Chicken Poop: All There Is To Know

The question each chicken keeper will undoubtedly ponder at some point is, "What's going on with my chickens' poop?" or "What does chicken poop actually look like?".

Keeping an eye on your chickens' droppings is always a good idea. By doing this, not only will you gain an early understanding of your flock's health and wellness issues, but you'll also learn what normal droppings look like so you won't react overly to small changes.

What is considered "normal" chicken poop can vary from chicken to chicken, season to season, and diet to diet... healthy chicken poop is influenced by so many factors.

Its color can be brown, black, yellow, or green - or it can be anywhere in between. The question is, how can you tell what's healthy and what's not? There is no need to worry. In this article, we'll explain how to understand chicken poop.

How is Chicken Poop Produced?​

In general, chickens produce poop in the same manner as humans or other animals. There are, however, some differences to be aware of.

During eating and drinking, water and food pass through the beak and into the esophagus and crop, respectively. It is then stored there for a short period of time before going into the stomach. Before food enters the ventriculus, where it is broken down, it is coated with digestive enzymes.

For your chicken to be able to digest food, it must have grit. As your chickens forage every day, they usually eat small stones known as grit. In captivity, you will need to provide grit to supplement your birds' feed.

Grit aids in the digestion of feed before it gets into the intestines. In the small intestine, the ceca branch absorbs water from feces. Additionally, they aid in the fermentation of substances that have not been broken down previously. The ceca empties its contents several times a day.

Feces then pass into the cloaca. There, the intestinal contents combine with urates, which appear as white caps on the feces. Then it continues on and out as the feces pass through the bird's vent - yes, that's where the eggs come out too!

How does healthy chicken poop look?​

Generally, chicken droppings are brown in color. Their consistency can vary, but they usually have a fluffy white cap. The white part is uric acid, which is urine in the human body. Food that has been digested is the solid part of the feces.

Chicken droppings can be different colors for a variety of reasons, and there is no need to panic. Droppings from chickens are usually mushy, soft, and brown, but there are perfectly understandable reasons why they may appear differently from time to time.

When you see poop that appears to be of an odd color in your coop, do not panic. Every person who has eaten beets has probably been surprised by purple poop in the toilet afterwards! The discoloration in the stool is not an indication of a serious health problem - it's just caused by certain foods. Chickens are no different.

The following are some of the most common colors and textures of chicken feces.

Green Poop​

In pasture-raised chickens, green droppings are quite common. In most cases, it is not a cause for concern and is caused by a diet rich in greens, grasses, weeds, and vegetables. This may also be a sign of an internal parasite, an avian influenza outbreak or Marek's disease in rare cases. If you do not find any other symptoms, you should not panic if they have green feces.

Additionally, teal droppings look strange, but they are not a cause for concern. Purple foods, such as beets and red cabbage, usually cause them.

Yellow Poop​

The reasons for yellow chicken droppings are just as varied as those for green chicken droppings, including coccidiosis, internal parasites, kidney disease, and typhoid. It is likely that yellow chicken droppings are caused by your flock eating a lot of these foods if there are no other symptoms:

• CornStrawberries
• Squash
• Strawberries
  

Black Poop​

In addition to internal bleeding, black chicken droppings are more likely caused by charcoal, blackberries, or other dark-colored foods consumed by your chickens.

Runny brown poop​

Infectious bronchitis and E.coli can cause runny brown chicken droppings. Cucumbers and zucchini, however, are likely to contain high water content, and the chickens likely ate them.

The difference between runny poop and cecal poop must also be distinguished. A hen usually poos about eight times a day and cecal poop resembles pudding. You should not be concerned - this is perfectly normal.

Do you remember the ceca we mentioned earlier in the article? The smelly contents of their stomachs need to be excreted several times each day. Cecal poop can range in color from yellow to black, indicating that your chicken's digestive tract is functioning properly. The odor is unmistakable (and extremely unpleasant), and it differs in texture and color from the rest of the feces.

Red or Orange Poop​

A reddish or orange chicken dropping is one of the most frightening kinds of chicken droppings. Lead poisoning or coccidiosis could be the cause, but they are usually harmless. An intestinal detachment causes it, which is completely harmless but sounds frightening. The situation occurs from time to time.

Ensure, however, that no blood is present. There is a difference between orange or red stool and bloody stool, and it can be difficult to tell the difference. Blood can easily be mistaken for orange strands - so examine it closely.

White Poop​

There are many possible causes of white chicken droppings. Be sure to examine the feces closely before overanalyzing them - feces from chickens always have white caps.

A variety of causes can result in completely white droppings. You may see this if your chickens have been drinking too much water or eating foods high in water, such as celery, cucumbers, and watermelon.

In addition, be aware of other changes, such as kidney damage, stress, internal illnesses, or vent gleet, as white feces can also be caused by other health issues.

Piles of brown poop that are unusually large​

In addition to their abnormal behavior, broody hens also produce abnormal poop. It is very common for broody hens to have large piles of brown poop. Due to the limited number of times she leaves her nest each day, she does not have many chances to poop. When she hops from the eggs, she will produce an excessive amount of poop - and the poop will be stinkier.

Abnormal Poop​

Here are some abnormal types of chicken droppings to watch out for now that you know the normal types. A veterinarian should be contacted if any of these abnormalities occur, especially if they are accompanied by additional symptoms.

Bloody Droppings​

There is no reason for alarm if you see blood in red or orange feces - but the exception is if you see blood in the feces. Bloody droppings are indicative of coccidiosis, a very contagious parasitic disease of the intestine. If your hen is huddling or fluffing up and is suffering from other health problems, she may have this disease. You should take a fecal sample to your veterinarian right away so treatment can begin, and the disease can be prevented from spreading to your flock.

