Bridgey is Unwell...

[micstrachan]

Bridgey has put herself back in the coop when I left. Right now the tarp and shade cloth are removed since I’m redoing the top of the front side of the run (I only have an 8x10 section to go... phew!) Maybe they feel more exposed than they are used to, but I think the sunshine is good for them right now while it’s not hot!

She's looking pretty good to me

Thanks, Melody. Me, too. Crop was not quite empty and soft again this morning, and she went back in the coop when I was leaving.

What do you think of the poop?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Molting chickens don't tend to mingle like they normally do. Mine will even roost in another spot sometimes - I can only assume being brushed up against might be painful. They may also feel a bit vulnerable as well.
I usually just leave them be and watch

The poop let's see what your testing shows. It's not that alarming to me. Poop can be loose for a number of reasons. If she's not eating her normal feed very well and just foraging around, that can be the cause.

Re-check the crop again tomorrow. If it's still a bit boggy, then give her some tomato juice, that seemed to work pretty well with mine.

 

[micstrachan]

Molting chickens don't tend to mingle like they normally do. Mine will even roost in another spot sometimes - I can only assume being brushed up against might be painful. They may also feel a bit vulnerable as well.
I usually just leave them be and watch

The poop let's see what your testing shows. It's not that alarming to me. Poop can be loose for a number of reasons. If she's not eating her normal feed very well and just foraging around, that can be the cause.

Re-check the crop again tomorrow. If it's still a bit boggy, then give her some tomato juice, that seemed to work pretty well with mine.

Interesting! Tomato juice! Did she drink it readily or did you have to administer it?

Yeah, I agree the poop isn’t so bad. Now I’m not sure it will be fresh enough... I’ll call Vet again and see when are the times they send samples out.

 

[micstrachan]

Molting chickens don't tend to mingle like they normally do. Mine will even roost in another spot sometimes - I can only assume being brushed up against might be painful. They may also feel a bit vulnerable as well.
I usually just leave them be and watch

The poop let's see what your testing shows. It's not that alarming to me. Poop can be loose for a number of reasons. If she's not eating her normal feed very well and just foraging around, that can be the cause.

Re-check the crop again tomorrow. If it's still a bit boggy, then give her some tomato juice, that seemed to work pretty well with mine.

Interesting! Tomato juice! Did she drink it readily or did you have to administer it?

Yeah, I agree the poop isn’t so bad. Just spoke with vet who said fresh samples are best and they send out several times a day, but the overnight sample in fridge should be ok if I can get hubby to deliver this morning. They are currently in separate baggies, though. I may wait and drop tomorrow morning. Thoughts? I’d prefer results sooner than later. Thanks!

Edited to add: When I said I might wait, I meant so I could recollect fresh samples and deliver them myself before work.

 

[rebrascora]

Quite a few of mine are moulting and have loose poop like that and they are much keener to eat greens and less interested in their main food, which is probably why their poop looks like that. I do wonder if they are deliberately detoxing at the same time as moulting. Cleaned and replenished inside and out ready to start the new season.

 

[Shadrach]

Quite a few of mine are moulting and have loose poop like that and they are much keener to eat greens and less interested in their main food, which is probably why their poop looks like that. I do wonder if they are deliberately detoxing at the same time as moulting. Cleaned and replenished inside and out ready to start the new season.

Interesting. The hens here are in various stages of moult and they're right off their normal food. I was watching today and those that are moulting hardest are eating lots of plants, including orange tree leaves which they rarely touch.
There also seems to be a bug in the vegetable garden soil they look for. It's very small and I have no idea what it is.

 

[Shadrach]

How are you doing micstrachen? You need to eat and sleep too.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Interesting! Tomato juice! Did she drink it readily or did you have to administer it?

Yeah, I agree the poop isn’t so bad. Just spoke with vet who said fresh samples are best and they send out several times a day, but the overnight sample in fridge should be ok if I can get hubby to deliver this morning. They are currently in separate baggies, though. I may wait and drop tomorrow morning. Thoughts? I’d prefer results sooner than later. Thanks!

Edited to add: When I said I might wait, I meant so I could recollect fresh samples and deliver them myself before work.

Quite a few of mine are moulting and have loose poop like that and they are much keener to eat greens and less interested in their main food, which is probably why their poop looks like that. I do wonder if they are deliberately detoxing at the same time as moulting. Cleaned and replenished inside and out ready to start the new season.

Michelle, I would go ahead and send what you have.

No, Izzy didn't drink the juice on her own! She was very skeptical about drinking that red juice. Once she tasted it though she was eager with the syringe, I just let her take large drops off the end of it.

Barbara, all mine like greens to begin with, but my molters are especially greedy and grumpy over sharing any. Even if they aren't eating their feed they will take greens and eggs, so I make sure they get both.

 

[RodNTN]

I hope everyone is okay! Quite a few of my girls are molting right now, and even my usual sweethearts are grumpy and hate to be touched. And their poop is watery around molting time, too. Come Thanksgiving (hopefully) everyone usually has beautiful new plumage and are themselves again! Hope this is the case for you

 

[micstrachan]

Quite a few of mine are moulting and have loose poop like that and they are much keener to eat greens and less interested in their main food, which is probably why their poop looks like that. I do wonder if they are deliberately detoxing at the same time as moulting. Cleaned and replenished inside and out ready to start the new season.

Very interesting concept! Wouldn’t it be helpful if we could read their little minds? Or at least interpret their instincts?