Pasty Butt also known as pasted vent and pasting up is a condition that occurs in baby chicks when droppings stick to the down surrounding their vent; poop builds up to form a blockage that can be fatal to the chicken unless removed. Causes, treatment and prevention are discussed below. Chicken chick with pasted vent

CHICK ANATOMY

All baby chicks have both vents and navels/belly buttons which should not be confused with one another.

Chick anatomy belly button vs vent

The vent is the orifice from which chickens pass bodily waste and from which hens pass eggs. The belly button is located just beneath the vent. Just as in human babies, after birth/hatch there is a small amount of tissue that must dry up and fall off the belly button. This dried tissue should not be confused with droppings and should never be pulled off as doing so could disembowel the chick.

Pasted vent in feed store chickIt is very common for chicks sold commercially to have pasty butt.

CAUSES OF PASTY BUTT

  • stress and being cold, most commonly seen in chicks shipped through the mail
  • over-heating, most often due to heat lamps
  • improper diet (treats and snacks of any kind are a common culprit- skip the treats!)
  • less common causes include viral or bacterial infections and all of which can result in diarrhea

A more advanced case of pasty butt in a feed store chick.

All newly acquired chicks should be checked upon arrival home. Those with pasted vents should be cleaned and monitored for recurrence. Not all poop near the vent is concerning or actionable; a vent blockage is a problem, not mere droppings surrounding the vent. 

Wash chick's butt in lukewarm running water.

TREATMENT

I have found that the fastest and safest way to treat pasty butt is to wash the chick’s butt under lukewarm running water. Work quickly in a warm room to prevent chilling. When the droppings soften, gently coax the poop off the down without pulling to avoid tearing the chick’s skin. Never pull!
I do not recommend putting any type of Vaseline or oils on the vent area; they tends not to be effective at achieving the intended result and can have the undesirable effect of drawing attention to that area of the chick from other chicks. This can result in a dangerous picking situation. Better to avoid entirely and simply monitor the chicks’ hygiene regularly.

After soaking to soften the droppings, gently coax them off the down without pulling.

Towel dry the chick, then use a hair dryer on low heat to dry the down completely. As you can see from the photo above, the vent is pink and obvious when wet, which would put the chick at risk of pecking from other chicks if returned to the brooder damp.

After towel drying the down, dry with a hair dryer on low heat.

Clean chick butt.

The Brinsea EcoGlow Brooder keeps chicks warm and happy without the risk of overheating.

Brinsea EcoGlow Brooder keeps chicks warm without overheating them. The Brinsea EcoGlow Brooder keeps chicks warm and happy without the risk of overheating.

PREVENTION

  • Maintain proper brooder temperatures
  • Consider switching from heat lamps to a radiant heat source such as an EcoGlow brooder, which will eliminate the possibility of overheating chicks.
  • Add probiotics to the chicks’ water (most nutritionally complete chick starter feeds contain prebiotics and probiotics; if yours does, it is not helpful to add more to the water)
  • If several chicks develop pasty butt after a few days in the brooder, it may be too hot and the temperature should be adjusted.
  • Don’t offer treats to chicks. They’re not helpful and can cause digestive tract upset, wonky droppings, nutrient imbalance, behavioral, growth and development problems. (If offering any foods other than starter feed against the aforementioned advice, offer grit. Grit can be sand, or crushed granite, which can be found in feed stores and online.)

Pasty Butt causes & solutions via The Chicken Chick® Kathy Shea Mormino, The Chicken Chick®

Kathy Shea Mormino

Affectionately known internationally as The Chicken Chick®, Kathy Shea Mormino shares a fun-loving, informative style to raising backyard chickens. …Read on

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Pasty Butt also known as pasted vent and pasting up is a condition that occurs in baby chicks when droppings stick to the down surrounding their vent; poop builds up to form a blockage that can be fatal to the chicken unless removed. Causes, treatment and prevention are discussed below. Chicken chick with pasted vent

CHICK ANATOMY

All baby chicks have both vents and navels/belly buttons which should not be confused with one another.

