another question from new mom-diarrhea?

[fluffychicksmomma]

Please bear with me, as a new chicken mom of less than 8 hours, I continue to have worries. The sickly chick is doing better, but could sugar water have given her diarrhea? Is that even what you call it in baby chicks? Her poo was solid and now it is completely liquid. Its also a different color than when it was solid. And I am not sure that she is the only one. (although she is the only one that got sugar water.) I notice a little poo sticking to the feathers of a couple of the babies and wonder if this is a precursor to pasty-butt, (or whatever it is called, LOL). Should I be getting it off their bottoms with a damp cloth before there is any build-up? Is there anything to give chicks to help make their poo more solid. Thanks once again!

 

[FrenchHen]

search for cecal or splort poo. You may be seeing something that's normal.
Is it every movement? Or just an occasional?

 

[chookchick]

Yes, sugar, or honey or whatever can definitely give them diarrhea. That is why I think it is never a great idea to give chicks sugar in the water. Keep their butts as clean as possible--if they get pasty butt it can take them down really fast, so you need to be able to keep an eye on them. If you put one tablespoon (no more!) of ORGANIC apple cider vinegar in a gallon of their water (non metal waterer), it can help with diarrhea and pasty butt, and getting the right organisms going in their guts. Also a little plain yogurt (with ACTIVE cultures) mixed with crumble can help if you can get them to eat it. Chicks often do have kind of loose stools though.

 

[kaddidle]

What a helpful thread! I'd been trying to figure out why my chick's poo was disgusting every once in a while (and she spends a lot of time on my shoulder, so I have been very aware of her liquid poops). Now I at least know that they're normal and that I need to always have a towel on my shoulder when she's there!