Bloody stool for new layers?

[lizage]

Is it possible/common for chickens who have just begun laying to have bloody stools? I have at least 2 bantams and one standard size breed all start laying in the past few days (not sure which ones are laying yet). I have noticed a couple 'suspect' stools (specifically on my porch

) that may be bloody. However, I also gave them some leftover fruit salad (which had red and dark colored fruit in it 2 nights ago). The 'suspect' stools I saw yesterday I attributed to that (seemed more purplish than red). My husband just called me at work and witnessed one hen (who is in my top 3 list of potential layers) leave another reddish stool (again on the porch) just now. Would the hens still be passing fruit salad from 2.5 days ago or could it really be blood? None of the birds have any other symptoms of anything, but I've never dealt with de-worming or anything of the sort, but I do keep an eye on their stool just to be safe. How do I determine the source/cause of the discolored poo?

 

[so lucky]

I don't think the fruit salad would still be digesting. It's more a matter of hours than days for chickens. When you have time, check out the poo chart that is here on BYC. I think you can find it just by searching with "Chicken Poop Chart." You may find that the poo is normal. Also look up "Cecal poop" which is something chickens do a couple times a day, maybe. Dark, gooey and super stinky. Sometimes chickens do slough off a bit of intestinal lining, which looks like a bit of bloody something, in their stool. Normal, as well.