Chick anatomy belly button vs vent

The vent is the orifice from which chickens pass bodily waste and from which hens pass eggs. The belly button is located just beneath the vent. Just as in human babies, after birth/hatch there is a small amount of tissue that must dry up and fall off the belly button. This dried tissue should not be confused with droppings and should never be pulled off as doing so could disembowel the chick.

Pasted vent in feed store chickIt is very common for chicks sold commercially to have pasty butt.

CAUSES OF PASTY BUTT

  • stress and being cold, most commonly seen in chicks shipped through the mail
  • over-heating, most often due to heat lamps
  • improper diet (treats and snacks of any kind are a common culprit- skip the treats!)
  • less common causes include viral or bacterial infections and all of which can result in diarrhea

A more advanced case of pasty butt in a feed store chick.

All newly acquired chicks should be checked upon arrival home. Those with pasted vents should be cleaned and monitored for recurrence. Not all poop near the vent is concerning or actionable; a vent blockage is a problem, not mere droppings surrounding the vent. 

Wash chick's butt in lukewarm running water.

TREATMENT

I have found that the fastest and safest way to treat pasty butt is to wash the chick’s butt under lukewarm running water. Work quickly in a warm room to prevent chilling. When the droppings soften, gently coax the poop off the down without pulling to avoid tearing the chick’s skin. Never pull!
I do not recommend putting any type of Vaseline or oils on the vent area; they tends not to be effective at achieving the intended result and can have the undesirable effect of drawing attention to that area of the chick from other chicks. This can result in a dangerous picking situation. Better to avoid entirely and simply monitor the chicks’ hygiene regularly.

After soaking to soften the droppings, gently coax them off the down without pulling.

Towel dry the chick, then use a hair dryer on low heat to dry the down completely. As you can see from the photo above, the vent is pink and obvious when wet, which would put the chick at risk of pecking from other chicks if returned to the brooder damp.

After towel drying the down, dry with a hair dryer on low heat.

Clean chick butt.

The Brinsea EcoGlow Brooder keeps chicks warm and happy without the risk of overheating.

Brinsea EcoGlow Brooder keeps chicks warm without overheating them. The Brinsea EcoGlow Brooder keeps chicks warm and happy without the risk of overheating.

PREVENTION

  • Maintain proper brooder temperatures
  • Consider switching from heat lamps to a radiant heat source such as an EcoGlow brooder, which will eliminate the possibility of overheating chicks.
  • Add probiotics to the chicks’ water (most nutritionally complete chick starter feeds contain prebiotics and probiotics; if yours does, it is not helpful to add more to the water)
  • If several chicks develop pasty butt after a few days in the brooder, it may be too hot and the temperature should be adjusted.
  • Don’t offer treats to chicks. They’re not helpful and can cause digestive tract upset, wonky droppings, nutrient imbalance, behavioral, growth and development problems. (If offering any foods other than starter feed against the aforementioned advice, offer grit. Grit can be sand, or crushed granite, which can be found in feed stores and online.)

Pasty Butt causes & solutions via The Chicken Chick® Kathy Shea Mormino, The Chicken Chick®

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TheChickenChick
TheChickenChick
10 years ago

That makes two of us, Jenn! :)

Shelby Murdock
Shelby Murdock
10 years ago

I just had to clean off 3 pasty butts today! Didn't have warm running water so hung a heat lamp in the barn next to the brooder, put some water in a container under the lamp to keep it warm, and soaked the affected area with a sopping wet cloth. Poo came off great with minimum wet feathers. Glad this article made me aware to look for PB before I received my chicks.

Colleen Maul
Colleen Maul
10 years ago

Wonderful giveaway. My gosh my girls would love this.

Melissa Koller-Shamblin
Melissa Koller-Shamblin
10 years ago

Yeah! I love y'alls partnership and enter each time with my fingers crossed!

Carrie wilkins
Carrie wilkins
10 years ago

This is genius!!!

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