Worms in Poop​

It is likely that your chickens have an active parasite infestation if you see worms in their droppings. They need to be treated accordingly. Because worms spread easily and may not show symptoms for a while, treat the entire flock rather than just the affected chicken.

By providing your chickens with fresh pasture and healthy food, you can prevent worms. Keeping parasites at bay can also be accomplished by using natural remedies. The use of chemical dewormers is also possible, but it should only be done in moderation.

Milky Poop​

The presence of white poop is no cause for concern, as we mentioned earlier. White and milky poop, however, may be a sign of parasites inside the body. Gumboro disease, or infectious bursal disease, can also cause it. It is difficult to treat and recover from infectious bursal disease, while parasites can be treated with a dewormer.

Diarrhea​

Loose stools here and there aren't a concern, but persistent diarrhea should be addressed. The stool will be runny, yellowish, and greasy. Chickens often experience this due to a small hiccup in their diet, where something they cannot stomach has been consumed.

Chickens may suffer from diarrhea if they eat the following foods:

• Apples
• Berries
• Cheese
• Cucumbers
• Oranges
• Squash
  

A regular occurrence of diarrhea, however, should be investigated. This could be an indication of worms or another serious disease, such as coccidiosis. A veterinarian can prescribe medication such as Amprolium or Toltrazuril to treat coccidiosis.

Clear Poop​

There are several conditions that can cause clear, very watery poop, and you need to treat them. A clear poop can indicate infectious bronchitis and require antibiotics, but it can also indicate stress. Your chickens' watery droppings are usually a sign that they've recently moved or haven't been fed.

Watery Poop​

It is also recommended to treat poop that is consistently white and wet. Even though urine is naturally liquid, you should act if you consistently see watery feces. Chickens that have been eating a high-protein diet or who are older often exhibit this sign of kidney failure.

How to deal with strange droppings.​

The following tips will help you if you discover abnormal chicken droppings that are not caused by one of the conditions listed above. The first thing you should do is look for any other symptoms that might suggest a disease or a parasite infestation. You should watch out for the following:

• Fatigue
• Weight loss
• Increasing or decreasing thirst
• Production of eggs decreases or stops
• Appetite loss

The diet of your flock should also be thoroughly examined, regardless of whether other symptoms are present. Is there anything your birds have been eating lately that is a strange color? Is there a lot of water they have been drinking?

If not, ensure they eat a balanced diet. You may see discoloration or changes in the texture of the droppings of your chickens if you give them too little or too much vitamins & minerals.

Other symptoms may indicate that it is time to see a veterinarian if the diet appears to be fine. The vet can perform a fecal float test on the droppings without loading up your flock.

There are many species - other than chickens - that can undergo fecal float tests performed by veterinarians. You can ask your veterinarian if they can perform a fecal float test for you or send the sample to another lab even if they don't normally deal with chickens.

Here are some tips for improving the digestive health of your chickens.​

Chickens' digestion is susceptible to imbalance, just like humans.

Probiotics​

Chickens can benefit from probiotics in their diets. Prebiotics and probiotics are both found in most commercial chicken feeds to support chicken health. You don't have to do anything else.

A probiotic additive might be worth adding to your flock's feed if you make your own chicken feed. Healthy digestion depends on probiotics, which are natural bacteria. By lowering pH levels and acidifying the gut, they prevent bad bacteria from flourishing.

Natural foods containing probiotics can also be fed to your chickens. Adding fermented and cultured foods like yogurt to your chicken's diet will boost their probiotic levels even more.

Keep an eye on water intake​

Keep your chickens' digestive tracts healthy by providing them with lots of water - especially in summer. Drinking a lot of water or eating a lot of watery foods can cause watery droppings. The key to keeping things running smoothly is to provide plenty of moisture.

Reduce stress​

The digestive problems of a stressed chicken may persist for quite some time. You may notice a change in the color, texture, or frequency of your flock's poop if it's especially hot or cold, or if there's fighting. A stressed chicken produces more fluid than usual.

When picking up a hen, have you ever seen her immediately deposit liquid droppings directly onto your hand? It's stress.

Your flock should be kept as stress-free as possible wherever and whenever possible. It is essential that all your chickens have enough space in their runs and coops, as well as plenty of food and water.

Keeping the chicken coop clean is important​

Keeping your chicken coop clean and sanitary is already part of your routine if you pay attention to the chickens' poop. This is essential, however, if you want to maintain your chickens' digestive health and improve their digestion.

In addition to stressing your chickens, a dirty coop makes it easier for diseases to spread. Unclean environments not only encourage the growth of parasites, such as worms, but also the development of communicable diseases.

Worm prevention​

There is no doubt that parasites are easier to prevent than to treat, and an infestation of internal parasites can wipe out a flock quickly. Here are a few tips you should keep in mind:

• Maintain a clean chicken coop by changing the bedding on a regular basis.
• Worms thrive in moist environments, so avoid wet and muddy conditions.
• You should mow your chickens' grass short, as it exposes worms to UV rays, which kill them.
• Regularly deworm them naturally.

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Conclusion​

It's understandable that not every chicken owner monitors their chickens' droppings regularly. You should adopt this habit to prevent health problems from occurring in your flock rather than react to them.

Your chicken coop should have poop boards, if you do not already have them. The benefits of doing this are numerous. These boards will not only catch nighttime droppings, but they will also keep your bedding clean longer if you scrape them out once or twice per week.

You might discover something strange when you scrape the boards. The presence of small amounts of red or discolored tissue is not abnormal, however large amounts of blood or consistently discolored feces (particularly when associated with other symptoms) require further investigation.

You now have a comprehensive understanding of chicken feces. Although it probably won't garner much attention at dinner parties, it should help you raise a healthier & happier flock of chickens.