About 1-week old chick with watery stool

[jjhere]

We just picked up our chicks Saturday and one of them just started having olive-colored, loose stools. We change the water 2X day and feed them organic chick starter.

Will keeping her clean and adding ACV to the water do the trick or is there something else we should do?

Thanks.

 

[Imp]

Quote:
Hi jjhere,
Olive is not a unusual color for chicken poop. Is it loose all the time now? Is the chick eating? If you are feeding fruits and veggies, you might want to cut down on it. Same with any dairy products.

Any sign of blood in the poop? And make sure the entire brooder area including the food and water dishes are clean and sanitary.

Post any other symptoms. Hopefully there won't be any others.

Good luck and welcome from Renton

Imp

 

[jjhere]

Thanks, Imp. I'm in Edmonds.

She seems to be eating and drinking fine. It's pretty smelly poop, but no blood. We've only been giving them the chick starter feed and water so far - no vegies or anything yet.
We've been trying to clear the poop out of the brooder whenever we walk by (a little paranoid since the feed is non-medicated). We've got pine shavings in there, could that be the problem?

I also just noticed that one of them has a little sore-looking spot on her foot that the others are pecking at. What to do about that?

 

[Imp]

Quote:
Smelly loose poop. Sounds like classic cecal poop. Perfectly normal. I'll attach the infamous poop page. I don't know for sure it applies to 1 week old chicks though.

http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

I don't think pine shavings are a problem.

Be very careful with the sore foot. Chickens are notoriously bad to each other and the pecking is not a good sign. They may not stop. There is stuff called Blu-Kote that you can apply that may reduce the pecking. There's a pine tar stuff as well. If it looks like it is becoming a real wound seperate and treat, before returning.

Imp

 

[jjhere]

LOL...everything I ever needed to know about chicken poop! I'll just keep an eye on her and make sure their little butts stay clean. Will be extra careful with that foot too.

Thanks again!