Black Tar Droppings

[Chicklette 1]

I have 4 chickens and 1 roo. They are all about 15 weeks old. They all appear to be going through a molt but since this is my first flock, I am assuming this since there are feathers all over the pen and inside the coop. My Golden Buff girl is dropping very black stools that are like tar. I have been to the poop page but saw nothing like this. The other chickens are sometimes picking on her a little......not too badly but I just think she is lowest on the totem pole. She does not act sick and is eating and loosing feathers. Has anyone ever had this. It is so sticky, it is hard to clean. Everything else seems OK. I'd appreciate hearing anything you more expert chicken people would have to say. Thanks

 

[NC29mom]

Check out this great POOOOOOO link:

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

**hope it helps, good luck to you!

 

[bietsch624]

I've had the same and also looked at the poop link. No ideas yet what is going on and didn't get much help.

 

[Chicklette 1]

Thanks but as I said, I've been to the poop page and did not see anything like this.......

 

[NC29mom]

How about these two sites? Check them out and maybe they will be of some help (one has pictures). Sorry, I'm personally not much help, I post often to get advice from others on the forum. Wish you luck!



http://fowlfacts.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=ffanswerstoquestions&action=display&thread=1093

http://fowlfacts.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=afflictiondiseaseff&action=display&thread=1579

 

[chickflick]

I have chickens that do this also. Don't seem sick. Eat and drink fine, and free range. Doesn't seem to be a problem. Since mine free range and I do give treats, I wonder if it's just what goes in, comes out. And since everyone that has chickens seems to have this "problem", I think it's normal. Don't fret too much.

 

[Chicklette 1]

Thank you all for your responses.........I feel much better now and the links were very good. I guess I'll have to continue scrubbing a little harder to clean up after her!! lol

 

[mypicklebird]

If she is not eating something odd (like dark fruit), black tarry feces may be a sign of a GI bleed (parasites, metal object causing ulcer, tumor ect). I would start by having a fecal checked by a vet if you can for parasites- or just deworm her with something more broad spectrum than piperacillin/wazine. An occasional off colored stool is not usually something to worry about, but if all or most of her feces are like this- there is likely something wrong.

 

[Chicklette 1]

I'm back again and once more worried about the same chicken. Her stools are still the same and it did feel like her breast bone was rather prominent and sharp. She does not appear to have regular type stools at all. She is still eating and looking ok and today I put a little or the worming medicine in their wet oatmeal. I just do not see anything really abnormal except that she is low girl on the totem pole. She is a little on the small side. The other chickens are all normal. They do not free range but have a large pen and coop. There are only a total of 5 chickens, so I can monitor them pretty well. I suppose the next thing would be a stool culture and I don't know if my vet is able to do that for chickens. I have read that chickens have a stool like this every now and then but this one has it all the time. I used Wazine for worming.

 

[tamelroy]

Do you give them ash to dust bathe in? Mine love to bathe in the ashes and I think some of them eat it and their poo is like tar.

Good luck and if you ever find out let us know too! I hope she will be ok!!!