Abnormal or Normal poop?

[Coop de Grass]

I changed to Sweet pdz under my roosts a few weeks back. I love it. It is easy to clean and it lets me see if the poop is consistent.
In the last week the poop is spreading out and the sweet pdz looks dark with moisture. Here are 2 photos:


This started with one hen, but seems to have spread since I find it under most of the roost.

Any ideas?

 

[TwoCrows]

Poop can come in all shapes, consistencies and sizes at any given time. It really depends on their diet and all they are eating, air temperature, stress level, over all health, etc.... If a chicken has constant runny or liquidy poop, there is no doubt a problem. But healthy birds will pass this type of poop during the day as well. So an occasional poop like this is not an issue. If the bird that passed this poops like this constantly, I would analyze the birds diet (too much fiber and roughage, wet foods, sweet foods, feed changes) give the bird an over all exam, if you haven't wormed them recently you might get on that. I would also recommend probiotics in the water several times a week to keep the good bacteria and good yeasts in the intestines balanced. Unbalanced can cause diarrhea.

 

[Coop de Grass]

Thank you @TwoCrows ! It has suddenly been raining here almost every day, and the girls refuse to stay inside or under the roofed area of the run. I will keep an eye on it to be sure it isn't the same every day. I don't want to assume that it is ok and then find out that it needed to be treated.

Many thanks!

 

[TwoCrows]

Thank you @TwoCrows ! It has suddenly been raining here almost every day, and the girls refuse to stay inside or under the roofed area of the run. I will keep an eye on it to be sure it isn't the same every day. I don't want to assume that it is ok and then find out that it needed to be treated.

Many thanks!

Rain can stir up all kinds of Coccidiosis, parasites, bacteria's, fungi, all kinds of nasty. Keep an eye on this and if it continues, you may have to take some action. I still would get some probiotics into them. A balanced gut can handle so many more changes then one on the edge all the time.

 

[Coop de Grass]

Probiotics coming up!

 

[Coop de Grass]

Unfortunately, this morning the area under the roosts was completely damp and the poop was flat with rings of liquid poop and then the PDZ was wet under that.

Yesterday one of my pullets started yawning/gurgling, and it looks like more of the hens are coming down with the same symptoms.

I posted on the emergency thread but haven't had responses.

The pullet and 1 hen are wheezing and mouth breathing. I've isolated the pullet inside the house because I found her in distress first thing this morning.

I am giving the pullet Duramycin and will start the rest of the flock on it in the morning. Also probiotics. I am hoping that it isn't Gape worm. I have wormer on hand in case the antibiotic doesn't clear things up...

Fingers crossed!

 

[TwoCrows]

Unfortunately, this morning the area under the roosts was completely damp and the poop was flat with rings of liquid poop and then the PDZ was wet under that.

Yesterday one of my pullets started yawning/gurgling, and it looks like more of the hens are coming down with the same symptoms.

I posted on the emergency thread but haven't had responses.

The pullet and 1 hen are wheezing and mouth breathing. I've isolated the pullet inside the house because I found her in distress first thing this morning.

I am giving the pullet Duramycin and will start the rest of the flock on it in the morning. Also probiotics. I am hoping that it isn't Gape worm. I have wormer on hand in case the antibiotic doesn't clear things up...

Fingers crossed!

I am sorry about your birds. Gape worm is not very common and this is most likely a respiratory infection. Do not use probiotics while using antibiotics as they will reduce the effects of the antibiotics. So straight antibiotics. Keep them on the Duramycin for 7 to 14 days, depending on the severity. If you notice the water turning purple, you have hard water and will need to use distilled water instead as hard water will render this med useless. Make a new batch of antibiotics daily. Once you are done with the antibiotics, definintely get the probiotics going again for at least 1 week following antibiotic use.

Keep us posted!!!

 

[Coop de Grass]

I am sorry about your birds. Gape worm is not very common and this is most likely a respiratory infection. Do not use probiotics while using antibiotics as they will reduce the effects of the antibiotics. So straight antibiotics. Keep them on the Duramycin for 7 to 14 days, depending on the severity. If you notice the water turning purple, you have hard water and will need to use distilled water instead as hard water will render this med useless. Make a new batch of antibiotics daily. Once you are done with the antibiotics, definintely get the probiotics going again for at least 1 week following antibiotic use.

