Pasty BUTT

Pasty butt (dried poo that cakes on the baby chicks fanny where they can't clean and can potentially block the chicks vent and prevent it from pooping THUS killing the chick) for baby chicks is so lovely. We had one of our hens hatch 2 babies about 5 weeks ago.... 2 I can handle 2 but trying to make sure 19 chick butts are clear.....very difficult. I find myself scared to try most things but I do it becuase that's life but when dealing with something living it's a whole new ball game. I was oddly scared to pick up a delicate baby chick and try to remove dried poop but the alternative seemed a bit drastic so I did it. I started with a warm paper towel and pressed on it's bottom and waited and waited and waited. Turns our poop gets pretty hard. Now I just run very warm water and stick their fanny under the water and GENTLY pick the poo off. You do have to be very gentle because their skin is SO delicate but I've read so much on this and people go crazy. They blow dry them after or hold them close to the heat lamp till they dry. These little guys and gals are stuffed in a box and shipped through the mail at a day old, they are pretty hardy. Needless to say I don't blow dry their butts after the Pasty butt bath. My sweet Gatlin is not doing so great. He's 13 and his legs are failing him. It sucks to watch and the anticipation of the inevitable is about to throw me over the edge. He is the most loyal creature I have ever known. He NEVER NEVER leaves my side even now when he is so much pain. I try and take him swimming most nights and that seems to help him a lot. My son really loves swimming with him but Gatlin always tries to save people in the water so we have to be careful.