Bloody Stool/Puddle from 7-Week Old Chick

[yellowbttrflies]

I have a 7-week old Barred Plymouth Rock that was/is fine, except for some bloody stools today. She is eating, drinking, walking around, and interacting with the other chickens normally, the only thing wrong is the bloody stool. She has primarily been inside in a large cage with pine bedding. She has wandered around the backyard a few times, including yesterday, as we've been introducing her and the other new chicks to our adult chickens.

We noticed 2 bloody stools this morning and one this afternoon. I wouldn't even describe it as "stool", it's more of just a puddle of blood. I looked through the threads on this board, and it sounds like it could be shedding intestinal lining (completely normal, no care needed) or Coccidiosis (urgent care is needed). Has anyone seen anything similar and have any advice? If it is Coccidiosis, it seems like I should order Corrid - does anyone have any thoughts on using Corrid? Thank you for your input!

 

[azygous]

Discounting how much can be gleaned from an online photo, that doesn't look especially like blood or intestinal lining. It looks more like the chick ate something purplish or red such as beets or berries or red cabbage.

Behavior says more about a chicken's health than poop. As long as a chicken is behaving normally, it's not very likely there's a problem.

 

[hayley3]

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I have a 7-week old Barred Plymouth Rock that was/is fine, except for some bloody stools today. She is eating, drinking, walking around, and interacting with the other chickens normally, the only thing wrong is the bloody stool. She has primarily been inside in a large cage with pine bedding. She has wandered around the backyard a few times, including yesterday, as we've been introducing her and the other new chicks to our adult chickens.

We noticed 2 bloody stools this morning and one this afternoon. I wouldn't even describe it as "stool", it's more of just a puddle of blood. I looked through the threads on this board, and it sounds like it could be shedding intestinal lining (completely normal, no care needed) or Coccidiosis (urgent care is needed). Has anyone seen anything similar and have any advice? If it is Coccidiosis, it seems like I should order Corrid - does anyone have any thoughts on using Corrid? Thank you for your input!

I fed mine blueberries and their poo was black but that looks pretty runny. Do yours have access to berries?

 

[Eggcessive]

If you haven’t fed something that has turned the stool red, I would get some Corid right away and start treatment for possible coccidiosis. It certainly will do no harm. Inspect some vents as well. Dosage of Corid is 2 tsp per gallon of the liquid, and 1.5 tsp of the powder, for 5-7 days as the only water source.

 

[yellowbttrflies]

Discounting how much can be gleaned from an online photo, that doesn't look especially like blood or intestinal lining. It looks more like the chick ate something purplish or red such as beets or berries or red cabbage.

Behavior says more about a chicken's health than poop. As long as a chicken is behaving normally, it's not very likely there's a problem.

Thanks for your feedback! I agree - it doesn't really look like either, which is why I was so stumped! The chicks haven't eaten anything other than their chick food and perhaps a few bugs or other things in the grass in the minimal time they've roamed around outside. She has has a few more bloody puddles last night and this morning, so I'm going to give them Corid to be safe.

 

[yellowbttrflies]

I fed mine blueberries and their poo was black but that looks pretty runny. Do yours have access to berries?

Thanks for your input! Yes, it is very runny - almost more like a puddle than typical stool. The chicks may have found a stray berry or two from the garden on the ground, but it's unlikely and it wouldn't have been any significant amount. She has has a few more bloody puddles last night and this morning, so I'm going to give them Corid to be safe.

 

[yellowbttrflies]

If you haven’t fed something that has turned the stool red, I would get some Corid right away and start treatment for possible coccidiosis. It certainly will do no harm. Inspect some vents as well. Dosage of Corid is 2 tsp per gallon of the liquid, and 1.5 tsp of the powder, for 5-7 days as the only water source.

Thanks for your recommendation! I found a Tractor Supply Co that has some Corid, so I'm going to start that today.

 

[Eggcessive]

Let us know how they get along.

 

[azygous]

I am suspicious that it's the beet greens that are making the stools runny as well as reddish, especially if you topped the beet roots and left a small part of the root attached to the greens.

Beets will turn poop and urine red in people. I assume it would also do the same to chicken poop.

 

[yellowbttrflies]

I am suspicious that it's the beet greens that are making the stools runny as well as reddish, especially if you topped the beet roots and left a small part of the root attached to the greens.

Beets will turn poop and urine red in people. I assume it would also do the same to chicken poop.

I wish we were growing beets - that sounds delicious! But we don't have beets in the garden and the chicks may have come across a stray berry on the ground, but other than that have been eating bagged pellet food exclusively.