Keep us posted!!!

I was delighted this morning when I went down to the coop and only a few small spots were "wet" unfortunately, all of my hens have the respiratory problem. I brought another one up to the house - her left eye had an enormous clump of white gunk in the inner corner, and the other eye was shut, but no gunk, One of her "nostrils" was shut with gunk and straw. So I cleaned her up and got her started on the Duramycin.

I took her back down to the coop in the evening to find my Buff Orpington so congested that I had to clean her mouth out, and the remaining hens in various stages of snoring... I realize that I should have pulled the water out of the run when I left. I know that the Duramycin should last 24 hours, so I think it will be ok. I still have the original pullet inside. She was much better this morning, but seemed to worsen during the day. Right now, she is better once more.

My DH went down to put the heat lamp on in the coop. It is fastened to the ceiling very well, and I can leave the volume on from the Nest cam to be sure that they are safe.

I was concerned about using the same syringe for all the birds, but then again, I would be dipping into the same solution. Do you switch for each bird? Today, I put the Duramycin in the water bucket with the nipples, but I did does them individually when I saw how bad they were.

Which do you recommend?


Thank you for your help!

 

[TwoCrows]

 
I am sorry about your birds. Gape worm is not very common and this is most likely a respiratory infection. Do not use probiotics while using antibiotics as they will reduce the effects of the antibiotics. So straight antibiotics. Keep them on the Duramycin for 7 to 14 days, depending on the severity. If you notice the water turning purple, you have hard water and will need to use distilled water instead as hard water will render this med useless. Make a new batch of antibiotics daily. Once you are done with the antibiotics, definintely get the probiotics going again for at least 1 week following antibiotic use. 

Keep us posted!!!

I was delighted this morning when I went down to the coop and only a few small spots were "wet" unfortunately, all of my hens have the respiratory problem. I brought another one up to the house - her left eye had an enormous clump of white gunk in the inner corner, and the other eye was shut, but no gunk, One of her "nostrils" was shut with gunk and straw. So I cleaned her up and got her started on the Duramycin. 

I took her back down to the coop in the evening to find my Buff Orpington so congested that I had to clean her mouth out, and the remaining hens in various stages of snoring... I realize that I should have pulled the water out of the run when I left. I know that the Duramycin should last 24 hours, so I think it will be ok. I still have the original pullet inside. She was much better this morning, but seemed to worsen during the day. Right now, she is better once more.

My DH went down to put the heat lamp on in the coop. It is fastened to the ceiling very well, and I can leave the volume on from the Nest cam to be sure that they are safe.

I was concerned about using the same syringe for all the birds, but then again, I would be dipping into the same solution. Do you switch for each bird? Today, I put the Duramycin in the water bucket with the nipples, but I did does them individually when I saw how bad they were.

Which do you recommend?


Thank you for your help!

As long as they are not too sick to drink, you can just mix the Duramycin in their only water source and no need to use syringes. Make a new batch of this antibiotic water daily.

But....if you do use syringes, you can use the same one on all the birds and dip them in the solution. They have all been exposed to this bacteria, so it doesnt matter at this point.

Good job on the heat lamp too! Sick birds get cold and dont heal well when chilled.

Ok then, keep us posted on their progress, and I hope you can get them back to good health soon!!

 

[Coop de Grass]

As long as they are not too sick to drink, you can just mix the Duramycin in their only water source and no need to use syringes. Make a new batch of this antibiotic water daily.

But....if you do use syringes, you can use the same one on all the birds and dip them in the solution. They have all been exposed to this bacteria, so it doesnt matter at this point.

Good job on the heat lamp too! Sick birds get cold and dont heal well when chilled.

Ok then, keep us posted on their progress, and I hope you can get them back to good health soon!!

I've added water inside the coop, for hens that aren't going outside, and also placed a bowl on the poop board - in a clear spot, because there are 3 girls up there that aren't coming down. I did get meds into them this morning. In the inside run, I decided to add one of the chick waterers - the canning jar with the red plastic dish under it. So glad I did that because The girls went to that immediately and started drinking from it. I will have to check it frequently.

Re: the poop... this morning they were back to the runs. It's a good thing that I've had experience with my kids. They will recover, and I will survive and be more experienced about a lot of different things!