6 mo old hen with poopy butt

[fatjellos]

I have a flock of 6 hens, 2 barred rocks, 2 buff orpingtons, and 2 easter eggers, all of which are 6 months old. Only one of them has started to lay (one of the barred rocks). They all get an organic layer feed that I get from a local feed mill. I soak it in whey that I have left over from making greek yogurt and give them some of that everyday, but they also have constant access to a feeder full of dry feed. I also regularly give them dried meal worms as a treat and leafy green vegetable scraps. Recently they have also been given pumpkins to eat which they destroy. I have them in a large chicken coop with pine shavings for bedding (I am doing the deep litter method) and there is a covered run they go out in during the day. They also have free access to layer grit and oyster shells.

One of the buffs has had a messy diarrhea bum for a couple weeks now. The poo looks to be normally colored (green and brown with some white) based on the wonderful pictures Ive been looking at, but it is obviously runny and sticking to her butt fluffs. Last weekend I brought her inside and did the day spa routine and got her all clean but she just pooped herself back up right after that. She doesnt show any signs of lethargy or sickness. Shes out in the run with all the other ladies doing chicken stuff, and she gets just as excited as everybody else for treats. She has had a small amount of blood in the stool at one point but it looked like the pictures Ive seen on here of intestinal lining and I wasnt too worried about it. I thought maybe she was just a messy pooper. However, yesterday when I came out to feed them before going to work (while it was still dark out) I found that she was still out in the run and not in the coop with the rest of the ladies (I have an automatic solar powered door). When I came home from work I went out and checked on her and she seemed normal and fine but when I went out tonight to check if she went in the coop I found that she was still out in the run again so i picked her up and put her in the coop but she wasnt going up to roost with the rest of the ladies.

Should I be worried about this? Should I be treating her with something? Are the other ladies just not happy about roosting with Mrs poopypants? I live in wisconsin so this staying out in the run at night business is not going to be funny here shortly. None of the other ladies are having any problems.

Thanks for your help

 

[thecatumbrella]

I have one chicken that just can't handle certain foods and treats. All of the organic feeds I've seen use wheat and barley, which can be harder to digest than the usual corn and soy. She also can't handle even small amounts of apple. Pumpkin is better, but when I offer it they eat so much that they eventually have poo issues.

I say simplify the diet for a week and give her a nice bum cut. I've had to trim all three of mine, and they're not even full grown. Just lots of fluff back there to catch every little thing!

As for the roosting, is it possible she's just not making curfew with the solar door? I have mine set on a manual timer to give a 30 minute grace period past sunset.

Best of luck with your girl!

 

[fatjellos]

I have one chicken that just can't handle certain foods and treats. All of the organic feeds I've seen use wheat and barley, which can be harder to digest than the usual corn and soy. She also can't handle even small amounts of apple. Pumpkin is better, but when I offer it they eat so much that they eventually have poo issues.

I say simplify the diet for a week and give her a nice bum cut. I've had to trim all three of mine, and they're not even full grown. Just lots of fluff back there to catch every little thing!

As for the roosting, is it possible she's just not making curfew with the solar door? I have mine set on a manual timer to give a 30 minute grace period past sunset.

Best of luck with your girl!

Thanks for the advice! I will take away everything except for the regular feed and see if that clears it up. Probably have to give her a Thanksgiving spa day.

 

[Australorpfamily]

I have a flock of 6 hens, 2 barred rocks, 2 buff orpingtons, and 2 easter eggers, all of which are 6 months old. Only one of them has started to lay (one of the barred rocks). They all get an organic layer feed that I get from a local feed mill. I soak it in whey that I have left over from making greek yogurt and give them some of that everyday, but they also have constant access to a feeder full of dry feed. I also regularly give them dried meal worms as a treat and leafy green vegetable scraps. Recently they have also been given pumpkins to eat which they destroy. I have them in a large chicken coop with pine shavings for bedding (I am doing the deep litter method) and there is a covered run they go out in during the day. They also have free access to layer grit and oyster shells.

One of the buffs has had a messy diarrhea bum for a couple weeks now. The poo looks to be normally colored (green and brown with some white) based on the wonderful pictures Ive been looking at, but it is obviously runny and sticking to her butt fluffs. Last weekend I brought her inside and did the day spa routine and got her all clean but she just pooped herself back up right after that. She doesnt show any signs of lethargy or sickness. Shes out in the run with all the other ladies doing chicken stuff, and she gets just as excited as everybody else for treats. She has had a small amount of blood in the stool at one point but it looked like the pictures Ive seen on here of intestinal lining and I wasnt too worried about it. I thought maybe she was just a messy pooper. However, yesterday when I came out to feed them before going to work (while it was still dark out) I found that she was still out in the run and not in the coop with the rest of the ladies (I have an automatic solar powered door). When I came home from work I went out and checked on her and she seemed normal and fine but when I went out tonight to check if she went in the coop I found that she was still out in the run again so i picked her up and put her in the coop but she wasnt going up to roost with the rest of the ladies.

Should I be worried about this? Should I be treating her with something? Are the other ladies just not happy about roosting with Mrs poopypants? I live in wisconsin so this staying out in the run at night business is not going to be funny here shortly. None of the other ladies are having any problems.

Thanks for your help

I have an Orpington that eats everything she isn't supposed to, pine, wood, leaves, horse fresh... No matter what I do lol so her butt fluffy feathers are pasty, not terrible but gez, she's worse than a curious cat lol I even caught her trying to eat cardboard (face palm) I try to clean her up but nothing helps. I've tried isolating and that almost made it worse(stress)

And on the door, I have mine set for a time only bc of dark dreary days, just a suggestion if you are able to.

Good luck!