I keep them in there when they are running around or when they are wrapped up.
Amy I think it would be best to get them cleaned off so they wont peck at each other, you could try a little neosporin on there and just gently wipe it off a little at a time and then reapply a little more. It works real well.
Laura

Horse poor in the boonies.

www.nmbarrelhorses.com
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Woodswoman
True Blue Farmgirl

512 Posts

Jennifer
Altamont NY
USA
512 Posts

Posted - Apr 29 2012 :  5:54:06 PM  Show Profile
Thanks again, ladies. This is great.

I cleaned up the one with the icky bum - she seems much better.

It's funny - the sick one that I have isolated seems to have perked up. She's drinking, eating, and scratching around. She keeps pecking at the box like she wants to get out and join the others. She's also doing this really loud chirp when the others go to sleep.

Jennifer
Farmgirl Sister #104

"Nature brings to every time and season some beauties of its own".
-Charles Dickens
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batznthebelfry
True Blue Farmgirl

1257 Posts

Michele
Athol Ma
USA
1257 Posts

Posted - Apr 29 2012 :  6:00:31 PM  Show Profile
One thing about worrying of putting them under stress...don't worry about them being too stressed over it, you are actually teaching them to get comfortable with being handled & interacting with you...the washing is really not that stressful for them after a couple of days...they get used to knowing what is occurring & will be calmer...I feel its important to wash to get the germs & bacteria out so it won't go back into the vent but I too do the ointments but sometimes its not enough if they get too much dried poo in the area....I am sorry I didn't mention that but other hens did it for me :).......the one thing about the ointment if you do one its best to do them all...not cause they all have pasty butt but that one will now be different & the others will peck at the back end of it...but is they all look the same back there they tend to get over the pecking faster plus thy don't like the taste if its a medicated ointment........
I too do the towel bit since they seem to love digging into it to sleep...when I first started with chickens I didn't have anything so I did a file box with old towels & a 25 watt light bulb over the top....I saw that the chicks really had fun with playing king of the mountain on it during the day & then used it like a sleeping bag at night...if I have a sick hen now I always use towels instead of hay or shavings in the house as they like to nest it up around them & settle in better..I think....
plus I have so many old towels just for the chickens I can replace it easier than dumping bedding...& in the washing machine of outdoor wash tub it goes!....Michele'

Chickens RULE!
hen #2622
theoldbatzfarm.blogspot.com
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farmmilkmama
True Blue Farmgirl

2027 Posts

Amy
Central MN
USA
2027 Posts

Posted - Apr 30 2012 :  03:27:05 AM  Show Profile
Just re-read my second answer and realized I made it sound like it was ok to just leave a big old glob of poo hanging there for the other chickens to pick at. Sorry! Not what I mean. When we gobbed the chicks up with bag balm, we would let it sit on them for an hour or so and then pick through what was stuck - the bag balm seemed to soften everything. I guess we just weren't patient enough to sit and wash their lil' behinds! :) But Michele, you're right, I never thought of it as getting them used to being handled. Thanks for pointing that out!

--* FarmMilkMama *--

Farmgirl Sister #1086

Be yourself.
Everyone else is already taken.
-Oscar Wilde

www.farmfoodmama.blogspot.com

www.thehmmmschoolingmom.blogspot.com
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horseygirlonafarm
Farmgirl in Training

17 Posts

Kendra
Basehor KS
USA
17 Posts

Posted - May 01 2012 :  7:58:30 PM  Show Profile  Send horseygirlonafarm a Yahoo! Message
I will give the ointment a try! Thanks, gals!


County livin' in Kansas City with my two kids, husband, cats, chickens, and horses :)

Shop online, anywhere, anytime at: http://kendraford.avonrepresentative.com/
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Woodswoman
True Blue Farmgirl

512 Posts

Jennifer
Altamont NY
USA
512 Posts

Posted - May 05 2012 :  4:30:53 PM  Show Profile
Thanks again for all the advice. I was looking over the chicks a few days ago, and made a discovery. The runt? One of its eyes is completely milky-white. Yep. It's blind in one eye. It's doing pretty well - eating, drinking, etc. We'll see...


Jennifer
Farmgirl Sister #104

"Nature brings to every time and season some beauties of its own".
-Charles Dickens
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