10 week old pullet noticed 3 of them have been opeing their mouth wide don't know what to make of it are they too young to eat oyster shells?

[Annie19124]

10 week old pullet noticed 3 of them have been opeing their mouth wide don't know what to make of it are they too young to eat oyster shells?

 

[nuthatched]

Too young, they shouldn't have oyster shell until they're laying. and ONLY if they are eating grower/starter/All Flock/Flock Raiser-not layer feed.
oyster shell +layer feed is way to much calcium.
Any other symptoms? What do you feed them? Are they panting?

 

[Annie19124]

feeding 20% starter grower Dumor In the morning one slice toast for all 8 1/2 banana for all 8 dinner fruit, chicken or ground turkey they like sunflower kernels. 4 are gray pullets heavier than the white pullets... 2 to 3 of the pullets gray pant or open up mouth When i present sand to them they want it badly. its 80 degrees in the room. Getting ready to put them in coop but its hotter in there temp goes up and down. All the same age the white pullets are losing lots of feather and are smaller than the gray pullets who are bigger and not losing feathers. They are always most hungry in morning and before bedtime thats when i notice the beak opening panting When I did a trial in the coop they were panting. Any suggestions. They are always hungry but they are gaining weight.

 

[LaFleche]

At 10 weeks of age they should have feed available free choice. They need to be outside running around and get natural sunlight.

It is normal for them to lose feathers as chicks go through several juvenile molts until they get their adult plumage.

Please, post a picture of your set up.

 

[Annie19124]

I had them in the coop and none of them wanted to eat their dinner but it was all gone by morning. They are running around in the pen and seem to be very happy all but 2 of them remain in the coop. I will send a pic soon. stay tooned. I also noticed one of them has a chocolate looking poop that is runny. Is this ok?

 

[LaFleche]

I had them in the coop and none of them wanted to eat their dinner but it was all gone by morning. They are running around in the pen and seem to be very happy all but 2 of them remain in the coop. I will send a pic soon. stay tooned. I also noticed one of them has a chocolate looking poop that is runny. Is this ok?

Every 8th or 10th time a chicken poops, the droppings will be rather liquidy, darker in colour and smelly, as these are caecal droppings.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cecal-vs-regular-poop.75555/

 

[Annie19124]

So I guess its a cecal poop and Im not happy seeing these in the coop because when the light colored chicken sits in it stays on the feathers. I use dove plain soap with water. Sometimes its hard getting it out. Is their a way to give them more fiber to get the stool to get a little harder. What would you give them? I don't see any white in that chocolate pudding poop.

 

[Annie19124]

So I guess its a cecal poop and Im not happy seeing these in the coop because when the light colored chicken sits in it stays on the feathers. I use dove plain soap with water. Sometimes its hard getting it out. Is their a way to give them more fiber to get the stool to get a little harder. What would you give them? I don't see any white in that chocolate pudding poop. All of them love it outside today even though its raining.

 

[LaFleche]

Set up a roost for them to sleep on, so they don't have to sit in their own droppings.

There is nothing you can feed them to make cecal poop solid. And there will be naturally no white (renal/urate) discharge with it.

 

[Annie19124]

which is better playsand or all purpose sand? for them?