- Aug 29, 2009
- 2
- 0
- 7
We need some help.
Yesterday we found a bloody dropping in the coop where we keep our layers -- 3 Buff Orpingtons, 3 Dominiques, and 4 Gold Laced Wyandottes, who free range during the day but are closed in at night. We watched for sick looking chickens, but they all seemed to act normal, and we saw no more bloody droppings. This morning when my husband went out to feed and water chickens, there were many more bloody droppings. (Say, 5 or 6). The blood seems to be on top of normal looking chicken droppings -- greeny-brown-white -- rather than mixed in. We could not see any worms, and egg production seems to be pretty normal. Their combs and wattles are all bright red -- except for a hen which just stopped being broody and has a somewhat droopy, pink comb. The hens are a little over a year old.
We are fairly new to chickens and have had no problems till now. I did a search on the boards and saw a few things about bloody droppings, but I wasn't sure that anything sounded exactly like our situation.
We also have a flock of 9 young bantams (about 12 weeks) in another coop, and had just introduced another 11 12 week old pullets to the layers the night before we found the bloody dropping. But those young layers escaped to the chicken tractor last night where we have a flock of White Rocks and Delawares of the same age that we are planning to use for meat. I am hoping the situation is not too serious and will not spread to all our other birds.
Help!
--Angela
Yesterday we found a bloody dropping in the coop where we keep our layers -- 3 Buff Orpingtons, 3 Dominiques, and 4 Gold Laced Wyandottes, who free range during the day but are closed in at night. We watched for sick looking chickens, but they all seemed to act normal, and we saw no more bloody droppings. This morning when my husband went out to feed and water chickens, there were many more bloody droppings. (Say, 5 or 6). The blood seems to be on top of normal looking chicken droppings -- greeny-brown-white -- rather than mixed in. We could not see any worms, and egg production seems to be pretty normal. Their combs and wattles are all bright red -- except for a hen which just stopped being broody and has a somewhat droopy, pink comb. The hens are a little over a year old.
We are fairly new to chickens and have had no problems till now. I did a search on the boards and saw a few things about bloody droppings, but I wasn't sure that anything sounded exactly like our situation.
We also have a flock of 9 young bantams (about 12 weeks) in another coop, and had just introduced another 11 12 week old pullets to the layers the night before we found the bloody dropping. But those young layers escaped to the chicken tractor last night where we have a flock of White Rocks and Delawares of the same age that we are planning to use for meat. I am hoping the situation is not too serious and will not spread to all our other birds.
Help!
--Angela
